Ongoing annual maintenance

Discussion in 'Property Management' started by Ian87, 15th Oct, 2017.

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  1. bunkai

    bunkai Well-Known Member

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    I would prefer it to be disclosed but generally assume that there would be an incentive for such low hanging fruit services where you can target a whole rent role.

    Another example - my PM also sent many letters for OH&S audit which is a condition of them getting free use of the "maintenance manager" maintenance platform. The letters clearly weren't written by my PM and demanded action from me which is not why I engage them. Obviously the "maintenance manager" platform folks need to maintain revenue so as soon as they are done with OH&S reports, there will be some other initiative to drive revenue. That's business..
     
  2. The Y-man

    The Y-man Moderator Staff Member

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    The only thing that irritates me about XYZ annual maintenance service for your property thing is that I didn't think of the business opportunity first.... :(

    The Y-man
     
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  3. Tom Rivera

    Tom Rivera Property Manager Business Member

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    I've actually had a couple of clients come to me specifically because they were so unhappy with the maintenance manager platform, and its extortionate fear tactics. I'm not saying regular building safety inspections are a bad idea, nor is the concept of a maintenance tracking platform, but I personally think it's unethical how MM go about marketing their extra inspection services.

    Though we wont agree about Smoke Alarms, I think @dabbler and I can be on the same page about this one- a good example of an agency/system not operating with the individual clients specific needs in mind.
     
    Last edited: 20th Nov, 2018
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  4. Michael Mitchell

    Michael Mitchell Well-Known Member

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    This is what's in the addendum I use with the appointment to acts:

    upload_2018-11-19_16-38-33.png

    Nb. on a side note it is actually becoming laughable, the Form 6 + Addendum is now up to 16 pages to cover all the liability stuff that now exists, and every year it grows...
     
  5. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    PS that is another irritant of mine with PMs, how so many of them think they are off the hook once they call a LL, or get one of these services.
    Just a bit more on this, if I was renting or using a company car, there is a burden on me not to use something faulty or in doubt and even to check the basics are on me......not unlike a tenant.

    So although my rebuttal was poor, it stands up too your test in many ways.

    PS....there were no airbags when I learnt to ride and drive, in fact no seatbelts, and I know many who died from belts too.
     
  6. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    No it does not...

    And PC is not an authority.
     
  7. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    I guess I may get you to help if I go too court.
     
  8. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    I will appoint you to Coronor....seeing your the one deciding ?
     
  9. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    LOL

    Who are you ?

    What you think, or I, is, irrelevant, as is income.

    A management agreement does not overide legislation, if you are as bright as you seem too be saying, you would know there is holes in all agreements, esp if going to the court run by fair trading etc....Judge Judy would be preferable.
     
  10. Ghoti

    Ghoti Well-Known Member

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    So...getting back to the OP, I had the gas heater serviced by a licensed plumber and will do so again in 2019, so two years (which the PM). Peace of mind given the Shepparton tragedy.

    I get the smoke alarms tested annually, again organised by the PM. I don't have airco in the IP.

    Irrespective, the property management software sends me stern warnings about the need to get gas heater serviced, smoke alarms serviced, property safety inspections etc, all at a discount if I engage through PropertySafe.

    But the last smoke alarm service was a doozy.

    Number of smoke alarms 2.
    Number batteries replaced 2.
    Number tested and compliant 2.

    But the clincher was the quote for relocating my hard wired smoke detectors so they were compliant with updated building regs. I called the company back to ask where my hard wired detectors were located. They were going to investigate and advise. I guess they're still trying to find them;)
     
  11. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    You people who run PM businesses can take on some of this stuff or ignore it, whether what I say is LL perception, fact or fiction, only one other person has dared to say anything to counter the nice warm fluffy feeling many want too put across. But PMs are over represented, that should drop a clue.

    If it was my business, I would never argue here, I would soak it all in and think how many may say nothing and how I may improve.
     
