When a building runs smoothly, residents are happy, owners sleep better, and trustees aren’t spending their evenings putting out metaphorical fires on the residents’ WhatsApp group, there’s usually one key ingredient behind the scenes: strong property management.
A professional Managing Agent (property manager) is not just “the one who calls the plumber”. They’re the operational backbone of a property or scheme. They balance people, paperwork, maintenance, money, and compliance, often all in the same day.
In this article, we’ll break down what a Managing Agent / professional property manager is, the duties of a Managing Agent / property manager, and why working with a professional team (like DPG’s property management services) can make a measurable difference to your property’s performance and long-term value.
What is a Managing Agent / Property Manager?
A Managing Agent / property manager is a specialist who oversees the day-to-day operations of a property on behalf of a body corporate, homeowners’ association (HOA), owner, landlord or investor.
Depending on the type of property, a property manager may manage:
- Sectional title schemes and bodies corporate
- Commercial and mixed-use properties
- Estates governed by an HOA
- Shareblock Companies
- Retirement Villages
- Residential properties (single homes, townhouses, apartments)
- Multi-unit buildings and complexes
In all cases, the goal is the same: protect the asset, improve the experience of the people using it, and ensure the property is run properly, financially and operationally while maintaining ever-increasing compliance requirements.
Why Understanding the Duties of a Managing Agent / Property Manager Matters
Many property problems start with a simple misunderstanding of responsibility.
Owners assume the tenant will report issues early. Tenants assume “someone” will fix it. Trustees assume a contractor will manage the timeline. Contractors assume nobody is monitoring quality. And then, suddenly, a small leak becomes a ceiling collapse, and everyone is pointing fingers.
Clear, professional management closes those gaps.
The best property managers don’t just react. They plan, document, communicate, and enforce standards consistently. That’s the real value behind the duties of a property manager.
Core Duties of a Managing Agent / Property Manager
Property management is broad, but most responsibilities fall into a few key categories.
1) Communication management
Managing agents often facilitate communications between owners, employees and trustees or directors. They are responsible for relaying information and concerns between these parties.
This often includes:
- Financial reporting
- Operational updates
- Vendor management
- General inquiries and complaints
Good communication ensures that all parties involved remain informed and feel heard within the property scheme.
2) Levy collection
Money is the lifeblood of property operations.
One of the most important duties of a property manager is ensuring that income is collected correctly and on time, whether that’s monthly levies or special contributions in a scheme.
This may include:
- Monthly invoicing and statements
- Following up on late payments
- Tracking arrears and applying processes consistently
- Managing payment plans (where appropriate)
- Coordinating collections and escalation when needed
Strong collection processes don’t just improve cash flow. They keep the property maintained, service providers paid, and financial planning on track.
3) Maintenance and repairs management
Maintenance is where properties either retain value or quietly fall apart.
A professional manager typically handles:
- Logging and prioritising maintenance requests
- Arranging qualified service providers
- Getting quotes and managing approvals
- Coordinating access to units and common areas
- Monitoring timelines and workmanship
- Managing preventative maintenance schedules
This is one of those behind-the-scenes duties of a property manager that owners often underestimate. The difference between reactive and preventative maintenance can be huge in long-term costs.
4) Financial administration and budgeting
Professional property management involves real admin, not just “keeping receipts in a drawer”.
Key financial responsibilities often include:
- Budget planning and forecasting
- Monthly reporting (income, expenses, variances)
- Managing supplier invoices and payments
- Coordinating reserve planning for long-term repairs
- Ensuring accurate records for audits and annual reporting
- Helping trustees and owners make informed decisions
For bodies corporate and HOAs, financial administration becomes even more critical because it affects every owner in the scheme.
5) Compliance and governance
This is where professional managers become invaluable, especially for schemes.
Depending on the property type, the duties of a property manager can include:
- Ensuring correct documentation is in place
- Supporting trustees with governance processes
- Helping enforce conduct rules consistently
- Managing meetings, notices, and communications
- Keeping records and supporting dispute processes
- Ensuring the property meets relevant regulatory and safety requirements
- Applying fair labour practices
A well-run scheme is not just tidy. It’s compliant, properly documented, and defensible if a dispute ever escalates.
