All Forum Posts by: James Conaway

I currently own a 4plex that I have recently hired a property manager to manage. I am not satisfied with the service I am receiving from the manager, I am finding I am spending more time that I expected dealing with issues. I am curious to get some feedback on whether my expectations for him are reasonable.

Without going into details, how much work should an owner have managing a property after hiring a property manager?

I am using around 22-25 units of water each month. I am not concerned with the water bill portion, just the sewer portion. You are paying half of what I am for sewer.  I am going to work with the city to see if I can get that reduced.

My units are 2bed/2bath. It was fully renovated with all new sinks/faucets/toilets/shower valves etc...

@Anthony Gayden What is the cost for your sewer on your bill?

Looking to find out anyone's experience taking on the CoP regarding getting their bill lowered.

I have a 4 plex that is fully occupied and is averaging around $350 a month for sewer/water/trash. The sewer fee is about 1/3 of the overall bill. I am being told by a nearby landlord with identical buildings that the portion of his bill for sewer is a 3rd of mine. His total bill averages around $220 a month, with the sewer portion approximately $35.

I am going to talk to the city to find out what options I have to get it adjusted, I was curious to know from other landlords with 4 plex's in Phoenix how much of their water bill from the CoP is due to the sewer fee?

Thank you for all the good advice above. 

After inspection it turns out one of the tenants brought German cockroaches with them when they moved in. They didn't say anything, but an adjacent tenant did when they decided to move into her unit.  It will cost me $600 to treat the building (4 units).

I like the advice above of deciding whether I want a small problem now vs big problem later and factoring the cost of annual service into the rent. I am going to treat all the units and eat the cost.

One additional question:

I have received a recommendation to just have all the leases written to say that the tenant is responsible for all pest control costs. That seems viable in a SFH, but in a multi-unit property could lead to big problems for everyone, except for the guy who doesn't care if he lives in a roach infested home.

Has anyone written leases with tenants responsible for pest control in a multi-unit building and managed to get it to work?

I have a 4plex in Phoenix, AZ that a tenant is complaining of cockroaches. What is the general best practice/policy for dealing with pest control like cockroaches in a shared building like a 4 plex?

Does the Landlord pay for professional pest control, does the tenant pay for it, is it split?

I appears to me that the landlord could get screwed by tenants (if he has to pay) to don't take care of their units and then all other units suffer and you will never really know which unit is the source...

Probably, but I am going with the understanding that common knowledge would expect people to know that they shouldn't use the wrong type or too much soap...

Thanks for all the good advice. I am going with option 1.

I tested the dishwashers multiple times prior to them moving in, empty and without soap. Lessons learned for next time....