  12. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    2 things.

    Hard wired alarms have batteries.

    Vic gas requirements are dofferent too elsewhere.

    This latter fact, difference between states, countries etc should be a clue, you cannot prevent everything, this is where the world has gone mad.....many look from within own bubble.
     
  13. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    I agree. He is a good writer.

    But that really has little to do with much of any of this, I bet heaps of LLs prob cant get close let alone tenants, yet the reality of things have little to do with how clever one may be able to write or speak.

    When people push back on something here, people prob would be wise to resist being defensive, and prob invite every gripe...why ? Cause it could be valuable info......
     
  14. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    ROTFLMAO

    Me too.
     
  15. bunkai

    bunkai Well-Known Member

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    @dabbler - surely a few well written paragraphs regardless of content and many likes must be right!!!!
     
  16. Ghoti

    Ghoti Well-Known Member

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    <blush> ...and here I am lumping it in with the thoughtless PropertySafe messages!
     
  17. MyPropertyPro

    MyPropertyPro REBAA Buyer's Agents Sutherland Shire & Surrounds Business Member

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    Or just well written paragraphs with information/content that is factual and from people who are experienced in running actual property management businesses dealing with all sides of the equation and aren’t being argumentative and conspiratorial by nature? I’m yet to see any basis in fact on either of your arguments other than what you think PMs should be doing, which, as explained, is not legally appropriate. I’m just seeing a perception on what you believe to be the truth.

    There is an element of trolling on this forum towards posts written by PMs on here who do the right thing by clients and are attempting to explain how things work for the good of the site community. The bulk of the “opposing” posts are simply speculating from a landlord’s perspective and PMs here are trying to correct that perception because yes, they don’t want landlords thinking that money is made from these maintenance activities! If that is in turn perceived as being defensive then it’s with good reason! It’s particularly confusing when I see that the information being posted by PMs isn’t even being read, yet replies to it are being written.

    It is fine to oppose a view point of course, but it’s not really a view point is it? It’s how a PM covers their risk from a business perspective while helping a landlord meet their obligations. There is nothing sinister about it and I’m not sure why there is so much hostility. Bad experiences with PM probably? Sure, we’ve all had those! In fact, I got so sick of bad PM that I took it a lot further than complaining about them on a forum, I started my own!

    In my professional life outside of property we (and the industry) focus on getting it right, not being right. Safety is critical where faults and risk are hunted down as a matter of course and continually rectified as death results from not getting it right. We self analyse and are checked twice yearly for this exact reason. There isn’t The same safety risk in property but the same carries - strive to get it right and not be right. I would say from what I’m reading here that most of the PMs posting here would like to say they’re doing just that.
     
    Last edited: 20th Nov, 2018
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  18. MyPropertyPro

    MyPropertyPro REBAA Buyer's Agents Sutherland Shire & Surrounds Business Member

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    This is unfortunately the case, yes. We now live in a litigious society more akin to the US than ever before. I don’t think anyone is really sure how we got here but be assured, it’s as frustrating on this side of the fence as it is on our other side as the landlord! It’s a shame and who knows where it will end.
     
  19. MyPropertyPro

    MyPropertyPro REBAA Buyer's Agents Sutherland Shire & Surrounds Business Member

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    Completely agree! In fact, property investment should be regulated as a financial product with any company required to disclose any and all commissions as with financial advice (although digging into that industry may require a Royal commission at some point ;) )

    One of my pet peeves are spruikers selling OTP property to unsuspecting investors where large commissions are simply built into the purchase price and not even disclosed. It would be great audio if I could post some of the arguments I’ve had with these developers where we’ve turned down $45,000+ commissions for flogging this terrible stock off to clients.
     
  20. MyPropertyPro

    MyPropertyPro REBAA Buyer's Agents Sutherland Shire & Surrounds Business Member

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    It’s a great business model from a pure business point of view but yes, unsolicited marketing is always annoying.