Resident Handbook

Thank you for choosing to rent a property with us. We are a third party property management company representing individual property owners.  We take pride in providing quality properties and quality service, and we value you as a Tenant.  Key to a good Tenant/Landlord relationship is communication.  Feel free to call us at any time if you have questions.  The following is a guideline of procedures that should be useful to you during the time you reside in one of our properties.  You can also refer to the Resident FAQ’s section for additional information.

Signing the Lease

All parties to the lease must initial and sign copy of the lease and all addenda where appropriate.  You must make an appointment with the property manager during regular business hours for this.  The property manager will review the lease and answer any questions at that time.  We will provide you with a copy of the signed lease for your records and we will keep the original.

Issuance of Keys

You will be issued 2 keys on the commencement date of the lease, but only after you have signed the lease, and have paid the security deposit and the first full month’s rent.  Special arrangements must be made with the property manager if the commencement date is on a weekend or holiday.  You are permitted to make duplicate copies of the key at your own risk and expense.  Some properties have a locked postal box.  Either the property manager has a copy, or as in most cases, the tenant must go to the Post Office in person and show the Postmaster a copy of the lease and an ID, and they will issue you a postal key.

Utilities

In most cases, the Tenant is responsible for setting up their own services.  Utility services such as electric, water, sewer, gas, and trash collection are provided either singularly or in various combinations by various private, city-owned, or cooperatively owned service providers, depending on where the property is located.  You must contact the appropriate service provider(s) yourself for the services that you will need prior to the lease commencement date.  Your property manager can send you a list of names and phone numbers.  Remember - it may take a service provider at least 24 hours to make services available to the property from the time you apply, so be sure to plan in advance if you want to be sure that you have services by the lease commencement date.

Telephone & Cable Service

Telephone & cable service is a Tenant responsibility and typically takes a few days to get set up. Should you require additional lines or phone jacks, you must first get written permission from the Landlord, and it is your responsibility to pay for any changes made.

Moving In

We have made every effort to make your home in good condition for your arrival.  At the time you signed your lease agreement, you were provided with a Property Inventory and Condition form.  You should complete this document and return it to our office within 5 -7days following the signing of your lease.  The Move-In Inspection form is for your protection. You should list any pre-existing damage or deficiency in the property.  We will utilize this form when we conduct the move-out inspection when you vacate the property.  Sign the form and make a copy for your records.  It is therefore in your best interest to carefully complete the form.  Should you believe it necessary, you are welcome to provide photos or other documentation.

Payment of Rent

Rent is typically due in our office on the first day of each month.  Rent is paid based on receipt in our office not postmarked date.  Late fees are levied the day after your rent is due on your lease agreement.  Our usual late fee is ten percent (10%) of the rental amount.  If your rent is late, you will be assessed a late fee.

Late Fee Policy

If your rent is received one or more days late you will be charged the late fee as set forth in the lease.  Your lease states that rent, late charges, and other legitimate charges will be posted to the resident account.  Payments received are applied to the oldest outstanding charge first.  If there is an outstanding charge on your account when your rent is due, payments will be applied toward the outstanding charges first and then toward the current rent charge.  If the payment is not sufficient to cover past due charges as well as the current rent charge, your current rent will be short.  If the rent is short you will incur a late charge.  To avoid late charges be sure to pay all rent timely and any charges posted on your account by the time your current rent is due.

Returned Checks

Your lease states the amount you will be charged for each returned check.  You will be charged this fee even if the check clears upon re-submission to the bank.  In addition, if the returned check is for payment of rent, you will be charged late fees through the date the check clears the bank on re-submission or until you provide certified funds to pay for the returned check.  Depending upon the date the check is returned, you also may receive a three-day notice of non-compliance with of your lease agreement.

Security Deposits

When you signed your lease agreement, you gave us a deposit to cover any potential damage to the property, cost of cleaning at the end of your residency, or unpaid rent.  YOUR DEPOSIT MAY NOT BE USED AS YOUR LAST MONTHS RENT.  Approximately two weeks prior to your scheduled move-out date, you will receive a letter from our office that outlines your responsibilities regarding the move-out.  Generally, we want to receive the property clean, with nails pulled out of walls and in substantially the same condition as on your move in, normal wear and tear excepted.  We require that all carpets be professionally cleaned using a truck mounted, steam process.  Please contact our office if you require a reference for a qualified company to do this work.

Maintenance

Maintenance and repairs are generally the items of most concern to our tenants.  For after-hours maintenance emergencies, please call our office at 830-643-0656.  Our voice mail system will give you instructions for reporting the emergency.

Minor maintenance issues should be reported to your property manager.  We try to respond as quickly as possible on repairs, but it may take as long as two weeks to complete some minor repairs. As property managers, we are required to get permission from the property owner prior to undertaking many repairs.

In most cases, the property Owner will cover maintenance/repairs.  However, you can be billed for a service call under the following circumstances:

• You scheduled a service call appointment and failed to be present at the scheduled time.



• You requested service for a non-existent problem.  This might include simple things like re-setting a breaker or Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) to restore electrical power or re-setting a breaker on a garbage disposal.



• The problem was caused by improper or accidental use of the provided facilities.  The classic case is the child who flushes a toy or other item resulting in a clogged toilet or sewer line or the teenager who threw a ball through a window and broke the glass.

Specific Maintenance Issues

Please pay particular attention to the following maintenance items, which you as a Tenant are held responsible:

• Washing machine hoses.  Should a washing machine hose break on a washing machine provided by you, you will be responsible for the cost of returning the property to good condition.



• Winterizing sprinkler systems.  Some homes have lawn sprinkler systems.  It is your responsibility to turn the system off prior to the arrival of freezing weather, however there is a process for doing this.  Contact our office if you require information regarding the particular system at your property.



• Winterizing pipes.  The lease agreement holds the Tenant responsible if a pipe bursts due to a winter over-freezing condition.  There are times during the Winter months when pipes can be vulnerable to freezing.  The Tenant must be aware of any exposed pipes that might be subject to freezing, and must wrap pipes appropriately.  Or, if in doubt, the Tenant can always shut off the water temporarily over night or during the freezing condition.



• Regularly Change A/C filters.  This is required by the lease agreement and is extremely important.  This should be done once a month, or less frequently if the Tenant buys a more expensive pleated type filter.  Failure to regularly change the filter can result in the cooling coils getting plugged with dust and debris.  Not only does that affect the cooling efficiency of the unit and higher utility bills, but it is also very expensive to repair.  Having to clean cooling coils due to a Tenant's negligence in changing the filters will be charged to the Tenant, and such a repair can easily be several hundred dollars.