RYSE MANAGING AGENTS: A SERIOUS WARNING TO PROPERTY OWNERS

If you are a trustee, body corporate or property owner considering RYSE Managing Agents, my advice is simple: do your homework before handing them responsibility for your property.

My experience has been exceptionally disappointing. The biggest problems have been poor communication, a complete lack of urgency, inadequate follow-through and, most importantly, an apparent lack of care for the people and property they are being paid to manage.

Dealing with Quintinn has been particularly frustrating. Getting communication, answers or meaningful action can feel like an uphill battle. Issues that should be dealt with promptly can sit unresolved while owners and trustees are left chasing, following up and asking repeatedly for basic accountability.

And that is what I find most unacceptable.

You should not have to manage your managing agent.

When you entrust someone with the management of a property, you expect them to be proactive. You expect them to identify problems, communicate properly, follow up with contractors, deal with issues before they become bigger problems and, above all, treat the property as though it actually matters.

Instead, my experience has been one of constantly having to push for action.

RYSE promotes itself as providing personalised service, going the extra mile, conducting regular site visits and working closely with trustees. That sounds excellent on paper. Unfortunately, my experience has been very different from that promise.

A managing agent's failures don't just result in an irritating email exchange. Poor communication and a lack of urgency can ultimately affect maintenance, finances, property values, resident satisfaction and the overall condition of a complex.

That is why I would be extremely cautious about recommending RYSE to anyone.

If you are considering appointing them, speak to their current AND former clients first. Ask them how long it takes to get a response. Ask how maintenance issues are handled. Ask how often trustees have to chase them. Ask what happens when something genuinely urgent needs attention.

Don't simply listen to the sales pitch. Find out what it is actually like once they have your mandate.

There are also already very concerning public reviews, with their business listing showing a 1-star rating from seven reviews. That should at the very least encourage prospective clients to investigate further.

For me, the issue isn't that mistakes can happen — every managing agent will make mistakes. The issue is the apparent lack of urgency, communication and ownership when those problems need to be resolved.

Your property is one of your biggest investments. Your levies are paying for professional management. You deserve an agent who answers, acts, follows through and cares.

Based on my experience, RYSE has fallen seriously short of that standard.

I would strongly caution any property owner, trustee or body corporate against appointing RYSE without doing extensive due diligence first.

Choose your managing agent very carefully. Once your property is in the wrong hands, fixing the consequences can be far more difficult — and expensive — than choosing the right agent in the first place.