My Park Manager is Unprofessional. What Should I Do?

Question:

“To put it bluntly, my park manager is not very good at his job. For one, he’s a poor communicator. It’s very difficult to reach him, and when we do, he seems disinterested in our concerns. Repairs are rare and reports seem to be ignored entirely. I’m far from the only one in the park who feels this way. What can we do about it?”

-Helena L (48), resident, Springfield, IL

Answer:

Dealing with an ineffective park manager can be a difficult situation to navigate. Each individual park manager is likely to have their own managerial style and should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. That said, based on the information you have provided, it does appear that your park manager is failing to meet the basic expectations of his position in the park.

First, you should determine your park’s ownership. Most likely, your park manager answers to an individual owner or property management company. If necessary, you may need to report your park manager’s poor performance to the person or entity that currently owns the park. Record specific incidents or instances along with dates, times, locations, and individuals involved.

On the other hand, if you’re not yet certain that the situation needs to be brought to the owner’s attention, you may want to arrange for a formal meeting between the park’s manager and its residents. Having an open dialogue with the park manager may serve as sufficient proof that he needs to improve his performance going forward.

However, if all other attempts to resolve these issues are unsuccessful, residents are entitled to contact legal advocacy groups or attorneys specializing in property or tenant law. Again, remember to maintain records of all communication, requests, and incidents related to the park manager’s poor performance. Collaboration among residents can be especially helpful in building a strong case.

Overview: