Property Manager Double-Charging Commission for breaking lease

[Barbara Whiffen]

Lease dates: 4/15/2017 - 5/31/2018
Location: San Francisco Bay Area 

Upon moving in tenants paid first month rent + security deposit (equal to 1 month rent) + $1,963 commission for property manager for the duration of the lease (cashiers check made out directly to property manager).

Tenants mailed their monthly rent check directly to the homeowner for the monthly rent.

Tenants notified property manager at beginning of September that they needed to relocate for a job opportunity, at the beginning of November.

Tenants posted ad to Craigslist, showed the property and found new tenants.

Tenants moved out on 11/3/17. New tenants moved in on 11/5/17.

Property manager is now stating they owe an additional $1,860 for his commission on the NEW lease (in addition to empty days and cleaning fee). Tenants are fine paying for empty days and cleaning fee, but have an issue with the additional $1,860 for the commission.

Anyone have experience with this? I've never heard of a property manager getting paid commission TWICE. The new tenants should have paid the same commission the old tenants did. You can't double-dip on rent, but can you on commission? Property manager is saying this is fair since they would have been on the hook for the missed rent (Nov-May), but that's not the case b/c new tenants moved in and signed a lease.