My property manager is late sending my money: what do I do?

First, find out if it is late or wrong

A late payment and a wrong payment need different conversations. Late means the amount is right but the date is not. Wrong means the amount differs from what the statement says should be paid.

1. Find the payment date written in your agreement and note how many days past it is.
2. Add up the rent the manager says it collected this month.
3. Subtract the fee, repairs and any reserve the statement shows. The result should match the payment you were told to expect.
4. List any line you do not recognize, such as a repair with no invoice.

Example a made-up statement shows $4,800 in rent, a $480 fee, $620 of repairs and a $0 reserve, so the payment due is $3,700. The owner received $3,200. The $500 gap is the question to put in writing.

Then ask in writing

Phone calls leave no record. Send an email that states the date, the amount you expected, the amount received and the exact record you want, such as the property's separate trust record for the month or the invoices behind a repair line. Offer a short deadline, such as five business days, and say you will use the agreement's notice terms if it is not resolved.

Stay factual. Describe what you see and what you need rather than accusing anyone. A mistake in a deposit entry is much more common than something worse, and a calm record makes a fix quick.

If it is still not fixed

• Read the termination and notice sections of your agreement and follow them exactly.
• Ask the manager's supervising broker or owner to review the file.
• Consider a complaint with your state real estate commission. See the complaint guide.
• Ask a local attorney about demand letters and small claims for the amount.
• Move rent to flow straight to your own account if the agreement lets you, so new money is not at risk.

Do not stop paying property taxes, mortgage or insurance because a manager is late paying you. Those bills still come due.

Keep your own record from the start

Write down the payment date, amount and method every month, even when everything is on time. A pattern is easier to show than a single missed payment.

Save every statement as a file the day it arrives. Do not rely on a portal that may close if the relationship ends.

If rent reaches your own bank account, compare it with the statement each month. If the manager holds it, ask for the account statement that supports the owner report.

Keep emails, not just calls. After a call, send a short email: Thanks for talking today. As discussed, you will send the amount by the date we agreed.

Keep paying your own bills on time, since the mortgage, taxes and insurance do not wait for a manager.

How DoorKeeping fits

If you keep your own set of books in DoorKeeping at $2 per unit per month, bank-matched rent shows what actually arrived. DoorKeeping is not a property manager and does not change what a manager owes you. It is software for owners who manage their own units, at $2 per unit per month with every feature included. DoorKeeping never holds your money and sends a payment only when you approve it.

Sources

1. California Department of Real Estate, trust fund records update (October 6, 2026), read Oct 31, 2026
2. Texas Real Estate Commission, how to file a complaint, read Oct 31, 2026

Questions

How late is too late for an owner payment?

Use the date in your agreement. Anything past it deserves a written question.

Can I withhold my fee from the manager?

Not without checking the agreement and a local attorney first. Follow the notice terms instead.

Who can see my manager's trust account records?

You can ask for the record kept for your property. Put the reporting schedule in the agreement.