Resident FAQs

Renting a Home

• Why is the security deposit being required so high?

  In the state of California, owners can require up to the equivalent of two month’s rent as a security deposit. Usually our rental homes come with a required security deposit anywhere between one to two month’s rent depending on wha the owner has required.

• If I apply will it ding my credit score? How do I know if I qualify?

  We work with TransUnion to pull credit and it is a soft inquiry therefore it does not ding your credit score. To know if you qualify, you need to review the Screening Criteria at the top of our rental application to see if you meet our minimum standards.

• Is the rental home pet friendly?

  We encourage all our owners to make rental homes pet friendly. You can confirm this on the listing information. Every rental home has a two pet maximum which are two cats, two dogs, or one of each. Depending on the rental home size there may be a weight restriction on dogs. There are also breed restrictions based as an owner’s Landlord Insurance will not cover them if a breed is considered to be aggressive.

During My Residency

• Who is responsible for maintenance items?

  An owner is responsible for the ongoing home maintenance. However, if a maintenance item is deemed to have been caused by a resident, then this gets charged to a resident. Common examples of this are excessive food being put down the garbage disposal, clogged toilets with children toys, broken windows, etc.

• Who is reponsible for repairing appliances?

  Appliances that stay with the property (stove, oven, microwave and dishwasher) are owner responsibility. Appliances that can be removed (fridge, washer and dryer) are resident responsibility. In the event that a rental home has removable appliances it will be resident responsibility to repair or replace if and when they break down.

• How can I pay rent?

  You can rent via your online resident portal through ACH, debit or credit card.

• I’d like to get a pet. What do I do?

  Assuming your rental home is pet friendly, all you have to do is bring it to our attention so that we can prepare the proper Pet Addendum.

• I’d like to add and/or remove a person from the lease. What do I do?

  If you are adding a new person to the lease and they are over 18 years of age they must submit a rental application to make sure that they pass a background check. If you are looking to remove a person from the lease you must make sure that the people that are staying behind still have the income to meet the income requirements. In either situation, please bring it to our attention and we can walk you through it and prepare the proper paperwork.

Renewing My Lease

• Will my rent be increased in the future?

  In a perfect world, prices would stay the same for all products and services. Due to inflation it is important to raise rents over time to keep up with the increased costs of taxes, insurance, possible HOA dues, maintenance and capital improvements. Having this increase allows owners to be able to keep up with the maintenance demans that a rental home needs. When it comes time to renew your lease we will provide you with a fair offer based on the market conditions.

• Will I be allowed to stay past the end of my lease?

  This depends on three factors. If the owner is not looking to sell and if the owner is not looking to move back into the rental home and if you’ve done a good job of taking care of the rental home during your residency, then you will be provided with a Lease Renewal Offer which will provide you with the option of renewing your lease.

Moving Out

• I want to move out at the end of the lease. What do I do?

  California law requires a resident to provide a 30 Day Notice to Vacate if a resident wants to move out at the end of their lease. So long as we are provided with this notice you will be in compliance with the needed requirements.

• If I move out, will I receive my full security deposit back?

  This depends 100% on you. Our goal is to provide you with a full refund of your security deposit and will need your help to do so. In short, the rental home has to be returned in the same condition as it was once you took possession (minus normal wear and tear). We have a checklist that we can provide you to help you accomplish this. In addition, you can request a Pre Move-Out Inspection in which we can do a walk-through with you to share what items will need to be addressed in order to have a full refund.