Check before you ask
| Check | Where |
|---|---|
| The reserve required | The management agreement |
| What drew it down | The ledger, line by line |
| Bills still to come | Open work orders, approved estimates, upcoming taxes or insurance |
| Rent still to arrive | Delinquency report |
| What you are allowed to do if they do not pay | The management agreement |
Ask once, for the right amount. A second request a week later for more tells the owner you did not look.
The ask
The request
When the reserve is running low
Hi [owner name], a heads-up on [property]. This month's [repair or expense] of [amount] brought the reserve to [balance], below the [required reserve] in our agreement. We also have [upcoming bill] of [amount] due on [date]. To cover it and restore the reserve, please send [requested amount] by [date] via [payment method]. The ledger lines are attached. Happy to talk it through.
When the account is already negative
Hi [owner name], the account for [property] is [negative balance] after [reason]. We paid [vendor] on [date] to [what it prevented, for example stop a leak spreading]. Please send [amount] by [date] to bring the account back to [required reserve]. Until then, we will hold non-urgent work and keep paying only what the agreement treats as urgent.
Say what you will do in the meantime, and make sure it is what the agreement lets you do. Read how to tell an owner about an expensive repair for the approval step that should come before the bill.
Draft it with AI
Put the management agreement and these templates in a ChatGPT or Claude Project, attach this month's owner ledger and open work orders, and send:
Using only the attached ledger, open work orders and the management agreement in this Project, tell me: the required reserve, the current balance, every expense over [amount] this month, and any approved work not yet billed. Re-add the balance from the ledger and say if it does not match. Then draft the contribution request from the right template. Do not round any number.Check the balance against the ledger yourself before it goes. The number in the request is the one the owner will quote back.
Before you send
- The balance re-adds from the ledger.
- The amount covers known bills, so you ask once.
- The reason is in one plain sentence.
- What happens if they do not pay matches the agreement.
Questions
What is an owner contribution in property management?
Money the owner sends into the property account when income does not cover expenses or the reserve falls below what the management agreement requires.
What happens when an owner account goes negative?
The manager has paid more than the account held. The agreement usually says what the owner must send and what the manager may do until it is funded.
How do I ask an owner for money?
Explain what drew the account down, show the ledger lines, ask for one amount by a date, and say what happens to pending bills until it arrives.
Can AI help with owner contribution requests?
AI can re-add the ledger, list what drew the reserve down and draft the request. A person checks the balance before it goes.