Home/Resources/Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Property Manager
PROPERTY OWNER INTERVIEW GUIDE
Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Property Manager
A structured interview checklist to help property owners compare services, costs, experience, communication, maintenance practices, and contract terms.
Who will personally manage my property after I sign?
What services and charges are not included in the regular management fee?
How much can you spend on maintenance without contacting me?
How and when will I receive statements, rent proceeds, invoices, and property updates?
How can I terminate the agreement, and what charges or obligations continue afterward?
A property management sales presentation can sound convincing while leaving important operational details unanswered. The best way to compare companies is to ask each provider the same questions and document the answers.
Do not evaluate a company from its management fee alone. Services, additional charges, maintenance procedures, communication, reporting, agreement terms, and the experience of the team assigned to your property can be equally important.
01 Before the Interview
Prepare the same property summary for every company. Include the property type, number of units, location, occupancy, approximate rent, current condition, known maintenance issues, and the level of owner involvement you expect.
Using the same information and questions makes comparisons more meaningful and prevents one company from being evaluated under easier criteria than another.
Property type and number of units
Current occupancy and lease status
Known maintenance or compliance concerns
Expected monthly rent range
Services you require
Decisions you want to retain
Your preferred communication frequency
02 Company Background
What is the company’s registered or legal business name?
How long has the local office or operating team managed properties?
Who owns and leads the company?
Who will be my primary contact after the agreement is signed?
How many employees or team members support the portfolio?
Which geographic areas does the company actively serve?
What property types does the company specialize in?
Are there property types or situations the company does not accept?
Why it matters: A national brand name or large portfolio does not automatically describe the experience, workload, or procedures of the local team that will manage your property.
03 Licensing and Insurance
Which licenses or registrations apply to your services in this jurisdiction?
Where can I independently verify applicable licensing information?
Who is the responsible broker or licensed professional when one is required?
What business, professional, or liability insurance does the company maintain?
What insurance must the property owner maintain?
Will I receive written notice if relevant licensing or insurance changes?
Verify Through Official Sources
Property management and real-estate licensing requirements differ by state and jurisdiction. Confirm applicable credentials through the appropriate official regulator rather than relying only on a website badge or verbal statement.
04 Portfolio and Relevant Experience
How many properties does the local team currently manage?
How many are similar to mine in type, location, rent range, and condition?
How many properties is the person assigned to me responsible for?
How does the company prevent managers from becoming overloaded?
What experience does the team have with vacant, occupied, distressed, inherited, or recently renovated properties?
How are responsibilities handled when the assigned manager is unavailable?
Can you explain a challenging management situation and how the company addressed it?
05 Leasing and Tenant Screening
How is the recommended rental price determined?
Where and how will the property be advertised?
Who responds to inquiries and conducts showings?
What information is considered during applicant screening?
How are screening standards applied consistently?
Who makes the final applicant decision?
What leasing fee is charged, and when is it earned?
What documentation is completed before move-in?
How are security deposits and move-in funds handled?
What happens if a newly placed tenant breaks the lease early?
Request Written Standards
Ask for a clear explanation of the company’s screening and approval process. Avoid directing a manager to use criteria that could violate applicable housing or consumer-protection laws.
06 Fees and Owner Funds
What is the regular management fee and how is it calculated?
Is the fee charged when the property is vacant?
What leasing, renewal, setup, inspection, advertising, maintenance, eviction, or termination fees may apply?
Are vendor invoices marked up?
Does the company receive referral fees or compensation from vendors?
Is an owner reserve required, and how much?
When are collected rents sent to owners?
How are security deposits maintained?
Can I review a sample owner statement?
Will invoices and receipts be available through an owner portal?
Under what circumstances may the company deduct money from owner funds?
Tip: Request a complete written fee schedule and calculate likely annual costs under normal operation, a vacancy, a new lease, a renewal, and a major repair.
07 Maintenance and Vendors
How can tenants submit maintenance requests?
How are requests prioritized and documented?
What qualifies as an emergency?
Who responds outside regular business hours?
What amount can be spent without owner approval?
Are employees, affiliated vendors, independent contractors, or a combination used?
Are vendor markups or coordination charges added?
Will multiple estimates be obtained for major non-emergency work?
Can I use my own vendors?
How are completed repairs documented?
Will I receive invoices, notes, and photographs?
Who reviews whether the work was completed properly?
