These are some of our tenant’s FAQs. If you continue to have questions after reading this please feel free to contact our office.
Your rent is ALWAYS due on the first day of the month. Your rent is late as of midnight on the first, but we give you a grace period until the 5th. If your rent is not received in our office by 5:00pm on the 5th day of the month then your account will automatically be charged a late fee of 6%. This late fee amount is due with your rent payment.
Cash is NOT ACCEPTED, for security reasons.
ACTIVATE YOUR ONLINE RentLA ACCOUNT! You should have received an email to setup and activate your online RentLA Account, please remember to check your junk/spam mail folder if you have not received it. You can also Email us at contact@rentla.net to request access. Please include your name in the email. We will email or text you with a login to your own RentLA Account and then can start paying right away:
- eCheck (Free) / Credit Card (Convenience Fee) - You can login to our website and pay online as well as view your account balance.
- You can mail/drop off your rent in to our office and put your address/unit # on the memo of your money order or check.
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What happens if I don’t pay my rent?
You should notify our accounts receivables department IMMEDIATELY by contacting our office. Failure to communicate with our office can and will typically cause you to be forwarded to the attorney’s office for an Unlawful Detainer.
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How do I report a repair, which needs to be done in my home?
Email or call us (see contacting our office page) - we prefer email/web requests. If you have an after-hours emergency, when you call RentLA after-hours, you will be connected with an after-hours person who can dispatch a vendor. This is for PROPERTY THREATENING EMERGENCIES ONLY, not regular maintenance calls. Please call RentLA office rather than repairing a maintenance 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 an inappropriate item flushed down the toilet, you will be charged for the repair.
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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 gas leak, call the gas company in your area first, and 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 on the hot line will determine if you have a true emergency, and if so, the operator will contact the RentLA staff member on call, who will contact an emergency vendor.
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Will RentLA notify me when a repair person is coming to my home?
RentLA will give you a at least 24 hour notice to enter, unless you agree to allow RentLA’s vendor to enter your home on an as-available basis. There is no requirement for you to be present, but you must provide access to your home, with proper notice, for purposes of repairs. There is no requirement for RentLA to give you notice if there is a suspected emergency, such as a burst pipe.
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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 will 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 your moving out of the unit.
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Can’t get in to my unit, I lost my keys, what should I do?
You can call a locksmith at your own expense or can call the office during business hours to pick up a spare at an extra charge.
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My roommate wants to move out but I want to stay, what should I do?
This is a very common situation and there are two ways to address it. 1) You can replace your current roommate with a new one: This new roommate will need to fill out a complete application, send in their most recent month of paystubs and 2 forms of ID to be screened. In the case they are approved a change is made. 2) You want to keep the unit by yourself: You will need to send in your most recent month of paystubs showing that you can afford that unit by yourself. If approved then your roommate will be removed from the lease. In both cases the security deposit is handling between the roommates as the office won’t release any deposit unless all roommates move out.
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My neighbor plays loud music late at night, what do you suggest?
As a first step, if your neighbor is violating House Rules, 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 RentLA will contact the tenant. If the behavior continues even after RentLA has made a direct request to your neighbor, please inform RentLA, and further steps may need to be taken. If there is a loud party late at night and you feel you have no choice, by all means contact the Police Department.
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I want to change the color of the paint in my unit and make other changes, may I do this?
As part of the lease agreement, renovations made by a tenant are only permissible with written approval by RentLA. You may, of course, hang paintings of your choice on the wall, provided you repair the holes upon vacating the unit. This rule against renovation without permission applies to all renovations, including changing your carpeting or other flooring, installation of built in appliances, etc. Please do not affix a satellite dish or other antenna to the roof, without acquiring permission first, as you will be charged for any damages to the roofing.
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I would like to have a party at the building. May I use the pool area? Or common 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 House Rules 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 a security gate, you may not prop it open to allow guests to enter, as this compromises the security of other residents. Garage or yard sales, which typically cause obstruction of walkways, debris, and generally cause a nuisance, are not permitted.
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Someone is parked in my parking space, what do I do?
Leave a kind note to your neighbor letting them know. If the car is not moved within an allowable time then call the office during business hours for help.
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Someone broke into my unit or car, what steps should I take?
First, make a police report; second, call the office and report any damage to the building so it can be fixed, provide a copy of the police report to the office; third, call your renters’ insurance policy and file your claim.
Your first step will be to call the office and find out if the property is pet friendly. The office will inform you right away if this is possible or not.
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I want to add an additional person to the lease, what do I do?
You should contact the office and the new occupant will need to fill out an application and send in 2 forms of ID and their most recent month of pay stubs once approved then they will be added to the lease.
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I want to break the lease, what do I do?
It’s a one year lease you are responsible for the duration of the lease. Your first step is to inform the office; we’ll start advertising your unit to try to get a suitable replacement. Once we find a tenant you will be responsible for the rent of the unit until the date the new tenant moves in and of the entire administrative fee incur in the rental of the unit.
