I might have to steal that idea!  

This was no different than a parent stealing money from their own kid (and his family).  

Of course, since in that case the property should legally escheat to the state; so by you taking it through AP you are stealing from everyone in the community. 

I suggest reading Frank Abagnale's book "The Art of the Steal" to everyone because it applies to every part of your life.https://www.amazon.com/Art-Steal-Yourself-Business-Americas/dp/0767906845Hope this helps,Allen Fletcher

Self management can be a pain, but not as big a pain or expensive as managing a crooked, incompetent property manager.

The next problem we are having is just trying to get ahold of him, he's a shady character who we are sure is a drug user of some sort and makes his living by stealing.

There are plenty of property managers out there that are crooks and others that care about their clients seeing a return.

And only on their end.They would come to me and complain that so and so parks all crooked, or so and so has loud sex that wakes them up and I need to make them stop it, or they wanted permission to have a washer/dryer even if they weren't allowed because of the old plumbing system, or they wanted to let their relatives park in our parking lot and take the shuttle to the airport and leave their car in our lot while they went on vacation.It's just guaranteed that they will expect and ask for favors, that they would never expect or ask for - if the relationship was never ever perceived as a "friend" relationship.  

I have a budget spreadsheet that I update each year based on previous year averages, and every year different issues pop up that cause me to spend my profits making the expenses instead.The first year I was the landlord at 22 and people didn't take me seriously, so I got taken advantage of by listening to every non paying tenant issue (flat tires, grandmas sick, have to water the dog, etc. ) The second year I had a property manager who was both stealing from me and renting to drug dealers.

Fighting over junk in the fridge or people stealing each other's food is a big problem with roommates.