Wow Ashlee your situation seems to have taken a nasty turn. I have some ideas that might help you as they seem to be trying to erode your professional profile but might send them to you directly as I don’t want to add fuel to your fire if your former employer is part of the Apmasphere commmunity.

No its ok. They aren’t. Though I kind of wanted them to know that I know all about whats going on! Its just making my blood boil! And Im usually a pacifist

Ashlee, here are a few quick tips that might work for you as this is your professional reputation they are messing with and in the short and long term that is your livelihood. In a way you will have to think like a Sales Agent and sell yourself back to the community to counter any damage they may have caused.

Testimonials – from local past tenants, past landlords, current ones etc. Collect them offline and online. Create a profile on onlne business community Linkedin and see if anyone willing to give you a testimonial will give you a “Recommendation” there. Direct prospective landlords to view this profile online too.
Incorporate these testimonials, if you can, into any marketing as they will be a good counterpoint.

Speak to your management about whether or not you can run a personal profile ad using some of these in the local community as it will affect their business rep as well (and whether they will contribute to the cost).

Raise your local profile. Your local paper cessnockadvertiser.com.au has a community section where you can contribute local news and photos. Small items on listings that might have an amazing local history – of interest to the community  – might be a good starting point. Also any local charity or events that you and Jurds are involved in.

I am sure the rest of the Apmasphere community can chip in with a few more ideas.

Hope this is helpful.
Lara

Thanks heaps Lara. I will definately give it a go. Im not concerned too much about my reputation as a property manager as all of my clients have stood up for me when my old agency has said anything. Its just really frustrating that they keep saying it. I am trying to keep the mentality of sticks and stones but today just tipped me over the edge!

Good to hear about your clients. My point is more to “spread the praise”  into the wider community as a counterpoint to their stance. If you play nice you will come out of it with your reputation for fairness intact whereas they are probably doing irreversible damage to theirs as we speak by attacking you personally or professionally.

Good luck with it all.

Ashlee, this is really horrible! It is awful to think that a business & their employees would do such a thing.  Best of luck in whatever you decide to do!!

It sounds as though the new PM is more interested in systems and procedures and enforcing them in a nasty way than setting up positive relationships. Systems and procedures are very important but at the same time positive relationships carry for a long time. If you set up positive relationships tenants will do what you want and if they are happy they will do the right thing. With happy tenants you end up with happy landlords. A win-win for both. I have found in the past that tenants return to our office if they have left for whatever personal reason or if the management was lost because of the positive relationships that we have built. I wouldn’t be too worried if they are saying these things. It just shows that they don’t understand they way you were able to deal with the people. Just keep your chin up and keep doing what you are doing and don’t take it to heart. People will work it out for themselves in the end.

Margaret www.dmrealty.com.au

UPDATE: I have gone into overdrive making sure all of my new clients are spreading the news about how fantastic I am. Many of my former clients are also doing the same. I am currently working on a major publicity campaign to really rub it in to my former employers how good I really am!

They are still trying to spread horrible things about me but I have heard a lot worse things being said about them! It seems Karma is starting to bite back!

Ashlee

Good on you Ashlee. Sometimes you just have to do something in a situation like the one you’ve found yourself in. The best part is that what you’re doing is positive action and you’re not bagging out the others as they appear to be doing to you.

You will be the winner!