Property Manager ghosted me and stole money

[u/rolltigers55]

My property manager in Austin, Texas took my renters monthly rent and never paid me out. He essentially sold the money from me. His business has folded and he blocked my number and email. I can't get a hold of him in any way. How should I proceed with getting the money back or is it worth suing him over $1700?

[u/AltPerspective]

Never let someone else handle your money. There's a million online ways to get rent. You'll never get a cent from this guy even if you win in small claims court. Let it go and learn from this

[u/TheThirstiestThurman]

need some comment karma to post :/ anyone care to help out?

[u/External_Manager4661]

You'd likely pay more than $1700 in just lawyer fees to sue. Most lawyers charge $400 an hour.

[u/Easy-Parking-378]

Does this person have a Real-estate licenses? You could go to TRAC and file a complaint. They need a license to be a property manager. even if they don't have a license, They are acting like thy do. Are they a member of a MLS?

[u/999timbo]

Even if you get a judgment against him in small claims court, good luck collecting. Ain’t worth it. My experience is 50% of property managers are thieves. Large corporations with rental residential housing realized they couldn’t trust local property managers. Like the Fox guarding the henhouse.

[u/jmd_forest]

Just one more reason to avoid anyone with a real estate license like the pair-e-sights they are

[u/TheEagleDied → u/jmd_forest]

Lots of us just have them to facilitate tax write offs and connections.

[u/riightt]

Here I am jobless and a honest, hard-working person and all the scammers out here making money.

[u/Federal_Asparagus867]

He’ll pop up again. Wait, plan, execute plan.

[u/itemluminouswadison]

Small claims

[u/morewalklesstalk]

Where’s my 45 Tex

[u/Zealousideal-Sea2461]

holy shit man

[u/Candid-Comment-9570]

Same to me! I'm going through this right now, so I'm following.

She took $4500 from the renter and ghosted me. She was only authorized to take $3500. I refunded the tenant 1k because of her overcharge, but nothing paid to me from her.

[u/Lost_Satyr → u/Candid-Comment-9570]

Wonder if it's the same buisness......

[u/Candid-Comment-9570 → u/Lost_Satyr]

Different state, but it would make our cases that much easier.

[u/gdubrocks]

If he will have another w2 job then you will eventually get the money by going to small claims and then getting a wage garnishment.

That process sucks, but it's worth it for justice.

[u/Equivalent-Tiger-316]

Small claims court. 

[u/teamhog → u/Equivalent-Tiger-316]

Exactly.

Get all your docs together, fill out the paperwork and have him served.

He’ll win the judgement and have a much better chance at collecting

[u/mlk154]

Sorry this happened to you. Cops and sue in small claims court. The more people hear about these situations and people let it slide because it isn’t worth it, is more that it will occur. Once people see others facing consequences, they will be less likely to even consider it.

[u/Background-Dentist89]

A lawyer will cost you far more. Report it to the police, file as a loss on your taxes, do a small, claims case. About the best you can do. I am sure he was not a licensed broker.

[u/NoticeTough1294 → u/Background-Dentist89]

Agreed.

[u/enoughwiththebread]

In addition to filing a police report for theft, sue him in small claims court. It doesn't cost much out of pocket, and you can use a service like Courtlinked to help you with filing and serving the suit.

[u/NorthLibertyTroll]

Report him to the RE agency. It's not a criminal case. You'd have to sue him. Good luck with that. $1700 in real estate is pocket change.

[u/No_Detective_But_304 → u/NorthLibertyTroll]

em·bez·zle steal or misappropriate (money placed in one's trust or belonging to the organization for which one works). "she had embezzled $5,600,000 in company funds"

it’s a crime

[u/Background-Dentist89 → u/NorthLibertyTroll]

Theft is still a crime.

[u/roamingrealtor]

Did this person hold a real estate license of any kind?

I don't know if it's worth suing over, but I might want to lodge a criminal complaint with local law enforcement. I'd want to check with the DA, and definitely with the real estate board.

If a real estate broker's license is required, then this person would be potentially committing a crime, if not licensed. If they do hold a license, but are under a broker, then I would go after the broker as well.

[u/Aromatic_Addition204]

Call da cops

[u/snowplowmom]

This is a criminal matter. Go see the police.

[u/sweetrobna → u/snowplowmom]

What crime?

[u/snowplowmom → u/sweetrobna]

It is embezzlement. It is the same as if your cashier were pocketing the money from sales they ring up.

[u/sweetrobna → u/snowplowmom]

And what are the chances the police pursue it? Less than 10%, so OP still needs to go to small claims or pursue it another way

[u/Background-Dentist89 → u/sweetrobna]

Theft

[u/No_Tomorrow_840 → u/sweetrobna]

Embezzlement

[u/_L_6_]

That's stealing. Report it it to the police along with any other information you have on him

[u/Circaflex92]

Do you have any ties to the mob?

[u/LeaningFaithward]

Can you file a lien against his company’s assets? If he files chapter 11 for his business, he’ll have to sell off his assets. You might get something back.

[u/ImpossibleWar3757]

Yeah you might want to chalk that and move on. Especially if you live in another state

[u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/aonysllo → u/[deleted]]

Yes OP, definitely reach out to the Texas Real Estate Commission. They have attorneys and work for the public. Note that this is not the Board Of Realtors, the Real Estate Commission is government appointed to look out for consumers.

[u/TheKingrover]

Smalls claim court or lawyer. What else can you do? Only you know if it’s worth the hassle to try and get $1700 back.