Resident Handbook

Thank you for choosing to rent a property through us. We are a property management company that leases and cares for homes for a wide variety of property owners. The following information will be useful to you during the time you reside in one of our properties.

Move-In Process

When you sign your lease, you will be given detailed instructions on the steps that need to be completed prior to your move-in date.

Issuance of Keys

Keys to your property will be issued on the day your lease starts. If the day you are entitled to occupancy falls on a weekend or holiday, we will issue keys on the last business day before you are entitled to occupancy. All deposits and rent due must be paid prior to issuance of keys.

Gas and Electric Service

For the large majority of our properties, Greenville Utilities Commission (GUC) provides water, gas and electric service. When you signed your rental agreement, you were given a form that needs to be signed by GUC showing that you have applied for the utilities to be switched to your name. You must return this completed form before we give you your keys.

Move-In Inspections

We have made every effort to have you home in good condition for your arrival. At the time you signed your rental agreement, you were provided with a Move-In Inspection form. You should complete this document and return it to our office within ten days following the signing of your rental agreement.

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. 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.

Maintenance

Maintenance and repairs are generally the items of most concern to our residents. For maintenance emergencies, please call our office at (252) 329-7368. Our voice mail system will give you instructions for reporting the emergency.

Minor maintenance issues should be reported to the property manager assigned to your property. As property managers, we are required to get permission from the property owner prior to undertaking many repairs.

You will 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 includes re-setting a breaker or Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) to restore electrical power and re-setting a breaker on a garbage disposal.
The problem was caused by improper use of the provided facilities. The classic case is the child who flushes a toy or other item and which results in a clogged sewer line.

Telephone & Cable Service

Telephone and cable service typically takes a few days to get set up. Should you require additional lines or phone jacks, it is your responsibility to pay for any changes made.

Rent Payment Due Date

In almost all cases, your rent will be due on the first day of each month in our office. Rent is paid based on receipt in our office not postmarked date. Your rent can be paid in the following ways:

Check, money order or certified check. We do not accept Cash for rent payments.
We can automatically draft your account each month for the rent amount. There is no additional charge for this service. This service guarantees that your rent will be paid on time and you will not be charged a late fee due to a post-office delivery delay or a lost check.
You can sign up for the Resident Login and pay your rent by a credit or debit card, or one- time bank draft. There is a service fee for this service. You can read more about it at the Resident Frequently Asked Questions page.
You can also pay rent online directly, without having to create a Resident Login account.
You can come into our office and use your credit or debit card or we can do a one-time draft of your checking/savings account for the rent amount.

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 rental agreement. Your rental agreement 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. After the fifteenth (15) day of the month, we only accept certified funds for your rent payment.

Returned Checks

Your rental agreement states the amount you will be charged for each returned check. Our current fee is $25.00 for each check returned. 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.

Deposits

When you signed your rental 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 to pay the rent for the last month of your tenancy.

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, and in substantially the same condition as on your move in, normal wear and tear excepted. We do 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 or we can schedule this work for you after you move out of the home.