By Advocate Ketan Palshikar | Property Lawyer and Property Manager, Pune
The most common complaint NRI property owners have about informal management arrangements is not that something went catastrophically wrong. It is that they did not know what was happening.
Rent received — but no confirmation. Maintenance done — but no receipt, no photograph, no explanation of what was repaired or why. Society AGM held — but no one told them what was decided. A PMC notice arrived — and they found out six months later.
The anxiety of owning property from abroad is not primarily about disasters. It is about the silence between them. Not knowing whether everything is fine, or whether something is quietly going wrong that no one is telling you about.
This page describes exactly what this management arrangement provides — every month, without you needing to ask. The report contents, the communication channels, the response time commitments, and what constitutes an emergency that breaks the monthly cycle.
On This Page
- The Monthly Property Report — Exact Contents
- Sample Report Structure
- Communication Channels
- Response Time Commitments
- The Decision Framework — What We Handle, What Requires You
- Emergency Protocol
- Document Custody and Access
- What You Can Request Anytime
- FAQs
- Contact
The Monthly Property Report — Exact Contents
Every property under this management receives a written report by the 7th of the following month. The report covers the preceding calendar month and contains the following sections without exception:
1. Financial Summary
- Rent due for the month — amount and due date per agreement
- Rent received — amount, date received, and mode of payment
- Any arrears carried forward from prior months
- Maintenance expenditure — itemised, with amount and purpose
- Society maintenance paid — amount and month covered
- Property tax payment (if applicable in that month)
- Utility payments made on your behalf
- Net amount remitted to your NRO account — date and reference
- Closing balance held in management account
Every line item in the financial summary has a corresponding receipt or bank reference. These are available on request — or attached to the report where the expenditure is above a defined threshold.
2. Tenancy Status
- Current licensee name and agreement details
- Agreement validity period and next renewal date
- Rent payment behaviour — current, delayed, or default
- Any communication received from or sent to the tenant during the month
- Any breach or near-breach of agreement terms noted
- Vacancy status if the property is unoccupied
3. Property Inspection Record
- Date of inspection conducted during the month
- General condition — structural, fittings, common areas
- Specific observations — anything noted that requires attention
- Photographs — minimum four per inspection, more if any issue is observed
- Comparison note if any change from previous inspection is observed
For rented properties, internal inspection is conducted at agreed intervals — access is coordinated with the tenant with reasonable notice. For vacant properties, inspection is conducted monthly without exception.
4. Maintenance Log
- All maintenance work carried out during the month
- Nature of work, contractor used, date completed
- Cost — invoice amount and payment status
- Photographs of completed work where relevant
- Any pending maintenance items and reason for pending status
5. Society and Statutory Update
- Society communications received during the month — notices, circulars, levy demands
- Response or action taken on each communication
- AGM or committee meeting attendance record if a meeting was held
- Society dues status — current or flagged
- Any statutory notice received from PMC / PCMC
- Response or compliance action taken
6. Pending Matters and Action Required
- Items that require your decision or instruction — clearly listed
- Items pending contractor availability, statutory processing, or tenant response
- Upcoming dates requiring attention — agreement renewal, property tax due date, society AGM
7. Next Month Preview
- Expected rent due date
- Scheduled inspection date
- Any statutory payment due
- Any tenant communication anticipated
Sample Report Structure
Below is the structure of a monthly report for a rented property — illustrating how the information is presented. Figures are illustrative only.
MONTHLY PROPERTY MANAGEMENT REPORT
Property: Flat No. [X], [Society Name], [Locality], Pune
Report Period: [Month] [Year]
Prepared by: Advocate Ketan Palshikar
Date of Report: [Date]
SECTION 1 — FINANCIAL SUMMARY
| Item | Amount (₹) | Date | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent due | 25,000 | 1st of month | As per L&L Agreement |
| Rent received | 25,000 | 3rd of month | NEFT — Ref. XXXXXXX |
| Society maintenance paid | 3,500 | 5th of month | Receipt No. XXXX |
| Plumbing repair | 1,800 | 12th of month | Invoice — [Contractor] |
| Net remitted to NRO account | 19,700 | 15th of month | NEFT — Ref. XXXXXXX |
| Balance held | 0 | — | — |
SECTION 2 — TENANCY STATUS
Licensee: [Name] | Agreement valid until: [Date]
Rent status: Received on time.
