‘Never a good day’: Gen Y property manager spills on troubled industry

A 22-year-old property manager has exposed the grim realities of an industry plagued by high turnover, with nearly a third of its workforce contemplating resignation.

From workplace affairs and clueless young investors to poo-smeared walls and a rogue dildo, the Gen Y property manager said her negative experience drove her to quit the industry after two years.

It comes as the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) highlighted growing dissatisfaction among property managers caught between tenants grappling with sky-high rents, and landlords managing increased holding costs and changing rental laws.

High-pressure, underappreciated job

Taking to Reddit after resigning from her position at a Queensland agency, the woman, identified as IcyBrick3874, described a high-pressure, underappreciated job marked by disturbing tenant behaviour.

During an exit inspection, she found “human poop on the carpet floor and on walls EVERYWHERE! Used period pads, weed and used needles”.

In another routine inspection, she found a tenant’s “hot pink dildo was suction cupped to the shower wall”.

The property manager also cited challenges with “young, high-income individuals” buying their first properties as investments then demanding unrealistically high rents despite having

“minimal understanding of the rental market”.

Ultimately, she concluded, there was “never a good day”.

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Her experience aligned with insights shared by 751 property managers surveyed by MRI Software for the National Apartment Association, detailed in the Voice of the Property Manager 2024 report.

The research found 29 per cent of property managers wanted to quit within the next five years, rising to 31 per cent among those who had been in the industry for six or more years.

REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella said property management remained “a tough and emotionally taxing profession”, despite more training in areas like mental health and resilience.

“The abuse directed at property managers, including verbal aggression and public vilification, previously even from political figures, is completely unacceptable and disheartening,” Ms Mercorella said.

“Queensland’s property managers continue to operate in an incredibly high-pressure environment, with rental conditions remaining stubbornly tight and competition for more affordable, quality stock still intense.

“High turnover continues to strain agencies and the professionals who stay, taking a toll on service levels and wellbeing.”

REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella. Picture: Liam Kidston

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IcyBrick3874 said she felt “set up to fail” as a young team leader with little experience: “the turn over is so high they take anyone”.

She also noted a disturbing workplace culture, revealing some older male sales agents were “inappropriately flirty with younger women”, creating a “really uncomfortable environment”.

It was “pretty widely known” that “married agents were involved in affairs with younger staff,” describing it as a side of the industry “rarely talked about, but definitely exists”.

Ms Mercorella said the introduction of Stage 2 rental law changes in May had added significant extra strain on workers tasked with educating landlords and managing disputes.

“While we welcome efforts to improve support for property managers, including professional development and mental health resources, the core issues — chronic rental undersupply and unrelenting regulatory change, continue to weigh heavily on the profession.

“If we want to retain skilled professionals and ensure the stability of our rental market, we must better support and value those on the frontline of housing delivery.”

Prospective tenants at a rental viewing in Ascot Vale. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Ascui

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