FAQ’s
How do I become a tenant?
If you are interested in renting one of our vacant units, the first step is for all applicants 18 or older who will occupy the unit to fill out a detailed application, and follow the steps outlined in the application, including payment of a credit check fee for each adult occupant and an application fee for the unit. Our criteria is based on income, credit, and previous rental history. A unit may be held with a non-refundable application fee (refundable only if we are unable to rent to you). Once your tenancy has been approved and you are ready to move-in, all occupants 18 and older will be asked to sign a lease and remit money for rent and security deposit. Please read the lease and any attached documents very carefully, because they are legally binding. If you violate the lease in any way, you may wind up losing the right to live in your apartment. Rent collections are strictly enforced, as are noise rules and pet policies. If you plan to get a pet, be sure you find out whether or not a pet will be allowed before signing the lease. If there is anything in the lease, Resident Policy Agreement, or in the unit itself, with which you may have issues, be sure to discuss this with your Property Manager before you move in.
Will you refuse to rent to me if my ethnic background is different from others in the building?
Midwest Realty Management, strictly follows all Federal, State and Local Fair Housing Laws. We do not discriminate based on racial or ethnic background, religious beliefs, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, age or other categories specified as Protected Classes. We welcome your interest and encourage you to apply for any of our vacancies.
How do I pay the rent?
Detailed instructions will be on your lease agreement. For your convenience, we accept payments online as well as by mail or in our office. We are also able to do an Automatic Withdrawal from an account of your choice (Senior Prperties Only). Please inquire with the property for further details on this option. Please note that the payment of rent in cash is not accepted, for security reasons.
How do I report a repair which needs to be done in my apartment?
You may go to our web site and email a Maintenance Service Request to the property, or you may call the property office directly. If you have an after-hours emergency, please call the office, and your call will be immediately forwarded to our answering service where you will be connected with an operator whom will relay your need to our staff member on call. When confronted with a maintenance issue, please call the office rather than trying to repair the problem yourself, as, except for specific circumstances provided for by law, you will not be allowed to deduct costs of repair from your rent. If there is a problem which was caused by you or your guests, such as in inappropriate item flushed down the toilet, you will be charged for the repair.
What is considered an emergency?
An emergency is defined as a maintenance problem that will cause a safety hazard to residents, or an imminent damage to property, so that fixing it cannot wait until the next business day. A few examples would be an overflowing toilet, a broken pipe, or sudden electrical short. If there is a power outage, call the electric company in your area first to see if there is a general power outage in the area. The operator at the answering service will help in determining if you have a true emergency, and if so, they will contact our staff member on call, who will in turn contact an emergency vendor if needed.
Will you notify me when a maintenance or outside repair person is coming to my home?
We will always give you a 12 hour notice to enter, unless you give permission to our maintenance staff and/or vendor to enter your apartment on an as-need basis. There is no requirement for you to be present, but you must provide access to your unit, with proper notice, for purposes of repairs. There is no requirement for us to give you notice if there is a suspected emergency, such as a burst pipe.
What happens if I don’t pay my rent?
If your rent is not received when it is due, generally by the first of each month, you will be served a three day notice to pay your rent or surrender the premises. If rent is not received by the time the notice expires, and you do not leave, you will be subject to eviction proceedings. If you plan to be out of town when rent is due, you still need to make sure before you leave that your rent is paid. Being out of town does not excuse you from paying the rent. Rent must be paid regardless of any personal circumstances or problems you may have. This is part of your lease agreement, which is a legal document voluntarily signed by you. If your rent is late you will be subject to a late fee, and if your check bounces, you will be subject to a bounced check fee.
If there are any problems you wish to discuss in regard to your rent, you may contact your Property Manager.
I want to share the unit with a roommate. How does rent payment work? Can we each be responsible for half the rent?
In a roommate situation, both roommates are entirely responsible for the rent. We prefer one payment for the entire rent per unit. You must work it out between yourselves as to how you get the rent payment to us. It is not our responsibility to intercede if one of you pays and the other doesn’t. This will simply be considered non-payment of rent, and both your names may appear on a three day notice and any possible eviction. The security deposit only is refunded when the entire unit is vacant, and no partial refund is given when one roommate moves out. If one roommate wants to leave and someone else wants to live in the unit, that person needs to apply as a tenant and be approved. If you and your roommate do not get along, we are not obliged to get your roommate to leave.
When I move out, how can I get my security deposit back? Can I use my security deposit for my last month of rent?
Security deposits are not to be used instead of payment of rent, since the purpose of a security deposit is to pay for any damage caused by the tenant or their guests. If you do not pay any rent, including the last month you are in the unit, you may be subject to eviction proceedings. You are entitled to an accounting of your security deposit as well as the appropriate refund, within 21 days of returning your keys and moving out of the unit.
I received a job transfer to another state, and need to leave before the end of my lease. What are my obligations? Inform your Property Manager as soon as you know about your transfer. You are required to fill out an Intent to Vacate with the office staff, and give an exact date of when you will be vacating the unit. You will still owe rent until the end of your lease term, or until a new tenant is found. However, we will make an on-going effort to rent the unit as well. In addition, if you received free rent as a promotional incentive when you moved in and you are leaving before the end of your lease, you will be charged the full rental value of said promotion. This amount may be deducted from your security deposit. It would be to your benefit to keep your unit as presentable as possible, and cooperate fully with our showing the unit, so a new tenant can be found as soon as possible. You may even want to advertise the unit on your own, and introduce any interested parties to us. This will help lower any costs you will have to bear.
I want to have an additional person move in. What should I do? Any persons not on the lease may only occupy the unit according to our occupancy terms spelled out in the lease. Any person staying beyond the occupancy terms, needs to be approved as a tenant by us. If an additional person is found to live in your unit without our previous approval, you may be subject to eviction.
My neighbor plays loud music late at night. What do you suggest? As a first step, if your neighbor is violating the Lease Policies and Resident Policy Agreement, we always suggest first talking to your neighbor in a friendly tone of voice. For instance, you may want to let him/her know that they may be unaware of the fact that it is late at night, their music can be heard in your unit, and is preventing you from sleeping. If you have already tried this, and the behavior continues, please inform Management, and we will contact the tenant. If the behavior continues even after we have made a direct request to your neighbor, please inform us and further steps may need to be taken. If there is a loud party or disturbance late at night and you feel you have no choice, by all means contact the Police Department.
I would like to have a party at the building. May I use the pool area?
Any guests you invite should remain in your unit, and not congregate in common areas, including the pool or parking area. They should not be loitering anywhere around the building, and both the Lease Policies and Resident Policy Agreement should be observed in regard to noise. If your guests damage your unit in any way, you will be held responsible. If your building has an entry door, you may not prop it open to allow guests to enter, as this could compromise the security of other residents. Garage or yard sales, which typically cause obstruction of walkways, debris, and generally cause a nuisance, are not permitted.