Tenant communication: Tenant requested permission to install an additional AC unit. Permission granted subject to conditions — written confirmation sent to tenant on [date]. Copy attached.
Agreement renewal: Due in 3 months. Renewal process to be initiated next month.
SECTION 3 — INSPECTION RECORD
Inspection date: [Date]
Conducted by: [Staff name], supervised by Advocate Ketan Palshikar
General condition: Satisfactory. No structural concerns observed.
Observations: Minor paint peeling noted near bathroom window — monitored; not requiring immediate repair.
Photographs: 6 photographs attached — living room, bedrooms (2), kitchen, bathroom, balcony.
SECTION 4 — MAINTENANCE LOG
| Work | Contractor | Date | Cost (₹) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen tap replacement | [Plumber name] | [Date] | 1,800 | Completed — invoice attached |
No other maintenance this month.
SECTION 5 — SOCIETY AND STATUTORY UPDATE
Society communication: AGM notice received for [date]. Will attend on your behalf. Agenda attached.
Society dues: Current — paid for [month].
PMC / PCMC: No notices received this month.
Property tax: Next due [quarter] — will be processed in [month].
SECTION 6 — PENDING MATTERS / ACTION REQUIRED
Action required from you:
- Agreement renewal approaching in 3 months. Please confirm whether you wish to renew with the current tenant and at what rent. We recommend renewing at ₹[X] based on current market rates in [locality]. Please advise by [date].
Pending items:
- Paint peeling near bathroom window — monitoring. Will recommend repair if condition worsens.
SECTION 7 — NEXT MONTH
- Rent due: 1st of month
- Inspection scheduled: [Date]
- AGM attendance: [Date] — agenda already circulated
- No statutory payments due next month
End of Report
Communication Channels
Primary channel for routine updates, report delivery, and non-urgent communication. The management WhatsApp number is available for messages — not calls — during business hours (Monday to Saturday, 10 AM to 6 PM IST). Time zone note: IST is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of UTC. A message sent at 10 PM EST reaches us at 8:30 AM IST the following morning.
All formal communications — monthly reports, legal notices, agreement drafts, statutory correspondence — are sent by email. Email creates a documented record that WhatsApp does not. Where a matter has legal significance, email is the primary record.
Video Call
For matters requiring discussion — agreement renewal terms, a tenant dispute, a significant maintenance decision, the approach to a society issue — a scheduled video call is available. Calls are scheduled at a time convenient across time zones. We work with US, UK, UAE, Canadian, and Australian time zones routinely.
Phone / WhatsApp Call
For urgent matters — not routine — phone or WhatsApp call is available. Emergency situations are handled by call regardless of time.
Response Time Commitments
These are specific commitments — not aspirations.
| Type of Communication | Response Time |
|---|---|
| Routine query by WhatsApp or email | Within 24 hours on business days |
| Request for document or receipt | Within 48 hours |
| Tenant matter requiring advice | Within 24 hours |
| Legal notice received — from tenant, society, or statutory authority | Same day acknowledgement; substantive response within 48 hours |
| Emergency — property security, serious damage, occupation threat | Same day; call regardless of time zone |
| Monthly report delivery | By 7th of following month without exception |
If a response is delayed beyond these commitments — which should not happen but occasionally does due to circumstances outside our control — you will be informed of the delay and the reason. You will not be left waiting without explanation.
The Decision Framework — What We Handle, What Requires You
One of the most important things to understand about this management arrangement is what requires your involvement and what does not. This is documented in the management PoA and is summarised here for clarity.
