Tenant submitted maintenance request, but ghosted provider and me

[Brian Berry]

I have a tenant in an out of state property which I am self managing. She put in a maintenance request through Latchel (the RentRedi maintenance management system) for a leaky pipe in the (unfinished) basement. They reached out to me two days later and said they weren't able to contact her via phone, text, or email. She recently changed her phone number, so I gave them the new number. She hasn't responded on that number, either. I've tried to get ahold of her, too, but she hasn't responded. Usually she gets back to me within a couple of hours, but it has been over a day now with no response. 

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to proceed? 

Thanks!

[Theresa Harris]

Do you have another way to contact her (email, a neighbour, work number)?  If there is a leak and she's not getting back to you, I'd find a way to post notice on the door and let her know that you've let yourself in.  A leak is not something to take lightly and for her to ghost you is incredibly ... (trying to think of a polite word for the not so nice word I am thinking).

[Matt Devincenzo]

For a leaky pipe, 24 hour notice and let yourself in. If it was a less damaging issue I might wait it out, but water, fire and 'safety' (CO detector etc) and it would be on my schedule not theirs.

[Brian Berry]

Quote from @Theresa Harris:

Do you have another way to contact her (email, a neighbour, work number)?  If there is a leak and she's not getting back to you, I'd find a way to post notice on the door and let her know that you've let yourself in.  A leak is not something to take lightly and for her to ghost you is incredibly ... (trying to think of a polite word for the not so nice word I am thinking).

Unfortunately I don't have any other contact information for her. The tenant was placed by the property management company I was using at the time, and they either didn't collect information for additional contacts, or didn't pass it along. 

It's an out of state property, so going to check it out for myself isn't a viable option. 

The tenant is on permanent disability, and has been hospitalized a handful of times in the two years that she has lived there. I'm concerned that this might be what's going on now. 

[Adam Bartomeo]

The perils of OOS landlording... Everyone can do things without a property manager until something goes sideways.

In Florida, you are allowed to enter the property without notice if it is an "emergency", safety concern, or the concern will damage the property. Obviously, a leaking pipe could be an emergency and damage the property. I would enter the property without concern. I am assuming that you do not have someone that is local with a key that can enter on your behalf...

On another note, you have reason to believe that the tenant may need a safety check. When we have someone that is not responding in normally, we send one of our team members to do a safety check. You can also contact the police if you are not local.

[Bruce Woodruff]

This is a case where a PM would be handy, eh? You almost have to go there now. 1) The tenant may be in serious trouble, and 2) water leaks are a serious deal. You can't let either one go.....while you're there, get her family info, and neighbors information too.

[Tracy Minick]

This is a great time and scenario to think about how to avoid these scenarios.

1. Yes post 24 hour notice to have vendor enter.

2. Establish a way for vendors to be able to enter for cases like this (a lockbox mounted in a safe place at the property for vendors to access)

3. Based on the information provided about the tenant being on disability and history of hospitalization I would suggest having the local authorities do a wellness check.

[Colleen F.]

@Brian Berry it is 24 hours a couple of things I would ask for a safety check by police if it continues. You could post a notice to enter on the door if you have someone that can do it and then just enter. You could pay someone ro go over. Honestly with a tenant who is old or disabled they could bust have shut off or lost the phone.

[Lynn McGeein]

@Brian Berry if you have no one in town to assist, then for this one you probably need to go and check it out. Then you need to find good property management or someone you trust to assist if needed. When I self managed from out of state, my son still lived near there so could run by to check it out if an emergency, and I had contractors who knew me well enough that they would enter on a contractor box left at the property if the tenant didn’t answer the door, then I’d send payment once done. Many contractors will not enter an occupied house using a contractor box unless they already have a relationship with you.

