Why property management is a high-risk job

Ask a room of property managers whether they have ever felt uneasy at an inspection and most hands will go up. That is not an exaggeration. A survey reported by Real Estate Business found that more than 75 per cent of Australia's property managers have felt unsafe during a routine property inspection. More recently, an MRI Software report found that 60 per cent of property managers named dealing with aggressive and abusive owners and tenants as their biggest challenge, and the Real Estate Institute of Queensland has said it is receiving reports of property managers regularly encountering verbal abuse and, in some cases, being physically assaulted.

The reasons are built into the job:

• You work alone, on someone else's ground. A routine inspection means walking into a home you have never seen, often by yourself, where the occupant knows the layout and you do not.
• You are the bearer of bad news. Rent increases, breach notices, repair refusals, bond claims and notices to leave all land on the property manager, not the owner.
• People are under pressure. Tight rental markets, rising living costs and the fear of losing a home put tenants under real stress. Industry figures have described tenants who are "in tears" and others who are "angry and abusive".
• Some homes carry hidden risks. A Real Estate Institute of Australia survey found 57 per cent of property managers had dealt with domestic violence in a tenancy in the past 12 months. Walking into a volatile household, even for a routine reason, can put you in the middle of something you did not expect.
• Dogs, drugs and intoxication. A dog that was meant to be secured, an occupant who was not expecting anyone, or a visitor who is affected by alcohol or drugs can all turn a ten minute inspection into something much more serious.

What a dangerous situation actually looks like

Most incidents do not start with an attack. They start with a conversation that goes wrong.

Picture a final inspection. The tenant is still in the property and believes the bond will be settled on the spot. You point out damage in the second bedroom. The tenant moves between you and the hallway, voice rising, arms folded, then unfolded. Another person you did not know was home appears in the kitchen doorway. You are now at the back of the house, with the only exit behind two upset people.

Nothing physical has happened yet. But you have already lost the two things that keep you safest: distance and a clear way out. This is the moment where training matters, because what you do in the next few seconds decides whether the situation calms down or gets worse.

Why policies and checklists are not enough on their own

Employers in Australia have a legal duty to manage the risk of workplace violence and aggression, including violence from clients and customers. Safe Work Australia describes workplace violence and aggression as incidents where a person is abused, threatened or assaulted while at work, and in Queensland the Managing the risk of psychosocial hazards at work Code of Practice 2022 (in force since 1 April 2023) makes it clear that violence and aggression are hazards a business must identify and control.

Most agencies respond with sensible procedures: check-in calls, inspection buddies, duress apps, red-flag notes on difficult tenancies, and policies that allow staff to leave a property if they feel unsafe. These are worth having. But every one of them depends on a person who can recognise trouble early, stay calm while their heart rate climbs, and act decisively when it counts. A policy cannot do that for you. Training can.

Under stress, people tend to freeze, rush, or fix on one problem and lose sight of everything else in the room. Reading a procedure manual does not change that response. Practising under realistic pressure does.

The benefits of learning effective self defence

For property managers, effective self defence is not about winning a fight. It is about never needing to have one, and being able to get home safely if one comes to you. Good training builds five practical skills:

• Awareness before you walk in. Noticing the cars in the driveway, the dog bowl by the door, the person who was not on the lease, and where every exit is before you are deep inside the property.
• Positioning. Keeping yourself between the person and the door, never letting yourself be backed into a bedroom, bathroom or laundry, and keeping furniture and distance working for you.
• De-escalation that holds up under pressure. Calm voice, open hands, clear boundaries, and knowing when a conversation should be ended and continued by email instead.
• Physical skills as a last resort. Simple, reliable ways to break a grab, protect your head and create enough space to leave. Australian law generally allows you to use force that is reasonable and necessary to defend yourself, and good training teaches you to use only what the situation requires.
• Confidence that changes the room. People who look calm, aware and certain are less likely to be targeted. That confidence is not bravado. It comes from knowing you have trained for the moment things go wrong.

There is a wellbeing benefit too. Property management has a well-known burnout problem, and constant low-level fear at work takes a toll. Staff who feel capable of handling a difficult inspection carry less of that fear home with them.

How Arakan helps property management teams

Arakan Martial Art has been teaching for more than 30 years and has trained tens of thousands of people, from children to executives, professional athletes, law enforcement and military personnel. Our workplace self defence workshops bring that experience to real estate offices and property management teams.

A workshop for a property management team can focus on the situations your staff actually face:

• arriving at a property and reading the scene before you knock;
• moving through a home while keeping your exit open;
• handling an angry tenant or owner face to face, and ending the conversation safely;
• what to do if someone grabs you, blocks a doorway or follows you to your car;
• staying composed when adrenaline hits, so you can think clearly and call for help.

Sessions are led by full time professional instructors, are trauma-aware and safety-first, and are designed so that everyone can take part regardless of age or fitness. Formats range from 90 to 120 minute intensives to half day and full day workshops and ongoing team programs, and can be built into a team day, conference or wellness program.

How Arakan is different from a traditional dojo or the ring

Many martial arts are built for competition or for preserving tradition. Both have value, but neither is designed for a hallway in a rental property.

• Not a ring sport. Arakan is a Burmese martial art that has never been a ring or competition style. There are no rules, rounds or referees on an inspection, so we do not train as if there are.
• Real settings, not just open mats. Training covers confined spaces, doorways, furniture, vehicles and situations involving more than one person, because that is where real incidents happen.
• Adaptable principles, not memorised routines. Students learn movement, balance, timing and positioning they can apply in any situation, rather than fixed sequences that only work when everything goes to plan.
• Awareness and responsibility come first. Avoidance, de-escalation and legal responsibility are part of the training, not an afterthought.
• No egos, no aggression. Workshops challenge people without intimidating them, so staff come away more confident, not more combative.

This article is general information only and is not legal, safety or professional advice. Always follow your employer's safety procedures and contact police on 000 in an emergency.