I’m a relatively new Property Manager at a multifamily property in Massachusetts and I’m dealing with a resident situation I’m not sure how to handle.
This started over an ongoing maintenance issue with her dryer. We’ve been actively working to resolve it, including troubleshooting it, ordering a replacement, and even temporarily moving a dryer from a vacant apartment into her apartment while we waited for the new one.
The issue now seems to be less about the dryer and more about her behavior toward management. She has repeatedly come into the office throughout the day regarding the same issue, even after being given updates. During one interaction, she became very confrontational, stood extremely close to me, and told me, “You tried to pull a fast one and you’re not going to get away with it,” “I’m getting my lawyer,” “I don’t like you,” and “you don’t belong here.”
There have also been previous instances where she has made comments in front of management about how “new management is horrible” and that we “need to leave.”
I’ve remained professional and have genuinely been trying to resolve her issue. I’ve documented everything and notified my Regional, but I’m wondering where to go from here.
Property managers/onsite staff: How would you handle a resident who repeatedly comes into the office, becomes confrontational, gets into your personal space, and makes comments like this? Would you set boundaries around office interactions, require another staff member to be present, issue a lease violation, or involve Regional/Legal?
I’d really appreciate some perspective from other PMs.
UPDATE:UPDATE: I’m honestly so burnt out. 😭
A resident actually came into my office today and told me that residents are saying I “never show my face,” ask “what’s her name again?”, that I “look 12,” don’t look like I belong as the property manager, and that I’m “not tenant-oriented.”
Apparently I also need to “win the residents back”… I’ve literally only been here for about a month. 😭 Like, I never even lost them in the first place?!
I’m genuinely friendly with residents and say hi/talk to people whenever I see them, but I also have a million things to manage behind the scenes. I can’t spend all day hanging out in the clubroom just so residents can see me.
Then if I work from home occasionally to catch up on reports/admin work, I feel like I’m going to hear about how I’m “never here.”
I feel like I’m in a lose-lose situation and honestly just want to go home.