u/creamyPB15

Is it possible to sue a PM company or take them to small claims court? I know this sounds petty, but they have been performing terribly. I had one issue I think I could actually bring to small claims court successfully.

They didn't add a pet and pet fee ($50/mo) to a lease and didn't remedy after I notified them multiple times over 2 years. The 1st time was shortly after the tenant moved in, the 2nd time when I got a new PM and listed all the outstanding issues I had, the 3rd time was after the lease was renewed. I have all communication records in emails. The operations manager said - "Sometimes we make mistakes, but since the lease is renewed like this, the best we can do it add it next year on lease renewal." This would be the start of year 3 for the tenants.

I just got the pet screening report from the PM, dated 2 weeks prior to tenant move in. Now I have concrete evidence the PM knew about the pet and didn't add the pet fee from the start. In addition to my emails, I think I'd have a strong case for the PM to reimburse me the pet fees I should have received ($1,200).

Has anyone been successful in small claims against a PM for something similar?

I own a duplex in CA and managed for a few years before I moved out of state and decided to get a PM. Been with them for almost 2 years.

I'll keep it succinct, they suck. I was hands off for a while, naively believing that they would take care of everything. That's what I pay them hundreds of dollars a month for yeah?

They've made many mistakes that have cost me money. To list a few - didn't include pet rent on a lease ($50/mo), didn't include tenant paid utilities, over charged (imo) for simple repairs such as fixing a small part of a fence ($450), called an emergency plumber from water "leaking" (water came from neighbors hose, $400) the plumber dug up my paver walkway, had to pay handyman to replace said pavers ($300)....

Operations manager refuses to acknowledge mistakes on lease agreements, has no answers on the cost of simple repairs. I'm especially pissed about the fence because I knew what the issue was and told them what $7 part to buy from HD, somehow still cost hundreds.

Any advice for methods to navigate some kind of financial return on this? I'm thinking I take them to small claims court. Yes, I am firing them. Figure I should play nice first before that.