Having had some experience being blown off by a managing agent (present company excluded), we decided to ask one for some tips on getting attention.
Generally, says Michael J. Wolfe, president of Midboro Management in Manhattan, calls before noon should be returned the same day. With most managing agents carrying Blackberries these days, “email tends to work better than calling,” he notes. “But be very specific about your question—not just ‘call me.’"
Be persistent, not pestilent: Calling twice a day is okay—every half hour is annoying.
When comes to approval for renovations, Midboro agents respond in about two days for something small like a bathroom and in two weeks for a gut rehab.
Feeling ignored? You may get better results by contacting your agent's boss, rather than complaining to your board.
“If I get a call from a board member saying one of my people didn’t call them back, it’s embarrassing,” says Wolfe, who will intervene personally when an owner complains.
How quickly does your managing agent respond? How do you speed things along?
