Property Investment

6 min read10 Sep 2025

Top 6 problems with property managers (and how to fix them)

Discover the top 6 problems landlords face with property managers and learn practical tips to fix them — from tenant screening and fees to communication and maintenance.

OM 3004 Problems with Property Managers 1

Author: Tiffany Bracey

Property Manager Team Leader at Opes Property Management Auckland.

Reviewed by: Jess Knight

Business Development Manager with over 3 years of experience in Property Management in Auckland.

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Hiring a property manager should take stress off your plate.

They’re meant to handle the tenants, rent, and repairs so you don’t have to.

But when things don’t go well, a property manager can end up creating more stress, not less.

And while many property managers are excellent, in reality … some aren’t.

I see this myself as a leasing agent at Opes Property Management.

That’s why in this article, you’ll learn the most common problems landlords run into with property managers. And most importantly, how to fix them.

#1 – Property managers find the wrong tenant

The biggest problem is that they sometimes choose the wrong tenant

Get this wrong, and your tenant might not pay rent. They might damage the property. Or, they might just deliver headache after headache.

And the real issue with this? Some managers cut corners.

Maybe they:

skip a credit check,
don’t bother checking the references,
or they just want to find any tenant fast so they can move on.

That’s how you end up with a tenant who looks good on paper … but turns into a nightmare once they move in.

How to fix it

Make sure you ask your property manager: “What is your vetting process? And what checks will you do on the tenant?”

Here’s the types of things you should expect to hear:

Calling the tenant’s references,
Check that the tenant is employed (if they said they were)
Running the credit checks.

At Opes Property Management, we use tools like Centrix and Equifax to check tenant’s credit scores.

Now, a poor credit score doesn’t mean the tenant always gets rejected. It depends on:

How much money they owed
Whether they’ve paid the money back
If the tenant is upfront about it

But then a good property manager should tell you about those credit defaults. That way you can make an informed decision. That’s my process with landlords.

#2 – Property managers won’t look after it like it’s their own

Go to any property manager’s website and you’ll see the promise: “We’ll treat your property like it’s our own.”

But let’s be real … that’s not always true.

Some landlords are incredibly detail-oriented. So they check every little thing about the property every month.

Whereas a property manager will usually inspect your property every 3 months.

And while many investors agree that checking every physical detail of the property is overkill … some landlords prefer that hands-on DIY approach.

But in other cases the property manager might not be as detail-focused as you’d like them to be.

Sure, the basics get done. The rent gets collected (and checked). But the little things? They can start to slip.

It’s usually not down to laziness. It’s capacity. Some property managers manage 150+ properties. So they simply don’t have time to treat your property with the same care you would.

How to fix it

Make sure you ask your property manager: “How many properties do you manage?”

Anywhere from 100 – 130 properties per property manager is standard.

For instance, at Opes Property Management we target 110.

We find that after you go above 130 properties per manager … the standards start to slip.

More from Opes:

#3 – Property managers can be bad at their job

Like in any profession, there are brilliant property managers … and there are bad ones.

A poor property manager might:

Not follow up tenants who haven’t paid rent
Take too long to advertise your property, that means you don’t have a tenant for longer
Do shoddy inspection reports
Ignore your tenants … meaning that issues keep getting worse

That’s when landlords think: “I could’ve done this better myself.”

Which defeats the entire point of paying someone else to manage your property.

How to fix it

When looking for property managers don’t forget to ask: “Can I see a sample inspection report?"

And ask: “What sort of updates can I expect?”

You’re listening for an answer that makes you think: “they have a set process in place.”

Just to give you an example, at Opes we send weekly “Owner Updates”. That’s when you’re looking for a new tenant. This includes:

the number of times we opened the house for a viewing,
The number of people who booked,
The number of cancellations, and
The number of applications your property got.

You should also expect:

Inspection reports (with photos)
A property management statement showing money in/out and your final payout
Clear processes for maintenance approvals

If you’re not getting this stuff, your manager isn’t doing their job properly.

#4 – Some property managers have hidden fees

This is one of the most common (and frustrating) complaints that landlords have about property managers.

You sign up with a property management company. You agree to pay 8% of the weekly rent. But then you soon discover extra charges on your statements.

Some companies charge extra for inspections, and admin fees.

On top of that, most managers can authorise maintenance spending up to a certain amount without checking with you first.

That can be useful. But if they start racking up lots of costs … all that rent can quickly disappear.

Suddenly, the cost of management is far higher than expected.

How to fix it

Make sure you ask: “What extra fees do you charge on top of the weekly fee?”

You need to know exactly what you’re paying for, and what you do and don’t have to pay extra for.

#5 – Some property managers have poor communication

Property investors often say the thing that frustrates them most isn’t the actual problem – it’s not being told about it.

I’ve seen times where:

The inspection reports arrive months late (or not at all)
Landlords not hearing about missed rent until weeks later
Property managers racking up maintenance bills without asking the landlord

This lack of communication creates unnecessary stress.

You shouldn’t have to chase your property manager for updates, they should be keeping you in the loop. That’s what you’re paying for.

How to fix it

You can (and should) ask your property manager: “What systems do you use to make sure everything happens at the right time?”

They should have a software (like Palace or Property Tree) to make sure they are keeping on top of everything.

And ideally your updates and rental statements will be sent from a system so that the i’s are dotted and the t’s crossed.

#6 – Some property managers are too focused on tenants (not you)

A good property manager balances keeping tenants happy while protecting your investment.

But sometimes managers lean too far towards tenants, even at your expense.

For example:

They might be too slow chasing up tenants who haven’t paid rent
They might say yes to upgrades or maintenance that you never approved
They might avoid tough conversations with the tenants (because they find it awkward)

Yes, happy tenants are important. But ultimately, the property manager is working for you, the investor.

How to fix it

There isn’t an easy way to figure this one out in advance.

Of course, you could ask your property manager how they balance your needs and the tenant’s needs. But some people can talk-the-talk. But can’t walk-the-walk.

So this is one to keep a constant watch out for.

Should I use a property manager?

Using a property management doesn’t guarantee that all your property investment stress goes away.

Choosing the wrong manager can mean higher costs and unnecessary risk.

So before you sign on, ask the tough questions:

How do you screen tenants?
What’s included in your fee – and what isn’t?
How many properties does each manager look after?
How often will I get updates?
What’s your process for handling arrears?

The right property manager will have clear, confident answers. The wrong one will leave you with vague promises.

And if you get this decision right, you’ll protect your property and your peace of mind too.

And if you are looking for a new property manager, check out our team at Opes Property Management.

Tiffany Bracey

Property Manager Team Leader at Opes Property Management Auckland.

Tiffany is an experienced property manager who understands the importance of strong systems to deliver top-tier service. She is committed to staying ahead of the ever-changing compliance requirements under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986.

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