Before hiring a property management company, ask how it handles the work that most affects your rental: finding residents, collecting rent, coordinating repairs, communicating with you, and reporting finances. Then compare written answers, not just sales pitches. For Los Angeles owners, it is also sensible to check relevant California license information and make sure the proposed agreement clearly explains fees, authority, and how either party can end the relationship.

Services, experience, and communication

1. What services are included in your management fee?

Ask the company to walk through its regular responsibilities, such as marketing vacant units, processing applications, collecting rent, responding to resident concerns, coordinating maintenance, and preparing owner statements. Clarify whether leasing, lease renewals, inspections, notices, or project oversight cost extra. Request the full fee schedule in writing so you can compare the total expected cost, not just the monthly rate. This guide to comparing management fees can help you organize that review.

2. Who will be my day-to-day contact, and how quickly will you respond?

Ask who handles routine questions, who covers when that person is unavailable, and which communication channels are used. Request realistic response-time expectations for routine matters and urgent issues. A clear escalation path matters: you should know whom to contact if a repair is stalled, a resident cannot be reached, or you need to make a time-sensitive decision.

3. What properties and neighborhoods do you manage?

Ask about experience with a property like yours, including its size, condition, and rental type. For a Los Angeles-area rental, discuss the company’s familiarity with the neighborhoods and property characteristics relevant to your unit. Ask for examples of how it approaches a leasing or maintenance challenge, without relying on broad promises about results.

Leasing, maintenance, and resident issues

4. How do you market a vacancy and report progress?

Ask what the listing process includes, where the unit may be advertised, who handles inquiries and showings, and how you will receive updates. Discuss how the company evaluates pricing and what information it uses to recommend an adjustment if a unit is not attracting qualified interest. Agree on how often you will review activity while the property is vacant.

5. What are your written screening criteria?

Ask how applications are evaluated, what information is reviewed, and how the company applies its criteria consistently. Find out how it handles incomplete applications and communicates decisions. Request an explanation of the process and how it is designed to follow applicable fair housing requirements. You can use this overview of consistent California renter screening as a starting point for discussion.

6. How are repairs approved, completed, and documented?

Ask what repair spending the manager can approve without contacting you, how emergencies are handled, and how you will be notified about larger work. Ask whether the company uses its own maintenance staff, outside vendors, or both, and how estimates and invoices are shared. A useful follow-up is: “What information will I receive before approving a non-urgent repair?” Agree on a process for photos, work orders, invoices, and follow-up if a repair is not resolved.

Money, records, and compliance

7. What financial reports will I receive, and when?

Ask when owner statements and disbursements are typically prepared, what income and expenses appear on the statement, and how you can access receipts and supporting documents. Ask for a sample statement with sensitive details removed. Confirm how the company handles questions about a charge or a missing document, and how year-end records are made available for your tax professional. For a deeper review, see what owners should review when assessing a manager relationship.

8. How do you handle resident complaints, late rent, and legal notices?

Ask who communicates with residents, how issues are documented, and when a matter is escalated to you or a qualified professional. Clarify what the management team handles and what requires your approval or an attorney’s advice. Do not assume that a general promise to “handle compliance” defines who is responsible for each decision. Ask the company to explain its process, and seek qualified legal advice when a specific legal question arises.

Contract terms and the final decision

9. What are the agreement’s term, cancellation, and handoff provisions?

Review the proposed management agreement before signing. Ask how long it lasts, how either party can end it, whether notice or cancellation fees apply, and how quickly records, keys, deposits, and resident communications will be transferred. Confirm who owns listing materials, property records, and other work product when the relationship ends. If any answer differs from the contract, ask for the written terms to be clarified.

10. Can you provide references and verify your California license information?

Request references from owners whose properties or needs are comparable to yours. Ask how the company handles an owner concern and what examples it can share of routine reporting or maintenance coordination. In California, you can search the state Department of Real Estate’s public lookup for license information. Check the relevant person or company, and ask the firm to clarify which licensed professional supervises the work when applicable.

Make a side-by-side comparison

After each interview, record the answer, the supporting document, and anything you still need clarified. Before choosing, compare:

  • The complete fee schedule and any extra charges.
  • Response expectations and your named point of contact.
  • Repair approval limits and reporting practices.
  • Sample owner statements and the timing of records.
  • Screening, resident communication, and escalation processes.
  • Agreement terms, cancellation steps, and the handoff plan.

Choose the company that gives specific, consistent answers and is willing to put key expectations in writing. If a promise is important to your decision, make sure it appears in the agreement or an attached written policy before you sign.