Do You Always Follow Company Policy?

You how when a person dies without a will, it is said the person died “intestate?” That may be bad enough, especially when there are heirs who stand to inherit money, family heirlooms, items of sentimental value or the quilt Grandma made. What happens to our Residents when they are no longer capable of making decisions for themselves, including what items they should eat, or what to do so the electric doesn’t get shut off, and not to mention whether or not they paid rent for the month. The basics should be a given. Or, they should be unless there is something wrong with the Resident.

In property management, it is seemingly drilled in our heads that this is a business and not to take things personally. Over and over, we are told to collect the rent, issue eviction notices, and make the tenants follow the rules as set forth in the lease. What happens when the business side takes over? 

Does it leave room for the personal?

What happens when your resident suddenly isn’t coping, or didn’t pay rent, or needs help? How far does your management company want you to go to get to the bottom of the problem? Dare I say, about as far as a phone call and then a walk to the door to post a notice?

It causes me to question life. When things like mental illness, dementia, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and death affect our residents and my hands are “tied” I am so torn by doing the right thing versus taking care of business that it makes sleep hard. So, I throw it out there to those in the industry, do you follow your own moral compass, or not?

I will. I do. But it doesn’t mean it is easy. And it always means there are consequences.