6) Contractor and supplier management
Property managers are often the “project manager” of the property world.
They typically:
- Build and maintain a reliable supplier network
- Verify compliance requirements where relevant
- Compare quotes and recommend value-driven options
- Coordinate work across multiple contractors
- Monitor quality and hold providers accountable
- Ensure work is completed and documented properly
This is a big part of the duties of a property manager because a property’s reputation often depends on how quickly and professionally issues get resolved.
7) Communication and relationship management
This might sound soft, but it’s a hard skill.
Good property management involves keeping multiple stakeholders informed:
- Owners who want performance and transparency
- Residents who want responsiveness and fairness
- Trustees who need systems, structure, support and advice
- Service providers who need clarity and access
- Residents who want rules applied consistently
Clear communication reduces conflict, prevents misunderstandings, and keeps everyone aligned.
The “Invisible” Duties of a Property Manager That Make the Biggest Difference
Beyond the obvious tasks, professional managers add value through things many people only notice when they’re missing:
- Creating systems that reduce chaos
- Keeping accurate records that prevent disputes
- Handling issues early before they become expensive
- Managing expectations across trustees / directors, owners, residents, and contractors
- Making compliance and governance feel organised, not overwhelming
- Managing employees like caretakers, gardeners, security, etc.
In other words, they make property ownership less stressful and more predictable.
Benefits of Using a Professional Property Manager
If you’re weighing up whether professional management is worth it, here’s what you typically gain.
Less risk, fewer surprises
Professional managers reduce the chances of:
- Value erosion
- Levy arrears spiraling
- Maintenance being ignored
- Compliance gaps becoming costly
- Disputes escalating due to poor processes
Better property performance
A property that is well managed tends to:
- Have lower vacancy periods
- Maintain better condition over time
- Attract more reliable tenants
- Hold value better due to consistent upkeep
Time savings and less admin overload
For owners and trustees, the admin load can be intense. Professional management means you don’t have to personally manage:
- Late-night emergencies
- Contractor coordination
- Payment chasing
- Paperwork and reporting
- Ongoing compliance processes
- Employee relations
Improved owner and resident experience
Happy owners and residents are more likely to:
- Stay longer
- Treat the property better
- Communicate issues earlier
- Follow rules when enforcement is consistent
Clearer governance in schemes
For bodies corporate and HOAs, professional management creates structure around decision-making, finances, and rule enforcement, which ultimately protects the community and the asset.
How DPG Supports Property Owners, Body Corporates, and Schemes
DPG’s property management offering is designed to support real-world needs, whether you’re managing a sectional title scheme or an estate where day-to-day issues can pile up fast.
A professional managing team helps keep maintenance, finances, communication, and compliance moving in the same direction, so owners and trustees can focus on oversight rather than firefighting.
Conclusion
Understanding the duties of a property manager makes it clear why professional management is more than a convenience. It’s a practical, value-protecting investment.
A good property manager keeps a property financially healthy, physically maintained, legally aligned, and operationally calm. They don’t just respond to problems, they prevent them, document decisions, and keep everyone informed.
If you want your property or scheme to run smoothly, protect its value, and reduce stress for owners, trustees, and residents, professional property management is one of the smartest moves you can make.
FAQs
What is the role of the Managing Agent / property manager?
The role of a property manager is to oversee the day-to-day operations of a property or scheme on behalf of the owners and governing body. This includes managing people (employees and residents), money (levies, budgets, reporting), maintenance (repairs and preventative planning), compliance, communication, and service providers. In short, they coordinate the moving parts so the property performs well and remains well-maintained.
What is a Managing Agent / property manager’s most important duty?
The most important duty is protecting the value and smooth operation of the property through consistent management. Practically, that usually means ensuring financial stability (levies collected and budgets managed), maintaining the property proactively, and enforcing processes fairly. When those three areas are handled properly, most other issues become easier to manage and far less costly.