08 Communication and Reporting
Who will be my primary point of contact?
Which communication methods are normally used?
What response time should owners reasonably expect?
Which events trigger immediate notification?
How often are owner statements issued?
What reports and documents can I access online?
How are vacancies, delinquencies, maintenance problems, and lease violations reported?
Who handles urgent concerns when my regular contact is unavailable?
How often will the company proactively update me when no emergency exists?
Tip: Notice how clearly and promptly the company communicates before you sign. The sales process is not a guarantee of future service, but persistent confusion or unanswered questions deserve attention.
09 Inspections and Documentation
What inspections are included in the management service?
When are move-in and move-out condition reports completed?
Are periodic occupied-property inspections available?
What does each inspection cost?
Do reports include dated photographs and written observations?
Are inspections visual observations or evaluations by qualified specialists?
How are safety, habitability, or maintenance concerns escalated?
How long are leases, notices, inspection records, invoices, and communications retained?
10 Lease Enforcement and Evictions
How are late payments and lease violations documented?
When are notices issued?
Who communicates with tenants concerning violations?
When is an attorney consulted?
What eviction-related coordination fees may apply?
Who selects and pays legal counsel?
How are payment plans or settlements authorized?
Which decisions require owner approval?
How will I be updated during a legal or enforcement matter?
Legal Procedures Differ
Notice, eviction, deposit, and lease-enforcement requirements differ by jurisdiction. Obtain qualified legal advice when the agreement or enforcement process is unclear.
11 Management Agreement
What is the initial agreement term?
Does the agreement renew automatically?
How much notice is required to terminate?
Is there an early termination charge?
Can the company terminate immediately under certain circumstances?
What authority does the agreement give the manager?
Which owner responsibilities are required?
What insurance and indemnification provisions apply?
What happens to tenant funds, records, keys, leases, and deposits after termination?
Which charges or obligations survive termination?
How are disputes handled?
Important Note: Read the entire agreement. Verbal explanations and marketing materials do not replace the written terms. Consider independent legal review when important provisions are unclear.
12 References and Reputation
Can the company provide references from owners with similar properties?
Are the references current clients?
What recurring themes appear in recent public reviews?
How does the company respond to criticism or complaints?
Are business names, leadership, addresses, and licensing details consistent across sources?
Has the company recently changed ownership, branding, leadership, or operating procedures?
How are formal complaints or disputes handled internally?
Online ratings can provide context but should not control the entire decision. Look for recurring themes and compare reviews with official records, references, written procedures, and contract terms.
BEFORE MAKING THE DECISION
Questions to Ask Yourself
Does this company regularly manage properties like mine?
Were important answers provided clearly and in writing?
Do I understand the full potential cost, not only the monthly percentage?
Am I comfortable with the maintenance authorization limit?
Will the communication and reporting process meet my expectations?
Does the agreement match what I was told during the sales process?
Can I terminate the agreement under reasonable and understandable terms?
Did I independently verify the information most important to my decision?
POTENTIAL WARNING SIGNS
Answers That Require a Closer Look
The company will not provide a complete written fee schedule.
Important promises are made verbally but are absent from the agreement.
The person selling the service cannot identify who will manage the property.
Licensing, ownership, address, or business identity information is inconsistent.
Maintenance markups or related-party vendor relationships are unclear.
The company guarantees rent, occupancy, returns, legal outcomes, or problem-free management.
Owner access to invoices, leases, statements, or maintenance records is restricted without a clear reason.
Termination provisions are avoided or explained differently from the written agreement.
The company pressures the owner to sign before reviewing the complete contract.
Property Manager Interview Worksheet
Evaluation Area
Company A
Company B
Company C
Relevant local experience
Assigned manager identified
Applicable credentials checked
Complete services defined
Full fee schedule received
Maintenance process explained
Communication expectations defined
Sample reporting reviewed
Agreement reviewed
Termination process understood
References checked
Overall fit
Compare the Answers, Not Just the Presentation
The goal of an interview is not to find a company that gives the most impressive sales presentation. It is to determine how the company operates, what it charges, who will manage the property, how decisions will be made, and whether the written agreement supports what was promised.
Document the answers, confirm important information independently, and compare each provider using the same standards.
CONTINUE YOUR RESEARCH
Compare Property Management Companies With Greater Clarity
Explore organized company information and review the standards Key Verified uses when evaluating profiles.