[Calvin Thomas]

Quote from @Brian Berry:

I have a tenant in an out of state property which I am self managing. She put in a maintenance request through Latchel (the RentRedi maintenance management system) for a leaky pipe in the (unfinished) basement. They reached out to me two days later and said they weren't able to contact her via phone, text, or email. She recently changed her phone number, so I gave them the new number. She hasn't responded on that number, either. I've tried to get ahold of her, too, but she hasn't responded. Usually she gets back to me within a couple of hours, but it has been over a day now with no response. 

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to proceed? 

Thanks!

 Attempt to call again, then text.  If they do not respond after a few hours, leave another message and text that you will be calling the police to do a wellness check should you not hear back from them by the morning because you are concerned they are not okay.

If they still do not respond after that, you will somehow need to access the basement to see what is going on. One of the perils of OOS landlording.  Everything is fine until it isn't.  After this, I suggest you seriously consider hiring a PM.

[Nathan Gesner]

So you're self-managing to save money, but you don't have systems in place to actually manage the property? Expect even bigger problems down the road.

My suggestion is that you hire a professional property manager who knows how to handle this issue, along with the other 172 problems you are likely to face as a Landlord. Attempting to manage it from a distance is going to cost you a lot more than the PM fees.

[Michael Smythe]

@Brian Berry as others have pointed out, you cut corners to save a few dollars by DIY managing, now it may cost you thousands.

Who have you lined up to access the property when needed?
---Does ANYONE have keys?

If someone local has keys, you can try to speak with Latchel contractor to see if they will enter property - then pay them extra to go get the keys.

If Latchel contractor won't, due to liability concerns, perhaps you can find a local RE agent that you can pay to accompany the Latchel contractor.

Worse case, maybe go back to your PMC and beg them to assist you.

[Tony Savage]

Brian,

Going forward, you need boots on the ground.  I self-manage my 9 doors in Lansing MI from San Diego.  If you don't want to hire a P.M then get a team in place... handyman, electrician, plumber, hvac, locksmith and whoever else you need. Give someone you trust there, copies of the keys and let your tennant know that you will give them 24hrs notice then you will have someone enter the premises.  

In this current situation have the police go by and conduct a welfare check.

[Brian Berry]

So a lot of people have been suggesting using a property manager. I have used two property management companies. The first was pretty bad (it took them five months to get a nearly turn-key rental on the rental market). They were fairly highly rated, and performed well on my extensive screening interview (we went over an hour).

The second was even worse. His company has a 5-star rating, and upon reading the fine print I discovered he has a non-disparagement clause in his contract. I *should* have caught that before I signed on. The owner of the PM company ALSO owns the maintenance company that does all of their work. As an aside, when I ended the contract with that firm, they mysteriously had maintenance fees that equaled the amount of money in my holding account (nearly $1500!). 

Since I've been self-managing, my tenant has been FAR happier, and my maintenance costs have gone way down. I also manage property in my home town, so I am very familiar with what it takes to manage a property. I just have not encountered this particular situation before, and was looking for suggestions. 

I plan to continue self-managing this property from afar. I was just hoping for some constructive, helpful suggestions on how to proceed with this unusual situation. 

I do have a preferred vendors list that I have been curating since I've taken on management. 

It's kind of frustrating to see all of the negative comments. I *thought* this was a supportive, helpful community. But what I'm seeing is a lot of people making assumptions and finger wagging. 

I have requested a police welfare check, and am awaiting a response. 

[Alyssa Wright]

As a few other people have mentioned in this thread, a leak is no joke and is better to get it rectified asap. Do you have anything in the lease for limited/no notice for emergency repairs? I would post something on the door giving her 24 hours notice of the repair and just get the leak fixed asap. 

[Tony Savage]

Hopefully my comments didn't come across as too critical Brian, That was not my intention. just wanted to give you some ideas.

Good Luck!

[Mike C.]

At this point you probably have to get the nearest flight and fly over if you do not have someone you contract in the area to check things out for you.  Leaks are no joke.

[Brian Berry]

Update:

As it turns out, the issue wasn't as bad as it seemed. The leak was a problem with the drain from the shower - not a constant running problem as I'd feared (and as the report indicated). That has been fixed, and the damage is very minimal. 