We Handle Independently
| Matter | Why |
|---|---|
| Rent collection and remittance | Routine — within PoA scope |
| Maintenance below defined monthly threshold | Routine — within PoA scope |
| Society dues payment | Routine — within PoA scope |
| Property tax payment | Statutory — within PoA scope |
| Responding to routine society communications | Routine — within PoA scope |
| Periodic property inspection | Routine — within PoA scope |
| Issuing rent reminder to tenant | Routine — within PoA scope |
| Attending society meetings | Routine — within PoA scope |
| Issuing legal notice to defaulting tenant | Legal action — within PoA scope |
We Inform You and Proceed Unless You Direct Otherwise
| Matter | Why |
|---|---|
| Maintenance between threshold and defined upper limit | Above routine — your awareness required |
| Any communication with legal implications for you | Transparency — not approval |
| Tenant request to alter property | Affects your property — your decision |
| Upcoming agreement renewal | Requires your decision on terms |
We Require Your Explicit Approval Before Acting
| Matter | Why |
|---|---|
| Maintenance above defined upper threshold | Significant expenditure — your decision |
| New tenant selection — final approval | You are approving the person living in your property |
| Agreement renewal terms | Commercial decision — yours |
| Any action outside PoA scope | Outside our authority |
| Escalation to legal proceedings | Cost and strategy decision — yours |
| Any transaction affecting title or encumbrance | Categorically outside PoA scope |
This framework is not just a management practice — it is embedded in the registered PoA. What requires your approval is not subject to our discretion.
Emergency Protocol
An emergency is defined specifically — not loosely.
Events that constitute an emergency:
- Fire, flood, or structural damage affecting the property
- Break-in, forced entry, or theft at the property
- Attempted or actual unauthorised occupation of the property
- A legal notice or court order with an immediate response deadline
- A tenant medical emergency at the property
- Utility failure creating a safety hazard — gas leak, electrical fault
What happens in an emergency:
Immediate: Containment action is taken under PoA authority — emergency services called, emergency contractor engaged, property secured. This does not wait for your approval.
Within 2 hours: You are contacted by phone and WhatsApp. If you do not respond within 2 hours, your designated emergency contact in India (if provided) is contacted.
Within 24 hours: Full written report of the emergency, actions taken, current status, and proposed next steps sent by email.
Within 48 hours: If significant expenditure or legal action is required, options are presented to you with costs and recommendations for your decision.
Events that are NOT emergencies — and are handled through the normal monthly cycle or next business day communication:
- Tenant paying rent late (handled by standard protocol)
- Minor maintenance items
- Routine society communications
- Upcoming renewal dates
The distinction matters because emergency-level response cannot be sustained for routine matters — and routine matters should not create the anxiety of emergencies.
Document Custody and Access
Documents Held in This Office
Where agreed, original title documents are held in secure custody in this office. This includes:
- Index II of the property
- Share certificate from the housing society
- Original Leave and License Agreements
- Copies of all statutory payment receipts
- Inspection records and photographs — maintained for the duration of the management relationship and for two years after termination
Documents You Should Hold
- Original Sale Deed / title document (we recommend you retain the original and provide us a certified copy)
- Your own passport and NRI documentation
- NRO account details
- Copies of all documents held in this office
Access to Your Documents
Any document we hold is available to you on request within 48 hours — by scanned copy electronically, or original by courier at your cost. You are never in a position where your own documents are inaccessible to you.
On Termination of Management
All documents held in custody are returned to you — physically, with an inventory — within 7 days of PoA revocation. No document is withheld pending any dispute about management fees or any other matter.
What You Can Request Anytime
Outside the monthly report cycle, you can request the following at any time:
- Current photographs of the property
- Copies of any specific receipt, invoice, or correspondence
- Status update on any pending matter
- A video walkthrough of the property — coordinated with the tenant where required
- A call to discuss any aspect of the management
- A copy of the current Leave and License Agreement
- Confirmation of society dues or property tax status
These requests are fulfilled within 48 hours on business days. There is no charge for routine information requests — access to information about your own property is part of the management arrangement, not an additional service.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What if I do not receive the monthly report by the 7th?
Contact us immediately. The report delivery commitment is specific — if it is not met, something has gone wrong and you are entitled to know why. In practice, reports are prepared throughout the month as events occur — the 7th deadline is for the compiled report, not for information gathering. If something significant happens mid-month, you hear about it then — not in the following month’s report.
