Tenant FAQs

We are a detail-oriented company with over 40 years of experience in residential property management. At Award Property Management, we pride ourselves on delivering reliable and efficient property management services you can depend on.

The standard lease term is 12 months. If you’re interested in a shorter or longer lease term, please contact us to discuss whether we can accommodate your needs. Once the initial lease period ends, you may have the option to renew or extend your lease based on the terms agreed upon.

Yes, renters’ insurance is mandatory. It is included in our Resident Benefits Package, but you can opt out if you already have renters’ insurance or prefer to select your own insurance provider. You will have to show proof of insurance.

The preferred method for paying rent is from your tenant portal. Alternatively, you may mail your rent payment to our office.

Rent is due on the 1st of each month and is considered late after 12:00 a.m. on the 4th. A late fee of 10% of the monthly rent is charged to tenants with outstanding balances on the 4th of every month. Per your residential lease agreement, any payments made to the property manager will first be applied to late fees and administrative fees (if applicable) before being credited toward rent.

All maintenance issues must be reported in writing through the Tenant Portal on our website. During normal business hours, you may also call the office for assistance; however, this does not replace the requirement to submit a maintenance request online.

In the event of an after-hours emergency, please fill out an online maintenance request and call our office. The recorded message will provide detailed instructions on how to leave a message. A team member will promptly contact you to discuss and address your situation.

For non-emergency issues, you may submit a Maintenance Request through the Tenant Portal, which will be addressed during normal business hours.

According to your residential lease contract, in the event of an emergency related to the condition of the property that materially affects the physical health or safety of an ordinary tenant, tenant may call our emergency line and report the emergency situation. Ordinarily, a repair to the heating and air conditioning system is not an emergency.

Yes, you may be charged for maintenance repairs if the issue is caused by tenant neglect or damage. Additionally, you can be billed for missed appointments with our contractors if the tenant fails to provide access as scheduled.

Pet policies vary by property. If pets are allowed, a pet deposit must be paid prior to move-in. Please contact us for more details.

Although most of our properties do accept pets, some don’t. You must find out if the property you reside in accepts pets and receive approval for that pet from management. If the pet is approved, the tenant must fill out a pet agreement and pay a pet deposit prior to placing a pet inside the unit. Please contact management regarding the restrictions on pets.

You will be charged an initial amount specified in the lease and an additional amount specified in the lease each day thereafter until the animal is removed. Tenant may not permit, even temporarily, any pet on the property unless a Pet Agreement and Pet Deposit have been approved by the landlord.

No, your pet deposit is not refundable before the lease ends even if the pet is removed from the property.

All roommates must first receive approval prior to moving into the property. They must fill out an application and pay the application fee. If their application meets our criteria and are approved by the Owner, we can add them to your lease contract. Management must know who is occupying the property at all times.

According to your residential lease contract, tenant may not permit any guest to stay on the property longer than 14 days without the landlord’s written permission.

Yes, all residents must comply with City Code or Homeowner Association (HOA) rules regarding parking, as well as any specific provisions outlined in the lease agreement. Additionally, the number of vehicles allowed is limited to the amount designated in your lease.

During normal business hours, we can release a spare key only to the tenant listed on the lease agreement, provided they present valid identification. If you are locked out after hours and require us to meet you at the office to provide a spare key, a $50 fee will apply. The spare key must be returned to the office within 24 hours. If no one is available to assist you or you prefer not to travel to our office, you will need to contact a locksmith at your own expense. If the locks are changed, the tenant must provide the office with a copy of the new key within 24 hours.

There are several reasons why management may need to access your home, and we will always make every effort to schedule an appointment with you in advance. According to your residential lease agreement, the landlord or an authorized representative will attempt to contact you before entering the property. Our priority is to coordinate with you and schedule a convenient time for access whenever possible. If our requests to schedule an appointment are ignored, we may enter the property at reasonable times without notice to address necessary repairs or to show the property to prospective tenants, buyers, inspectors, appraisers, or insurance agents. Even in such cases, we will notify you of who will be entering the property and the approximate time of entry

In certain situations, entry without prior notice may be required, such as:

• Inspecting the property’s condition and documenting it with photographs.
• Conducting emergency repairs.
• Delivering written notices.

We appreciate your cooperation in helping us ensure proper communication and coordination regarding access to your home.

The Landlord’s agents are people that represent the landlord. These agents could be maintenance repair persons, real estate agents, or any other persons that may be conducting themselves on behalf of the landlord.

Requests to install ceiling fans or alternative light fixtures must be submitted in writing and approved by the property owner. If approved, but the owner declines to cover the cost, the tenant may purchase the fixtures, and our authorized contractor will handle the installation at the tenant’s expense.

As outlined in your residential lease agreement, any fixtures installed on the property become the property of the landlord. If the tenant wishes to remove ceiling fans or light fixtures upon move-out, a written request must be submitted. If the owner approves the removal, the tenant must use an authorized contractor for the removal at their own expense.

All requests to paint walls a different color must be submitted in writing and approved by the property owner. When making your request, please specify the exact wall, room, and desired color. Before moving out, tenants must restore the walls or rooms to their original color. If this is not completed, our contractor will perform the restoration after move-out, and the associated costs will be charged to the tenant.

A tenant cannot change the locks without first contacting management. Requests by tenant for rekeying, installing, changing, replacing or repairing security devices must be in writing. Requests for additional security devices, additional rekeying or replacement of security devices desired by the tenant will be paid by the tenant in advance and must be installed only by an authorized contractor.

As part of our Resident Benefits Package, we offer late fee forgiveness once per year, covering up to 5 days of late rent. Beyond this, late fees cannot be waived. To comply with Fair Housing Laws, we are committed to treating all tenants equally and enforcing our late fee policy consistently for everyone.

Yes, if you do not renew your lease before it expires, it will automatically transition to a month-to-month agreement at the increased rent rate specified in the renewal notice. However, in some cases, the property owner may not permit a month-to-month tenancy. In such situations, you will need to choose between renewing your lease or vacating the property at the end of the initial lease term.

Rent increases are determined based on the rental market and/or at the property owner's discretion. If your rent is set to increase, you will be notified when you receive your lease renewal offer before your current lease ends. At that time, you can decide whether to renew your lease.

If you plan to vacate at the end of your lease term, please contact us at least 30 days before your lease expires. Upon notification, we can email you our required Notice Of Tenant’s Intent To Vacate form. The vacate notice will take effect on the last day of the month following the month in which the notice is submitted.

The landlord or landlord’s agents can begin to market, access, and show the property as soon as you give notice that you will not be renewing your lease.

If you are unable to fulfill your lease contract, please contact our office to discuss the situation immediately.

You will need to contact management to discuss your options. If the property is vacant, then we can adjust the availability date for prospective tenants; however, prorated rent for the additional days will need to be paid at the time of your request. If an owner or tenant is scheduled to move in, we may not be able to extend your lease, and you will be expected to vacate on the original move out date.

Once the property has been surrendered and the tenant has provided forwarding address the landlord has 30 days in which to account. We will mail the deposit to the forwarding address you have provided less any charges incurred within 30 days of the last day you occupied the property

Yard maintenance is the responsibility of the tenant unless otherwise stated in your lease contract. Yard maintenance will include cutting, trimming, edging, maintain shrubs and bushes. This also includes watering on a regular basis. If the yard is not maintained you may be responsible for dead grass, trees, shrubs or bushes.

Tenant is responsible to pay for any periodic, preventive, or addition extermination costs desired by tenant, including treatment for bed bugs, unless otherwise required by law.