A: First, if you have access to the shut off valve you will want to turn this off (Most single family homes and town homes have this except for apartments). If you need help locating this, please contact your property manager. They will be happy to assist you. Its good to know where this is prior to an emergency. 

Second, contact the emergency maintenance line and be prepared to give as many details as possible to be able to better assist (If possible take photos of where the water was first seen).

A: Generally, your property manager will contact you regarding a renewal of contract and any chances to the contract. Typically, your lease doesn’t truly end (Unless you’ve given notice to move or have been given notice to move) your lease would then become a month-to-month lease after the expiration. At this time, a property evaluation will be done at your property. Property evaluations are done once a year to determine market value.

A: Please call the Rancho Mesa line and listen to the message for the emergency contact number (858) 405-2389.

A: The following are considered an emergency:

• Water supply leaks resulting in flooding
• Electrical issues resulting in smoke/fire (in case of fire always call 911)
• Whole house drainage clogs

A: A maintenance issue that imposes an immediate health or safety risk to the occupants. Most maintenance items do not fall under the category. 

• In the event of a fire dial 911
• Before you, call us, use your judgment and discretion before calling the emergency line
• For anything criminal related such as burglars and/or trespassers, please call 911 and not the emergency line
  • (Emergency line only takes care of maintenance)

Please note that having one clogged toilet in a property that has more than one functioning toilet is not considered an emergency

A: We encourage everyone to make payments online through the tenant portal. E-check payments are completely free. You can also pay with a digital cashier’s check. Please as your property manager for details.

Other accepted payment methods include personal checks, or cashiers /bank checks. For security reasons cash is not accepted.

A: You can either call our office or log onto the online tenant portal to submit a request (Please include pictures if possible to help speed up the process)

All maintenance request should be submitted online through the portal for the best response times and accurate descriptions.

A: If you decide to vacate you must give 30 day written notice of your intent to move. At this point your manager will give you move out instructions.

A: Generally, the best way to ensure you get your security deposit back is to leave the property in the best condition, as it was when you moved in.

A: Any additional person added to the lease must be approved by our office. If additional occupants are allowed, they will be subject to the same screening procedure as the original occupants and a lease addendum will be created.

A: Generally, non-emergency maintenance request will take up to 24-48 hours before you get a response back and at this time a third-party vendor will work to schedule a time to address the issue.

• Please note if you do not hear from a vendor or a scheduled vendor does not show please contact our office immediately, so we can assist you, as the vendors are all third party.

A: Under kitchen sinks and bathrooms sinks most of them have shut off valves. Washing machines have the shut off valves right around the hoses. Water heaters also have a supply line with shut off valves.

A: Yes, you are responsible for any damages that are a result of you or your guest.

A: You are given 3 weeks to submit your move-in sheet.

A: Yes, you are required to have renter’s insurance and provide proof of documentation to your property manager.

A: As a renter, the safety of your personal property and your family depend heavily on the fire/smoke detector alarm in your home. Do you want to leave your “First Line of Defense” to fail and risk the things you love?

• If your fire/smoke detector begins to “chirp” on a frequent time interval, it most likely needs a new battery
• Do not just remove the battery to make the noise go away
• If replacing the battery does not fix the problem
• Notify us by submitting a Maintenance request
• Fire safety is important to all parties involved

A: Tenants are often very busy people! Little problems can easily get forgotten and remain little nagging issues that “bug you” whenever you come across them later. We believe that our success is dependent on you receiving good value for your rent. If something in your residence is broken or is not working the way you might expect, we encourage you to report the problem.

• For example: Leaking faucets and toilets waste your money
• A window or door screen with holes in them allow annoying pests to enter your home
• Leaking pipes under the sink can cause major floor damage and allow mold to develop in the nearby walls or carpet
• Faulty electrical switches and outlets can result in personal injury or even result in fire damage to the property
• Deferred maintenance can be a nagging issue for you and is a problem for the property owner as well
• Don’t let little problems grow into big issues
• Report them ASAP

A: We understand that pets offer the family many positive things, but trying to rent with a pet is difficult just about anywhere these days. It is certainly true in the San Diego area. The harsh reality is that over 60% of properties will not accept cats and nearly 80% will not accept dogs because owners fear property damage that the tenant will not own up to. While the outlook may seem grim, there are things you can do to help increase the odds in your favor.

• For one thing: not all pets are created equal
• Is your pet small or older?
• Has it gone through obedience training?
• Is your cat kept indoors?
• Any of these factors can help make a difference to a landlord

Attach a photo of your pet to your application or bring one with you when you meet with the landlord. Getting a good reference from your current landlord, veterinarian and even your neighbors can also be a tremendous help. Perhaps the best thing you can do is to offer a pet deposit to cover for any damages. A good place to start might be to offer $100 for a cat and $200 or more for a dog. Taking these extra steps can say as much about you as your pet. After all, responsible pet owners tend to make good tenants.

A: Bad credit is certainly not going to help your situation. Sometimes a negative credit report, even if accurate, does still not tell the whole story. We suggest that you obtain a credit report on yourself so that you can see what the owners will see. Try to put a positive spin by explaining things upfront.

• Were there mitigating circumstances beyond your control such as a divorce, an illness, or the filing of bankruptcy by a spouse?
• Were the negative items from many years ago?
• Do you have a good, steady job now?
• Have the financial circumstances in your life changed?

If so, you need to get the positive information to the landlords. Don’t wait for them to come to you asking for it. Include a recent pay stub or a recent tax return as proof of your current financial situation. A positive letter from your current landlord can go a long way as well. You might also offer a larger security deposit or an extra month’s rent if you’re in a position to do so.

A: For the protection of the owner’s property, security deposits are required and collected at the time a rental lease is signed. If pets are approved by the rental owner, additional security money is collected when tenants request permission to have pets. This insures money is available to cover potential property damages. All security deposits are held in a non-interest bearing trust account, as required by the state of California.

A: Once a tenant has vacated the property they leased and returned the property keys to our office, our team will perform a move out inspection. If property damage is recognized, an appropriate amount of money is deducted from the security deposit to cover the required repairs. Repairs are completed in a timely manner, however, may not be complete at the issuance of the security deposit check.

• By California State law, the security deposit (minus legitimate deductions) must be returned to the former tenant within three weeks of the tenant vacating the property
• We will provide an itemized list of all deductions taken from the security deposit
• And respectfully explain the deductions if requested

A: If you have received a late rent notice, your rent check was not received by the 5th of the month. If this is the case, call your property manager immediately at (858) 576-2176. Or, if you feel you have received this notice in error, letting your property manager know how and when the rent is going to arrive will greatly reduce your chances of receiving an eviction notice.

• Remember rent is due on the 1st of the month, so to ensure that it gets there on time, you should plan on sending the rent in on the 29th of the month
• We understand that sometimes the mail gets backed up by a holiday or you forgot to put the check in the mail after writing it
• Rent will be considered late if it arrives at our office after the 5th of the month
• If your check arrives late, we will send you a late notice and add a 5% late fee to your balance due
•  If you choose not to pay this fee with the next month’s rent check, it will be deducted from your security deposit when you eventually vacate the property