I previously hired Extra Step Property (ESP) as my property manager for one of my rental properties. I signed a two year contract with the ESP but terminated the contract once it ended in February 2015 because my experience with ESP was very disatisfactory. Some of the key issues and problems with the company included:
- Lack of landlord protection and representation - as my property manager, ESP should have protected my rights as the landlord and manage the condition of the property. However, my experience was that ESP constantly told me that my tenants were fantastic and did not investigate whether tenants had negligently damaged assets in the property. Instead, I was responsible for all repairs, which I was fine with if it was a matter of wear and tear, however, repaired reticulation organised by ESP had to be repaired again within the month.
- No property condition report - I never received a copy of the property condition report despite requesting this from ESP several times. This should have been a basic obligation of the company however even upon termination, I never received a report.
- Lack of follow up on instructions - As an example, the property's screen door was once damaged by an attempted burglary. Despite several requests to ESP to arrange for the screen door lock to be replaced, this was never done even at the end of contract termination.
- There were two tenancies during the period ESP managed the property. When the second tenancy started, the tenant complained to ESP that the property was not properly cleaned including urine stains in the toilet. ESP replied to the tenant that 'yes I know the cleaning wasn't perfect, but it wasn't perfect when the last tenant moved in either, hence me not able to hold them to cleaning this up'. This is despite the fact that I paid for professional cleaners to clean the property prior to the new tenants moving in. ESP not only did not check that the property was properly cleaned, but even defended the last tenant. I was embarrassed when the new tenant sent me the email from ESP with those exact words.
Overall my experience with ESP was very disappointing and disatisfactory and I would never recommend them to anyone.