Tenant Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to your common questions

• Q: How can I view one of your properties?

  A: The first step to seeing one of our rentals is to drive by the property to see if it is in a location that is suitable for you. If the property is occupied, please do not disturb the current residents. Once you have driven by the property, you can contact the leasing agent to schedule an appointment to view the property.

• Q: Do you require an application fee?

  A: Yes. Each individual over the age of 18 who intends to live in the rental property must complete and submit a rental application. Application fee is $55.00 per person.

• Q: What are the criteria used for approving an application?

  A: When you submit a rental application, you are allowing us to perform a background search. We are attempting to determine the likelihood of your paying the rent on time, and whether you will take proper care of the property and fulfill your lease obligations. The three main factors we consider are your credit report, landlord/mortgage history, and your employment and income verifications. While your credit does not have to be spotless, it is important that you do not show a pattern of paying your bills late or not at all. For more detailed information on our rental qualification requirements, please refer to our Tenant Screening Criteria.

• Q: Do you require a Security Deposit?

  A: Yes. We require our residents to pay a refundable security deposit once the application is approved and at the time the lease is signed. In general, the security deposit will be equal to one month's rent.

• Q: Do you require a lease?

  A: Yes. We use the Texas Association of Realtors promulgated lease agreement on each of the properties that we manage. Our normal lease period is one year.

• Q: What if I need to move before my lease expires?

  A: You should notify us in writing of your intent to move as soon as possible. We have two different options that you can choose with difference price points based on the choices you make, so contact our office as soon as possible and we can explain them to you.

• Q: What happens if only one roommate wants to move out?

  A: If your roommate moves out, a written notice must be submitted to CENTURY 21 Burroughs by both the remaining tenant and the departing tenant. The remaining tenant must release the departing tenant from any financial obligation for the unit. The departing tenant must submit a notice of intent to vacate. Remember that tenants are jointly and severally liable to ensure that the rent is paid. You must have written permission from CENTURY 21 Burroughs to substitute a roommate and there is a $150 fee to add a new, approved roommate to your lease. (It is not the responsibility of CENTURY 21 Burroughs to arbitrate or mediate problems between multiple co-tenants.) Security deposit reimbursements to departing roommates are handled by the remaining tenants. No portion of the security deposit will be refunded individually.

• Q: Can I sublease the property?

  A: No. The lease agreement clearly states that the resident shall not sublet any portion of the property or assign the agreement without written consent from CENTURY 21 Burroughs.

• Q: When is the rent due and how do I pay it?

  A: Rent is due on the 1st of each month and is considered late after the 3rd (third). Late fees are applied to all payments that are received as of the 4th (fourth), and that is also the day that all Notice to Vacates are posted for those tenants who have not paid rent. Any payments not made online will be assessed a $15.00 processing fee.

• Q: What are acceptable forms of rent payment?

  A: Acceptable forms of rent payment are personal checks (from a tenant), Cashier's Checks or Money Orders. We also have online payments available, check under the Pay Rent Online Tab on our website under the Tenants tab. There is a $15.00 processing fee for any payments not made through your online tenant portal. We do NOT accept cash.

• Q: How do I put the utilities in my name?

  A: Your lease will detail which utilities you are responsible for paying. You must put any such utilities in your name immediately upon moving in. Provide the utility company your lease start date along with any other information they require. Bexar county service providers are CPS Energy and San Antonio Water Systems (SAWS). Guadalupe county must contact GVEC.

• Q: Can I install cable or satellite TV at the property?

  A: Generally, yes. However, you must first obtain written permission from CENTURY 21 Burroughs. At some properties, you may be prohibited from installing a satellite dish in any location where the dish is visible from the ground or from any other unit in the complex. Any cost of installation (or damaged caused by the installation) will be an expense of the resident. Satellite dishes may not be installed on the roof. If a satellite is installed during tenancy, it must be removed before tenant turns in their keys at move out, or it will be removed, any damage repaired, and charged to the tenant.

• Q: Can I paint or modify something in my rental property?

  A: Not unless you receive written permission from CENTURY 21 Burroughs prior to making a change. Otherwise, you may not alter the property in any way. If you desire to alter the property you should submit your request in writing, and wait until you receive written consent before making alterations.

• Q: How do I report a maintenance problem?

  A: To report all routine maintenance, please complete a maintenance request on your Tenant Portal. ALL routine maintenance requests must be in writing. For emergency work orders during business hours please call (210) 654-8080. Please see below what is considered an emergency. For after hours emergencies, call 210-654-8080 ext. 8051. Please allow 30 minutes for a response. For fire, gas or natural disasters, dial 911 before calling us! HVAC systems are not considered an emergency. All HVAC problems will be handled the next business day.

• Q: What is considered an emergency?

  A: Examples of emergencies are active water leaks, flooding, sewer backups, sparks from appliances, gas odors, fire, etc. HVAC systems are not considered an emergency. All HVAC problems will be handled the next business day.

