Wakefield, REALTORS is a Texas Corporation owned and operated exclusively by veteran real estate agents, committed to providing the most professional real estate services available in the San Antonio area. As a "full service" property management company, property owners contract our company to handle all aspects of managing their rental homes, including leasing, repairs, accounting, and any other issue associated with the property. We are bound by legal contract to both the property owner and our tenants, and we seek to provide both parties with the most courteous and professional service possible. We believe that begins with effective communication. To alleviate the potential for misunderstandings, we are providing you with detailed information as it relates to our policies and procedures.
Residential Lease Agreement
Parties to any lease or rental transaction have certain obligations and responsibilities. Your obligations and responsibilities, as well as those of Wakefield, REALTORS, are described in your Residential Lease Agreement. The lease agreement that you signed is a legal document and is binding on all parties, and neither party has the authority to deviate from or breach the covenants of the contract.
Rent and Security Deposit
Rent is due on the first day of each month and is considered late if not received by 5:00pm on the third day. On the fourth day of the month a fee equal to ten percent of your rent will be assessed to your account. Also, a fee of ten dollars per day will be charged to your account everyday until your rent is paid. If a check is returned for Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF), a twenty-five dollar charge will be assessed to your account as well as any late fees, and certified funds will be required for all rent payments from that point forward. If you need to make payment arrangements at any time, contact the Property Manager as soon as possible.
All tenants provide a security deposit as an indication of your guarantee to abide by the terms of the Lease. This deposit is used to compensate the owner of your residence in the event of any monetary losses suffered. In the event that the Owner’s monetary loss exceeds the amount of your security deposit, you will be billed for the remaining balance. Below are some examples of the circumstances that warrant forfeiture of some or all of a security deposit:
- Failure to give written thirty day Notice to Vacate
- Failure to properly clean the premises
- Damage to the building, owner supplied appliances, or landscaping due to negligence, misuse, or maliciousness
Property Maintenance
During the term of your Lease, you are required to take normal care of the home and perform normal maintenance on the property as well as its equipment. For example, the heating/air-conditioning unit contains a filter that requires replacement every month. Failure to replace the filter can result in damage requiring professional repair, which you will be billed for once completed.
You are also required to keep your drains free of grease, hair, lint, or food that can clog them if they are not flushed out occasionally with a good chemical drain cleaner. The owner will pay only for stoppages that are caused by faulty construction, such as mortar stones in the sewer, or by tree roots.
Unless otherwise stated within your Residential Lease Agreement, you are responsible for the upkeep of the lawn, bushes, and trees on a continual basis. This includes fertilizing, cutting, edging, trimming of trees, and watering. The exterior appearance of the home reflects the living conditions of the property in general.
Cost of pest control, except for wood-destroying insects, is your responsibility. This service is not provided by the property owner.
Helpful Hints
1. CHANGE YOUR AC FILTER EVERY 30 DAYS.
2. Check your smoke alarm batteries every 30 days.
3. Run an empty dishwasher cycle with a cup of vinegar then another cycle with lime-away quarterly to remove any water deposits and keep your machine running in optimum condition.
Requesting Repairs
If you should find that there is something that needs to be repaired, you must submit the request to us in writing. ONLY Emergency repairs can be reported by phone. Emergency repairs are described later in this section.
When completing a Repair Request Form, the problem must be explained in detail and your current contact information must be included. You may complete a Repair Request Form online through our website at www.wakefieldrealtors.com or you may complete a Repair Request Form and fax it to us at 210-491-9623 or mail it to our office. Repair Request Forms are enclosed for your convenience. Additional forms can be obtained through our website, or you may call our office.
Emergency Repairs
Our regular business hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM. We have an automated attendant that answers our calls when we are not available to take your call, or when our offices are closed. Just follow the simple voice prompts and the automated attendant will route your call accordingly.
Only emergency calls will be handled after normal office hours. If you have an after hours emergency, dial 210.490.7039 and follow the prompts to leave a message in the emergency mailbox. Someone will contact you within 30 minutes.
Emergency repairs are defined as follows:
- FREE FLOWING WATER that cannot be turned off and would result in damage to personal property and the home.
- ELECTRICAL problems that will result in complete loss of power, possible fire, and damage to the home and personal property.
- BACKING UP Of SEWER LINE which may create health hazards.
Other Repairs
Maintenance problems in the following categories are NOT considered an emergency and will not be acted upon until the next normal working day. These repairs must be submitted in writing.
- Air conditioning problems
- No hot water
- Broken windows (your responsibility)
- Heating unit not working properly
- Homes with 2 complete bathrooms- toilet stoppage in one
- Refrigerator malfunctioning (an ice chest can be used)
Servicemen are not employees of our company and consequently we do not control their work hours. Please advise us if a repairman doesn’t arrive or if the work is not completed in a professional and satisfactory manner. If you require a special appointment time with repairmen other than normal working hours, you will be billed the additional amount that exceeds the regular service fee.
Betterments and Improvements
All betterments and improvements to the property require approval. If you wish to make improvements to the rental property, please contact our office in writing prior to taking any action.
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