Is a property manager who won't return calls in breach of contract?

Generally yes, after a reasonable documentation period. Most California property management agreements include an explicit or implicit duty to communicate with the owner about the property. Persistent non-communication — multiple unanswered calls and emails over several weeks — can constitute material breach, supporting termination for cause without payment of an early-termination fee.

How long do I document non-responsiveness before escalating?

A reasonable benchmark is two to three weeks of documented unanswered contact attempts (emails timestamped, voicemails saved, text messages preserved) before sending a formal written demand. The documentation is what makes a later termination defensible if the firm contests it.

What does the formal demand letter say?

A written demand under California contract law citing the specific dates of attempted contact, the contract clause requiring communication, and a deadline (48 to 72 hours is reasonable) for response. Send by USPS certified mail with return receipt so the timestamp is preserved.

CA owner’s action plan

Your Property Manager Won’t Return Your Calls

Persistent non-communication is rarely just a busy office. It's almost always a signal of a deeper operational problem — underfunding, a key departure, or a firm preparing to close. Either way it's a service failure that exposes your property to risk, and California contract law treats it that way.

Step 1: Document, in writing, with timestamps

Before escalating, build a contemporaneous record. Every email, every voicemail, every text message gets preserved with its timestamp. Send a tracking email summarizing the attempted contacts and ask for a response by a specific date.

The documentation is what makes the next steps defensible. If the firm later contests the termination or charges an early-termination fee, the record is your evidence that the firm breached its communication duty first.

Step 2: Send a formal demand by certified mail

After two to three weeks of unanswered contact attempts, send a written demand by USPS certified mail with return receipt. The demand should:

List the dates and times of attempted contact
Cite the management agreement clause requiring communication (almost every PMA has one)
Demand a written response within 48 to 72 hours
State that continued non-response will be treated as material breach

Send a copy to any named broker of record on the PMA. The broker is licensed and the broker's license is what's at risk if this escalates.

Step 3: Terminate for cause (without paying termination fee)

If the firm doesn't respond to the demand letter, you have grounds to terminate for cause. Most California PMAs allow this with no early-termination fee owed. The termination notice should cite the documented non-responsiveness and the demand letter that went unanswered.

NGC drafts the termination notice for owners switching to us at no charge. The notice is sent USPS certified mail with return receipt; the receipt date controls the standard 30-day clock under your existing PMA, but the for-cause termination can be argued to take effect immediately.

Step 4: If trust funds are involved, file with the DRE

Non-communication is often the symptom of a deeper problem. If your firm has also stopped sending owner statements, stopped remitting rent, or won't release security deposit information, the issue may involve trust fund handling under California Business & Professions Code §10145. Trust fund violations are serious DRE matters and can result in license suspension or revocation.

File a complaint at dre.ca.gov. See our emergency guide for when a property manager isn't paying you for the full sequence.

Related guides

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