• Q: Can I be charged for maintenance at the property?

  A: Yes, if resident damage or neglect causes the maintenance problem, you will be charged for it. Also, you may be billed for a service call if you miss a scheduled appointment with one of our service technicians.

• Q: How long should I plan to wait to hear back from someone regarding a maintenance problem?

  A: In a non-emergency situation, please allow three days. If you have not heard from either someone in our office or a vendor dispatched to your property within this timeframe, please contact us.

• Q: What am I responsible for maintaining in my home?

  A: You are responsible for maintaining heating filters and fresh smoke detector and CO detector batteries at all times. This may mean changing them at least twice each year or more frequently as needed. Light bulbs that are easily accessible also need to be maintained by the residents. In most situations, yard maintenance may be required. If your home has a fridge that contains a water filter; you are responsible for replacing it when it needs to be replaced. Also, any unclogging of pipes is your responsibility, however you are NOT to use any Drano type products as they can damage the plumbing lines. Please refer to your individual residential lease.

• Q: Do I need renters insurance?

  A: The short answer is YES. Renters still have exposure to the same types of losses a homeowner has. That is why there is a special type of homeowner’s insurance called renter’s insurance. Neither the property manager’s insurance policy or the homeowner's insurance policy covers tenants personal losses or liability.
  
  Tenants are responsible for obtaining insurance for their personal property if they want to be covered in the event of fire, theft, water damage or other types of loss.
  
  It is highly recommended that all residents carry enough insurance to cover themselves and their personal property. Please consult with your insurance agent for specific details. It’s cheap and we’ve seen far too many tenants not get reimbursed for personal property damages.
  
  In addition to coverage for their personal property, a renter’s policy also provides liability coverage. Tenants may wonder why they need liability coverage when the landlord’s policy has it. The answer is simple: because the landlord’s insurance only covers landlord liability. It doesn’t cover the tenant’s liability. Renter’s insurance covers the tenant’s liability up to a set limit, as long as the tenant did not intentionally cause the loss. Liability coverage isn’t just limited to damage to others or others’ property that occurs inside the tenant’s residence. It also covers legal defense expenses and the renter’s liability outside the home. A common example we have seen is where a tenant moves in and hooks up the washer incorrectly, which floods the home. We have seen claims of up to $15,000. Because the tenants had insurance, the insurance paid it, instead of the tenants. Unfortunately, we have also had cases where the tenant didn’t have renter’s insurance and had to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket due to a simple error on their part. Remember, it is extremely cheap for the coverage provided and it protects YOU.

• Q: I don’t want the owner to come in and do inspections.

  A: With proper notice, both the property owner and CENTURY 21 Burroughs have the right to inspect the property. In some cases, the owner is required by the IRS and their insurance company to make at least one inspection per year. Another example would be if the Owner is refinancing and an appraisal is necessary.

• Q: Can I use my security deposit as the last month's rent?

  A: No. We’re sorry, but the security deposit is to cover any cleaning or damages to the property and cannot be used for other reasons.

• Q: When I move out why can’t I clean the carpet myself?

  A: Unfortunately, not all carpet cleaners are the same. Also, some tenants have rented carpet cleaners from grocery stores or used residential cleaners and caused more harm than good. The property’s carpets were professional cleaned prior to your tenancy and must be cleaned again by a CENTURY 21 Burroughs approved vendor.

• Q: Why is the security deposit so high?

  A: The property owner is handing you the keys to a property worth 100 to 300 times the cost of the security deposit. This is required to ensure some level of protection.

• Q: Is there any way to negotiate the deposit? Can the deposit be split up?

  A: Unfortunately, we cannot accept split payments. The security deposit is the tenant’s way of proving their ability to perform per the lease. Not having the funds to pay the security deposit up front is a sign that should hard times arise, non-payment of rent is likely.

• Q: Is the application fee refunded if I am denied?

  A: No. Application fees are non-refundable.

• Q: This my first time paying rent late. Can you waive my late fee?

  A: No. CENTURY 21 Burroughs does not waive late fees. Fair Housing laws require that we treat all our residents equally. CENTURY 21 Burroughs does not decide if one resident is more deserving than another of paying late fees. We enforce late fees across the board.

• Q: What is the move out procedure to get back my security deposit?

  A: If you are terminating the tenancy, you must give at least a 30 day advance notice in writing prior to the 1st (first) day of the month you plan to vacate the property. We offer two options for turning over keys.

  1. Turn them into our office during business hours.
  2. With permission from CENTURY 21 Burroughs you may leave them in a kitchen drawer along with a copy of your forwarding address.

  We will conduct a final walk through within 3 business days of receiving the keys. Deductions are normally for rent that is due, any past due monies owed, necessary cleaning of the premises, professional carpet cleaning, chimney cleaning if applicable, landscaping not done, utilities and damages above normal wear and tear. Rent is usually charged up to the date that you deliver possession of the premises to our office.

• Q: When can I expect to receive my security deposit refund?