2. Are the inspection photographs sent with every report, or only on request?
Photographs from each inspection are included with the monthly report as attachments — not sent only on request. For a vacant property, every monthly inspection includes a full photographic record. For a rented property, inspection photographs are taken at defined intervals and included in the corresponding month’s report.
3. The monthly report mentions a defined maintenance threshold. What is that threshold?
The threshold is agreed at the start of the management arrangement and documented in the management PoA. It is specific to your property and your instructions — a property with older fittings may require a higher threshold for routine maintenance than a recently renovated flat. The threshold is not a fixed number applied uniformly — it reflects what you are comfortable authorising independently. Any expenditure above the threshold requires your explicit approval before work begins.
4. What happens if I am travelling and unreachable for a few weeks?
Routine management continues normally. Matters that require your approval are held — with appropriate documentation of why they are pending — until you respond. If an emergency arises and you are unreachable, the emergency protocol applies: immediate containment action, followed by contact through every available channel. Providing an alternative emergency contact in India or abroad is advisable for this reason.
5. I am in a time zone 10-12 hours from IST. Is communication actually practical?
Yes, and this is a situation we handle routinely. Written communication — WhatsApp, email — works across any time zone because it does not require simultaneous availability. For scheduled calls, we work at times that are reasonable for both sides — early morning IST for US time zones, evening IST for Australian time zones. Emergency contact is by phone regardless of time — the definition of emergency is specific enough that this is not a routine occurrence.
6. Can I give a family member in Pune access to the same reports and updates?
Yes. With your written instruction, we can copy a designated person in India — a family member, your CA, your financial advisor — on monthly reports and significant communications. This does not change the management relationship — you remain the Principal — but it allows a local trusted person to be informed without managing the property themselves.
7. What if I disagree with how a situation was handled — something in the report that I think was done wrong?
Raise it directly. The monthly report is not a closed document — it is a communication, and a response is expected and welcome. If you believe a decision was wrong, we discuss it: what the options were, why the approach taken was chosen, and what, if anything, should be done differently. If the disagreement is about a significant matter, it is addressed in a scheduled call rather than by message. Disagreements about management decisions are part of any professional relationship — what matters is that they are surfaced and addressed directly.
8. Is the monthly report a legal document?
It is a professional report — not a court document. But because it is a written, dated record of management activity, it functions as evidence of what was done, when, and why. In any dispute — with a tenant, a society, or any third party — the management report record is a significant piece of documentation. This is one reason why the report format is consistent and complete — not because we expect every month to become a legal matter, but because consistent documentation is the foundation of accountability.
9. What if there is nothing to report in a given month — no maintenance, no society issues, no tenant communication?
You still receive the monthly report. A month with no incidents is reported as such — with the financial summary, rent received confirmation, inspection record, and status of all standing matters. A blank month is information. It tells you that the property is functioning as it should. The absence of the report would be the absence of that confirmation — which is precisely what creates the anxiety this reporting structure is designed to prevent.
10. How long are records maintained after the management arrangement ends?
All management records — reports, photographs, correspondence, receipts — are maintained for two years after the termination of the management arrangement. After two years, records are archived or destroyed unless you have requested their return. Physical documents held in custody are returned to you within 7 days of termination as described above.
Areas We Cover in Pune
This service covers the entire Pune PMC and PCMC area. Properties in gram panchayat areas or outside Pune district are not covered.
Localities we regularly serve: Kothrud, Aundh, Baner, Bavdhan, Pashan, Wakad, Hinjewadi, Viman Nagar, Kalyani Nagar, Koregaon Park, Hadapsar, Kondhwa, Undri, Karve Nagar, Shivajinagar, Deccan, Erandwane, Camp, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Talegaon Dabhade, Lonavala and surrounding areas within PMC/PCMC limits.
Contact
Advocate Ketan Palshikar
Property Lawyer and Property Manager, Pune
14, Eiffel Square, 1530, Sadashiv Peth, Off Tilak Road, Pune – 411030
Phone / WhatsApp: +91 9325624069
Email: palshikar.ketan@gmail.com
Website: palshikarlegal.in
If you want to understand what monthly reporting looks like for your specific property before committing to a management arrangement, we are happy to share a sample report format on request.
Your property. Our legal responsibility.