Property Manager replaced a water heater without permission

[Emily Beatty]

Looking for advice. A property manager replaced a water heater at a single family home that I own in Kentucky without my permission. I found out about the replacement on the monthly statement summary from the management company. This monthly statement had no description of the work completed and I had to specifically ask what the charge was for. Only to find out that the property manager replaced the water heater without notifying me about any issue with it in the first place and without asking me if that was the preferred route of remediation. The water heater that was replaced was installed brand new in August 2019. The agreement between myself and the property manager states that any repair over $250 will be discussed with me before any action is taken. Now that the water heater replacement is already completed - how do I move forward with the property management company regarding this situation? 

1 - they violated our agreement regarding how repairs are handled 

2 - the water heater replacement was already done - so now what? 

[Joe Splitrock]

@Emily Beatty the other issue here is that an 18 month old water heater most certainly has warranty left on it. Dates are clearly marked on water heaters and any reputable service person will check warranty first. There would be labor and prorated parts cost, but it should be very inexpensive to replace. 

It is also important to understand what failed on the water heater. It could be due to faulty install or misuse. I would ask the PM to provide details and cover the entire cost. They will likely say no, but the starting point for negotiation is "you pay everything". It seems anything over $250 should not be your responsibility.