  A: Within 30 days after the last day of your leasing period, your deposit disposition will be mailed to the forwarding address you provide. If you do not provide a forwarding address, we will mail it to the unit you just vacated. Your disposition will outline if any money was kept from your deposit and why, and will either contain a refund check for the remainder or it will provide you with an amount that you owe. You have 30 days to pay your balance or set up a payment schedule before we send you to collections.

• Q: Do you offer Section 8 Housing?

  A: Please contact our office to see if we have any units available at this time.

• Q: What protection do I have that my rental won't be foreclosed upon?

  A: If the lender of any of our client’s properties initiates the foreclosure procedures, they will do so by posting a note on the property. If any such notice or communication is ever posted on the property, it is imperative that the tenants notify us immediately, as we will most likely be unaware. Additionally, a foreclosure can take months to years to complete. So, for the most part, Property Management and the tenants just continue on like nothing ever happened. And lastly, there are protections in place for tenants whose houses get foreclosed on them, so there is no worry that someone is going to come and kick you out of your house overnight.

• Q: If the property goes into foreclosure, do I still have to pay my rent?

  A: Yes. Per the CENTURY 21 Burroughs management agreement, we are required to collect rents as the agent of the owner, until the property is no longer the owners’. Per the rental agreement, the tenant is required to pay rent until the term of the lease is fulfilled.

• Q: Who must be on the lease?

  A: All applicants 18 years old and older must complete a lease application be approved by our standard lease application process, and documented on the lease agreement prior to occupying a property.

• Q: Can the management company or representatives enter the home when I am not there?

  A: Yes, however we make every reasonable attempt to schedule an appointment with you if we need to enter the property. We will provide a 1-day notice if entering to show the property to real estate agents, prospective tenants or buyers, inspectors, fire marshals, lenders, appraisers, or insurance agents. There will be a 2-day notice to make any repairs or conduct an inspection, survey or review the Property's condition and take photographs to document the condition.

• Q: My brother is going on vacation and wants me to watch his pet. Is this ok?

  A: No. You are not allowed to have any pets on the property without a pet agreement and deposit. Having a pet on your property - even on a temporary basis - is a violation of your lease and penalties will be assessed.

• Q: Is there a military clause?

  A: Yes, per your residential lease contract if a tenant is or becomes a service member or a dependent of a service member, tenant may terminate this lease by delivering to landlord a written notice of termination and a copy of an appropriate government document providing evidence of:

  • Entrance into military service
  • Military orders for a permanent change of station
  • Military orders to deploy with a military unit for not less than 90 days.

  Termination is effective on the 30th day after the first date on which the rental payment is due after the date on which the notice is delivered. 92.017, property code governs the rights and obligations of the parties under this paragraph.

• Q: What if I need to pay rent late?

  A: Late fees are specified in your lease. If you are going to be late, please contact c21burroughs@icloud.com immediately. Generally, being late will cost you 10% of a full months rental price in late fees, and they will be due and payable by months end. If we do not hear from you before the 3 day notice to vacate expires, we will have to move forward towards eviction. We don’t want to evict you anymore than you want to be evicted. So please, work with us if things get difficult.

• Q: Why are you charging me for serving a notice to pay rent?

  A: There is additional time, effort, supplies and gas and travel time that goes into collecting late rents. This is extra work that we would prefer not doing, but if we have to do it, we need to be compensated for the extra work that we don’t have to put forth for tenants that pay on time.

• Q: What is a notice to pay rent or quit? (Notice to Vacate)

  A: A notice to pay rent or quit is a legal notice that rent is past due and that CENTURY 21 Burroughs can begin the eviction process. If you get such a notice, please contact our office immediately to either correct an error on our part, or to communicate when you will have the rent paid in full.

• Q: Can I split my rent payment?

  A: Unfortunately, this cannot be done as it creates an accounting nightmare, plus any late rent payment will incur a late fee. If you are late or expect to be late, the best thing to do is to contact our accounting department. Communication at this point is the key. You can contact our accounting office by email at c21burroughs@icloud.com .

• Q: Why can’t the owner pay for the utilities?

  A: Not every tenant or family uses the same amount of utilities. If the property owner were to pay utilities, they would have to increase the rent based on an average over a number of years. That wouldn’t be fair as each tenant uses utilities differently. Therefore, the tenant’s pay their own utilities. If they are conservative, they pay less and if there are more tenants in the unit, they probably pay more. It is the fairest way to handle it.

• Q: Can I make repairs and deduct them from my rent?

  A: No, you should not make your own repairs and you should never deduct any amount from your rent, ever. Some minor repairs/troubleshooting should be done by the tenant, such as flipping a breaker or unclogging a toilet. But for the most part, tenants should not take the risk or liability in attempting their own repairs. For a list of repairs and troubleshooting that are approved, please refer to your lease agreement. Since most repairs do require a professional who is licensed, bonded, and insured, please go online to your tenant portal to submit a maintenance request.

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