All Forum Posts by: Eric Everstine

 Man, this is really awful, but I think that since I thought the book was closed on them, I may have thrown all that stuff out. Awful decision making on my part.

Could you tell me what difference it would make? 

Monika,

Real Property Management in Las Vegas. If you do know a good PM in that city, definitely let me know. I'm doing it myself for now, but I can't imagine wanting to be an absentee landlord forever. 

Lynn,

I like your idea. I will probably do that. I do have a free consultation with an attorney scheduled, so we'll see what useful information I can get from that. 

Hi Ram,

1) Unfortunately, not through referral but through internet search. I talked to a few places and my contact at this company (pretty big, actually) seemed the nicest and most reliable. Of course, as soon as I signed on, I was handed off to someone else who was not nearly as nice or engaged. 

2) Those are my thoughts as well, but I think there's a minimum amount, as well. My fear is that, being a big company, they've had all language in contracts written very carefully by lawyers, and perhaps even had this "dispute" discussed with a lawyer and concluded that they could very well proceed how they are proceeding.

3) Yes. I still have email exchanges to that effect. Basically, that I was not happy with their performance and would not be paying the termination fee, particularly since they never got me a tenant.

Anish,

I'm fine with going that route, except there are two issues:

1) I am now out of state, so I would much rather not deal with court, if it comes to that.

2) Is there any way this could affect my credit rating if they reported it?

I very much appreciate the responses.

Eric

whoops, double post. read the next one :)

Hi, all, I'm just looking for some guidance here.

I moved from my residence a few months ago and rather than sell, I decided to hold onto the house as a rental property. I hired a property management company for an initial fee ($245, one-time only), an advertising fee ($400 any time they have to get a new tenant) and then 10% of the monthly rent. They required three months notice if I cancelled their service, or there'd be an early termination fee of three months' rental fee (the 10% of the rental amount).

I hired them with over two month's lead time before the place would be available, figuring that would be plenty of time to get a tenant. They were sloppy from the beginning, not following through on a scheduled inspection until two weeks late, then never getting back to me on any recommended or necessary work (which there definitely was). The "professional photography" was some guy who couldn't care less coming by and snapping a few pics on his iPhone (no flash!) before driving off asap. The pics were awful, and it still amazes me that anyone could post grainy and blurry pics of random parts of the house online and expect it to sell.

It took weeks and many emails/texts and revisions on their part to correct the ads (and I had to take my own pics) and with two weeks to go, it still had not rented. In fact, only one person had even LOOKED at the house in the entire two months they had been advertising it. 

I then notified them that I was terminating our agreement immediately. I felt they didn't live up to their end off the bargain. I figured I'd eat the initial fees ($645) but since the place never rented, and they didn't live up to their end of the deal there would be no early termination fee (I really thought I should get EVERYTHING back but I figured I'd have no chance getting a dime from them without litigation). I discussed this with them, but they were noncommittal. 

Fast forward two months, and they've just sent me a bill for the early termination fee PLUS their monthly rental fees for the meantime.

How can I handle this? The amounts involved seem too small to be worth getting a lawyer involved, but I need to resolve this somehow, and they clearly aren't interested in being remotely fair. What can they do if I don't pay? What options are available to me to resolve this? 

Thanks for any and all advice/opinions/thoughts.