WEAR — Homeowners left in the dark after the company that manages their properties stopped doing its job are seeking answers as to how to move forward.
Renters have been paying their rent to Custom Property Management company, but the property owners haven't been receiving their money.
Many tenants on Tuesday are wondering what they should do as no one can seem to get a hold of the company.
CPM's clients and tenants are turning to other property management companies for help with hopes of getting some of their questions answered.
Susan Gonzalez, rental manager for Mark Downey & Associates said it was a busy day answering questions about CPM.
Gonzalez said, "I would highly recommend that they still be paying rent so that they're not held in violation of their lease."
Even though the future of CPM is unknown, many want to know what steps they need to follow.
"Tenants are wondering, do we pay our rent? Are we in trouble if we don't pay our rent? They're concerned about paying rent and then having it not go to the homeowner," Gonzalez said. "Homeowners are definitely concerned about getting their rent because most of them are needing that rent to pay their mortgage."
Other property management companies like Property Frameworks are in the midst of this issue as well.
Property Frameworks just acquired 21 units at Azalea Court.
Azalea Court was managed by CPM until recently.
Property Frameworks is still waiting for CPM to transfer nearly $20,000 in security deposits.
CPM's office was still closed on Tuesday but a new sign has been posted since the day before.
The sign stated CPM officials were "simply out of the office" touring properties.
Someone had also picked up some of the checks that had been dropped off in this box on Monday.
Gonzalez said homeowners need to make a legal governing body aware of the problem.
"The first thing the homeowner needs to do is actually make a complaint to FREC, which is the Florida Real Estate committee that governs all real estate agents and brokers," Gonzalez said.
She said tenants are still legally obligated to pay rent but there are ways to bypass CPM.
Gonzalez said, "We are recommending that they pay rent to the courthouse. They can actually go to the court, ask to speak to a clerk, and let them know what the situation is and they can pay their rent directly to the court."
However, an official with the landlord and tenant division at the Escambia County Clerk's office said although Chapter 83, part II of the Florida statutes governs residential tenancies for landlords and tenants, tenants can't post rent in the clerk's registry unless there is a pending eviction case filed against them.
Once a case has been filed tenants have five business days from the date of service to file a written response and/or post their rent and any future rent that becomes due during the course of the case in the clerk's registry at that time.
The clerk can't accept rent payments without an eviction case being filed or a court order in place directing the clerk to take a specific amount of rent.
In addition, CPM is not nor has been an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau.
BBB officials said the company is now under review after several emails and phone calls complaining about the company.
Resource: http://weartv.com
Renters have been paying their rent to Custom Property Management company, but the property owners haven't been receiving their money.
Many tenants on Tuesday are wondering what they should do as no one can seem to get a hold of the company.
CPM's clients and tenants are turning to other property management companies for help with hopes of getting some of their questions answered.
Susan Gonzalez, rental manager for Mark Downey & Associates said it was a busy day answering questions about CPM.
Gonzalez said, "I would highly recommend that they still be paying rent so that they're not held in violation of their lease."
Even though the future of CPM is unknown, many want to know what steps they need to follow.
"Tenants are wondering, do we pay our rent? Are we in trouble if we don't pay our rent? They're concerned about paying rent and then having it not go to the homeowner," Gonzalez said. "Homeowners are definitely concerned about getting their rent because most of them are needing that rent to pay their mortgage."
Other property management companies like Property Frameworks are in the midst of this issue as well.
Property Frameworks just acquired 21 units at Azalea Court.
Azalea Court was managed by CPM until recently.
Property Frameworks is still waiting for CPM to transfer nearly $20,000 in security deposits.
CPM's office was still closed on Tuesday but a new sign has been posted since the day before.
The sign stated CPM officials were "simply out of the office" touring properties.
Someone had also picked up some of the checks that had been dropped off in this box on Monday.
Gonzalez said homeowners need to make a legal governing body aware of the problem.
"The first thing the homeowner needs to do is actually make a complaint to FREC, which is the Florida Real Estate committee that governs all real estate agents and brokers," Gonzalez said.
She said tenants are still legally obligated to pay rent but there are ways to bypass CPM.
Gonzalez said, "We are recommending that they pay rent to the courthouse. They can actually go to the court, ask to speak to a clerk, and let them know what the situation is and they can pay their rent directly to the court."
However, an official with the landlord and tenant division at the Escambia County Clerk's office said although Chapter 83, part II of the Florida statutes governs residential tenancies for landlords and tenants, tenants can't post rent in the clerk's registry unless there is a pending eviction case filed against them.
Once a case has been filed tenants have five business days from the date of service to file a written response and/or post their rent and any future rent that becomes due during the course of the case in the clerk's registry at that time.
The clerk can't accept rent payments without an eviction case being filed or a court order in place directing the clerk to take a specific amount of rent.
In addition, CPM is not nor has been an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau.
BBB officials said the company is now under review after several emails and phone calls complaining about the company.
Resource: http://weartv.com
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