We all can write a book one day about what we have experienced as property managers.
We ran a post on our Facebook page to find out some funny or weird things that Property Managers have experienced.
Here are the best of a very long list of comments that we had:
Open for Inspection- Whoops!
I turned up to an OFI and there were a dozen people waiting out the front. I rushed in and, as the door of the flat was open, I called to the tenant that I was coming in to conduct the inspection.
There was no answer and nobody home so I showed them all through and just as the last person left the tenant came home. I introduced myself and advised that we had the OFI as planned. I also advised that he tidy the place up a bit in case we need another one.
He looked surprised and told me to P— Off, as this was flat 7 and not flat 6. Der…..
John Gilbert
PM Using ‘Microwave Assault Weapons’!
An agent in my office received a letter from a tenant in November 2014:
Dear ….,
Fair to say our office was a bit shocked and had a good giggle. The PM Department Manager made the PM take it to the police as a precaution.
Funnily enough, while we opened the letter, the inspection manager happened to be doing routines in that area that day. She received a frantic call from the office but had already been to the property and everything was normal.
Melissa Bonney
‘Defrocked’ by Real Friendly Dog
I was appraising a rental property with a new owner and their dog got really friendly and jumped up, got his paw caught on my skirt and whoops next thing you know I’m standing there in my undies and my skirt is on the floor around my ankles.
Luckily the owner was turned the other way at the time and swears they didn’t see anything. Got the new management – thanks to the dog I reckon.
Amanda Griffin
Meditation in a Birthday Suit!
Went to routine inspection, knocked on the door, called out, etc. as the tenant’s car was in the driveway, no answer. Used keys to get in, walked up the hallway to the lounge room and the tenant was meditating – in the nude – with eyes closed. I asked if I should do the inspection, she nodded – eyes still closed.
I finished the inspection in about 15 seconds thanked her and got another eye closed nod and left.
Cobwebs and Complaints
I had a property that was occupied by some young Tenants in a beach suburb. At every inspection, I had to ask the Tenant to vacuum more often and get rid of cobwebs. One day at inspection when they were not home, they again had not vacuumed and when I went into one of the bedrooms there was a cobweb hanging approximately 30 cm above the pillow on the bed. I must have been having a bad day because I left them a note saying “Do you guys not know how to use a vacuum or a duster?”.A a few days later my boss came into my office laughing. Apparently, the Tenant had complained to REIWA about me and I had to write the Tenant an apology letter. I do not leave notes any more lol
Friendly Neighbourhood Burglar
I arrived to do a routine inspection at the property where the tenant was usually never home. As per the usual routine – knock on the door, wait, use the key to enter calling out to alert anyone in the unit. Looked across from the front door and there is a guy working on the sliding patio door from the outside, at the rear. Waved, he waves back. Assumed it was some maintenance organized by Strata. I made a note to give them a ring when I got back to the office and continued with the routine inspection, checking smoke alarms, opening the oven. Walked over to the said patio door to slide the verticals across to access the rear garden for the inspection, the guy wraps his tools up in a black towel and high tails it over the rear fence! Ummm.. burglar!!!
Debbi Matthews
Alien Eggs
I had a routine inspection where the tenant told me they thought there were white ants as they had dug up a bush beside the house and found a pile of eggs. I went around the side of the house to see a mass of small dirty round white eggs. Not sure what they were so tried crushing one with my shoe. It wasn’t breaking so I scooted it onto the concrete path and tried again.
With still no luck and suspicion rising as to what these ‘eggs’ could be I picked one up and broke it open in my hand. They turned out to be styrofoam bean bag beans. Goodness knows how they got buried under a plant in the backyard.
Jacqui Kitto
Pool Fright!
I was due to a rent inspection and the notice had gone out. The tenant was on holiday and had friends staying and they had not opened the inspection notice.
I turn up, ring the bell at the front gate, no answer so I use my key to open the gate only to find a couple in the pool which was in the front yard – starkers and in a compromising position – too funny!!
Ellen Shaw
Rats as Big as Cats
A tenant complained at an RI one day that there were rats in her ceiling and they sound like they’re the size of large cats. She then proceeded to instruct me to “just jump up and pull them out”. Now – I’m 5 foot 1 and those suckers sounded like they could put me in a headlock!
I told her that there were no rats when she moved in and she would need to arrange a pest inspection at her cost.
Cherita Caudle
Rabbits Trash a Property!
I have seen a tenant leave 15 rabbits inside the house after they moved out. I went in to do the outgoing and found they had chewed carpet, vertical blinds and peed up the walls. The rabbits were not there when I got there but when I questioned the tenant they advised that they had left them in the house so they would not run away!!
OMG!! Lucky that the tenants paid for new carpet and blinds then also lost their bond for cleaning.
Ingrid Sculthorpe