[Theresa Harris]

Quote from @Brian Berry:

Update:

As it turns out, the issue wasn't as bad as it seemed. The leak was a problem with the drain from the shower - not a constant running problem as I'd feared (and as the report indicated). That has been fixed, and the damage is very minimal. 

 That's good, but hopefully you have talked to the tenant and explained that they cannot let you know there is a problem and then ghost you.

[Nathan Gesner]

Quote from @Brian Berry:

A lot of people gave you a lot of good advice. We're pointing out the hazards of OOS management. What if the police checked on the home and got no answer because the tenant was at the grocery store? What if she was out of town for a week or in the hospital? What if she was dead in the basement? What if this were a real leak that went unchecked for 14 days and destroyed your rental? 

The #1 thing you can do right now, today, is contact your renter and demand she provide you with 1-2 emergency contacts. Get authorization to use them to reestablish communication if she is ever incapacitated, incarcerated, or deceased. I get this from every tenant when they sign the lease, and we update it every time they renew. It's saved my bacon many times, and I live local to all my rentals.

We're not here to insult you. We replied to your request for help by pointing out the importance of having boots on the ground. As stated early on, long-distance management seems pretty easy...until it's not.

You tried two property managers, didn't like them, and gave up. If you had two bad tenants in a row, would you assume all tenants are bad and give up? Property Managers are just like tenants: you need to know what a good one looks like, screen until you find a good one, understand your contract, monitor them, enforce the contract, etc. Most landlords have bad managers because they never really screen them.

I hope you'll reconsider before something big happens. Here are some tips:

Remember: cheaper doesn't mean you'll make more money.

Start by going to www.narpm.org to search their directory of managers. These are professionals with additional training and a stricter code of ethics. It's no guarantee but it's a good place to start. You can also search Google and read reviews. Try interviewing at least three managers.

1. Ask how many units they manage and how much experience they have. Feel free to inquire about their staff qualifications if it's a larger organization.

2. Review their management agreement. Make sure it explicitly explains the process for termination if you are unhappy with their services, especially if they violate the terms of your agreement.

3. Understand the fees involved and calculate the total cost for an entire year of management so you can compare the different managers. It may sound nice to pay a 6% management fee but the extra fees can add up to be more than the other company that charges 10% with no additional fees. Fees should be clearly stated in writing, easy to understand, and justifiable. Common fees will include a set-up fee, a leasing fee for each turnover or a lease renewal fee, marking up maintenance, retaining late fees, and more. If you ask the manager to justify a fee and he starts hemming and hawing, move on or require them to remove the fee. Don't be afraid to negotiate, particularly if you have a lot of rentals.

4. Review their lease agreement and addenda. Consider all the things that could go wrong and see if the lease addresses them: unauthorized pets or tenants, early termination, security deposit, lease violations, late rent, eviction, lawn maintenance, parking, etc.

5. Don't just read the lease! Ask the manager to explain their process for dealing with maintenance, late rent, evictions, turnover, etc. If they are professional, they can explain this quickly and easily. If they are VERY professional, they will have their processes in writing as verification that policies are enforced equally and fairly by their entire staff.

6. Ask to speak with some of their current owners and current/former tenants. You can also check their reviews online at Google, Facebook, or Yelp. Just remember: most negative reviews are written by problematic tenants. A tenant complaining online might indicate that the property manager handled them appropriately, so be sure to ask the manager for their side of the story.

7. Look at their marketing strategy. Are they doing everything possible to expose properties to the broadest possible market? Are their listings detailed with good-quality photos? Can they prove how long it takes to rent a vacant property?

This isn't inclusive but should give you a good start. If you have specific questions about property management, I'll be happy to help!

[Olivia Grabka]

@Brian Berry

1. Send an email with 24 hour notice of entry

2. Provide access information to the contractor

Keep it simple.

Use email instead of text or calling to create a paper trail.