OT: Question Businessmen?

[desertbluesman]

Ok I have a neighbor that is suffering from Alzheimer's she is a lot/home caretaker for a hundred or so residences. When the snow birds leave for the summer as per our community association rules, someone has to care take the lots for weeding and toilet flushing, running water into sink traps etc. So this lady has just been taken to assisted living because she is suffering from dementia. Now a few of my neighbors and I have the keys to a hundred or so lot sheds and homes. We have them cataloged by lot number, I want to take these keys to some form of business where the lot owners can be informed and then pay whatever is called for by that company to distribute the keys.

 

What kind of company would be trustworthy to do that?

 

Thanks for your help, not only did I have to contend with my own memory issues, I have been this lady's friend and helper since her husband died June 1, 2011. We took her to assisted living yesterday and she will not be returning here.

 

[Bluesape]

A local UPS Store should be set up for that, DB....

[The Geoff]

Over here, in the UK, we'd probably hire a lawyer to get that done.

 

G.

[Dannyalcatraz]

Are the lots her own property, or was she hired by someone as caretaker?

 

If it's the former, her legal guardian should be responsible for this. If there is nobody else and you've been acting as her agent all this time, I think you're on the right track. My instinct would be to talk to an attorney in your area first. In all probability, step 2 would be to see if there are any lien holders on the property, like a bank, and if so, see if their trust department would manage the property...possibly with you serving as your neighbor's guardian.

 

If it's the latter, the real owner would be the person to talk to.

 

Not that I'm saying your actions wouldn't be appreciated- you ARE stepping up for your neighbor, which is highly commendable- but legally speaking, what you're doing may actually be someone else's responsibility.

[Bartholomew]

In my area many of the Real Estate Brokers have a Property Management division and will do whatever is required for a fee.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

In my area many of the Real Estate Brokers have a Property Management division and will do whatever is required for a fee.

Good catch!

[MoodyBluesKeys]

Eastern NC - Real Estate Brokers do this sort of thing.

 

[Bartholomew]

After becoming saturated with "life on the road" I became a CGA in Canada and Property Manager for the CEO of Sanyo & Magnasonic Canada as well as other Clients. At one point I controlled a staff of almost 30 janitors, doormen, repair crew, leasing agents and accounting staff related to 1,000 apartment units, several strip malls, various condo projects & buildings with industrial tenants and government offices.

 

We also did projects in the USA. One of the condo developments was in Phoenix, AZ, same place as desertbluesman. We worked mostly through a Lawyer in that area who was a partner but also billed us for his services. A Lawyer can get the job done but hold onto your wallet. You'll be paying his time PLUS the Contractors he hires...ie. janitorial services, cleaning, minor repairs, whatever...at full retail price plus a possible mark-up %.

 

You need a guy like me who is Professional and set-up. Can get anything done with a phone call, on-call 24 hours a day, reasonable fees, 100% reliable.

 

There must be a Professional Association of Property Managers for the State of AZ and your best bet would be to get a referral to one of their members in your area.

[desertbluesman]

A local UPS Store should be set up for that, DB....

 

Yeah Blues, I was thinkin that meedarnself. I will go over and question them about it. So far my neighbor has them and is handling it for the next few months. After the snow birds fly, I will try the UPS Store.

[desertbluesman]

Are the lots her own property, or was she hired by someone as caretaker?

 

If it's the former, her legal guardian should be responsible for this. If there is nobody else and you've been acting as her agent all this time, I think you're on the right track. My instinct would be to talk to an attorney in your area first. In all probability, step 2 would be to see if there are any lien holders on the property, like a bank, and if so, see if their trust department would manage the property...possibly with you serving as your neighbor's guardian.

 

If it's the latter, the real owner would be the person to talk to.

 

Not that I'm saying your actions wouldn't be appreciated- you ARE stepping up for your neighbor, which is highly commendable- but legally speaking, what you're doing may actually be someone else's responsibility.

 

It is of course someone else's responsibility. As for now one neighbor has the keys in his shed and there is a sign on the lot caretakers door directing them to that lot. I am thinking after the snow birds fly, I will need a place to have them sent to anyone in a safe manner.

[Bartholomew]

Not to give you a hard time but I'm pretty blunt and straight ahead in these matters...cover yourself first:

 

Be aware that handing the keys for 100 residential units to a UPS store will make you jointly and severally liable for any damages, loss or theft to the co-op if a key gets lost or stolen or if an emergency situation develops or whatever.

 

Good intentions have no bearing on legal liability and the easy way is usually not the correct way to handle Real Estate.

 

UPS may not be insured properly to cover themselves in transactions of this nature as they are not Property Managers. This could cause you a serious personal financial loss in court at some future time as you are placing yourself in the middle of a transaction as an "Agent" in legal terms.

 

Additionally the co-op must have a Board of Directors or governing body and it is suggested that you speak to someone in authority --- prior to assuming legal responsibility for matters over which you appear to have no written authorization.

[Larryz]

+1 on a Property Mangement business for rental properties, and/or a Community Association Management business for condo's...

[Bluesape]

Guess I'll bow to Bartholomew's greater experience in these matters. He makes strong sense.

[desertbluesman]

We have it sorted out, thanks all for your answers.

 

I am out of the loop also, so there is no liability to me personally. I was never in possession of the keys except to help catalog them in numerical order for quick finding, and to take them to our community association for distribution before they returned them to me then I turned them over to another lot owner who was in possession of them from day 1, for distribution back to the rightful lot owners.

[Bartholomew]

Glad it all worked out and you aren't on the hook for anything.

[Eric Iverson]

Yes, we have enough problems without getting stuck in a "no good deed goes unpunished" type of situation.

[desertbluesman]

Thankfully it is resolved.

 

Thanks for your concern.

[super combinator]

Sounds like its all sorted but I was going to say you might want to call the cops & ask them for advice & to document what led to this, again for CYA purposes.

 

Good luck with it all & hopefully nothing gets funky!

[desertbluesman]

Whatever happens, we were acting as the woman's unpaid agent on her behalf and with her permission, because she could not resolve it herself, therefore we are not liable, she is. I am not involved anymore and others have taken up the task, and when the snow birds leave there is someone who will take up the task willingly. I am out of it myself, so there is no liability on me no matter what.

 

I never had control of the keys myself, and the guy who is, is a wiz business man, and he ain't afraid to go to court, and will do so in the drop of a hat to defend himself.