Are you also worried about property fees? Recently, a wave of property fee reductions has swept the world. More than 10 cities, including Lanzhou in Gansu Province, Qingdao in Shandong Province, and Zhenjiang in Jiangsu Province, have introduced discount policies for “vacant property fees”, with the lowest being 50% off. In Liuzhou, Guangxi Province, some property management companies are even experimenting with “zero property fees”. However, behind this seemingly “win-win” price reduction trend, there are deep-seated conflicts between property owners and property management companies. As an independent observer, this article will take you into the maelstrom of property management fee disputes and reveal the truth behind the “dilemma” for both sides.
1. Property Management Fee Disputes Erupt: Why Are More and More People Refusing to Pay?
Case: Almost taken to court over $286. One day, I woke up from a nap and my husband sent me a screenshot: a reminder from the property management company’s lawyer. The reason was that I had been delinquent on the property management fees for an empty house…
The confusion of a “law-abiding citizen” I have always paid my taxes on time and never thought that I would get into trouble over 286 US dollars (about 2,000 RMB)…
Disputes over vacant houses: Fees charged even though services not enjoyed? I tried to apply for a discount on the grounds that it was a “rough vacant room,” but was rejected…
National phenomenon: Payment rate of less than 70. The housekeeper revealed that the payment rate in our community of 1,070 households is less than 70%…
2. Owners’ “Fancy Reasons” for Refusing to Pay: From Feng Shui to Mosquitoes
Case 1: Refusing to pay due to feng shui conflicts. An owner complained that the sculpture in the community “has its horns facing the window of his home”…
Case 2: Too many mosquitoes is also the property’s fault. Residents near the artificial lake complained about the many mosquitoes in the summer…
Case 3: A conflict over a cardboard box. A property owner and a cleaning staff member fought over a cardboard box of waste…
The helplessness of the property management: From “gifting” to “outsourcing reminders”. Wang, the property manager, recalls that when she worked for a small property management company in the county…
Upgraded collection methods: Pre-deposit to get rice, flour and oil. The property management company tried high-frequency text message bombardment…
3. House Prices Halved: Buying a House Has Become a “Negative Asset”
My story of buying a house: From ‘home’ to ”burden”. In 2021, I returned to my hometown from Shenzhen and used my years of savings to buy this lakefront school district house…
The developer went bankrupt: Risk of unfinished construction and safeguarding rights. In the second year after buying the property, the project was suspended due to the pandemic, heavy rain and typhoons…
The blow after taking possession of the property: Assets become liabilities. After reluctantly taking possession of the property, the price had dropped to below the down payment…
4. The Plight of Property Management: Caught Between Developers and Owners
Case: Having to pay property management fees even though the property has not been handed over. An owner has not yet received the keys to his property due to problems with the developer…
Ambiguous rights and responsibilities: Disputes over landscaping, parking spaces and the main entrance. The owner complains about the lack of landscaping, poor planning for parking spaces and the uninspiring main entrance…
On call 24 hours a day: From rescuing people to arresting pyramid schemes. The property management company needs to deal with emergencies such as people getting lost in the middle of the night…
The bitterness of property management: A ‘decent’ technical secondary school degree. Wang earns a monthly salary of 500 US dollars (about 3,500 RMB), needs to pay a mortgage of 557 US dollars (about 3,900 RMB), and raise two children…
5. Solving the Dilemma: How Can Property Management and Property Owners Achieve a ‘Win-Win’ Situation?
Policy attempts: Discounts for vacant properties and ”zero property management fees”. Many places have introduced a 50% discount on property management fees for vacant properties…
Technology empowerment: Transparent management and AI payment reminders. Properties have introduced AI scripts, high-frequency information push notifications…
Property owner action: Establish an owners’ committee and collective bargaining. Some communities have set up an owners’ committee to negotiate with the property management company to lower prices or improve services…
Expert advice: Clarify the boundaries of rights and responsibilities. Legal professionals have called for “clarifying the responsibilities of developers for problems left behind and property management companies to avoid the latter being blamed…”
Behind the property management fee dispute is the dual pressure of the economy and people’s livelihood. From the “US$286 property management fee dispute” to the “halving of housing prices”, this dispute reflects the plight of people’s livelihoods during an economic downturn. Property owners and property management companies are not natural enemies. Only through policy optimisation, technological upgrades and communication and negotiation can a “win-win” path be found. After all, a harmonious community needs to be maintained by both parties.
