AZ Lease Questions (Taylor: apartments, renters, appliances)

[chavest]

I have 3 quick questions for you all on the forums. I have never rented from any company other than Mark Taylor Apartments and they have been top notch. So when looking at a lease from a prop management company three items caught my attention. Are these normal?

1.) Stated in the lease that the property has not been rekeyed since the last tenant.


2.) States that renters are obligated to change ac/heater filters every 30 days, don't the owners/lease company have to take care of all maintenance costs for all heating, cooling, appliances?

3.) That all pest control is on the cost of the renter, no preventative spraying will be done.


Thanks in advance to all

Stephen

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by chavest

I have 3 quick questions for you all on the forums. I have never rented from any company other than Mark Taylor Apartments and they have been top notch. So when looking at a lease from a prop management company three items caught my attention. Are these normal?

1.) Stated in the lease that the property has not been rekeyed since the last tenant.


2.) States that renters are obligated to change ac/heater filters every 30 days, don't the owners/lease company have to take care of all maintenance costs for all heating, cooling, appliances?

3.) That all pest control is on the cost of the renter, no preventative spraying will be done.


Thanks in advance to all

Stephen

It's up to the landlord if they want to rekey. The statement discloses that i that it has not been rekeyed. You can request that it be done prior to your move in

No landlord is going to change your filter unless you want to have the rent increased to cover the labor of someone coming to change it. (Apartments could be an exception, but I doubt it.) Landlords can also require tenants to cover all maintenance inside the unit, usually up to $50.

Pest control can be negotiated.

[rjrcm]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

It's up to the landlord if they want to rekey. The statement discloses that i that it has not been rekeyed. You can request that it be done prior to your move in

No landlord is going to change your filter unless you want to have the rent increased to cover the labor of someone coming to change it. (Apartments could be an exception, but I doubt it.) Landlords can also require tenants to cover all maintenance inside the unit, usually up to $50.

Pest control can be negotiated.

Agree. Other than what's required by the Arizona Landlord Tenant Act, leases can vary in what landlords will provide, allow, or restrict.

[DR2012]

OK, I rented prior in another area not here, so it may not be 100% the answer you are looking for, but in other states I have always had to pay for and change the filters myself, and pest control has never been included. I am renting here as of later today and I was told pest control was up to me as well, or I could at least ask. Filters well, I just do that myself, I'd rather than have to have my landlord come in and arrange a time just for something so simple.

[Zippyman]

I'd personally be really grumpy about a landlord who refused to change the locks between tenants.
Leaving them unchanged between tenants is foolhardy.

[chavest]

Thanks to all for your insight and advise.

I know in the valley Mark Taylor is really accommodating, and they would go as far and swapping out light bulbs, filters etc. They have been a great apt company and have nothing but positive things to say.

Spoke to the soon to be new landlord and got in writing the re key and what they define beyond normal pest control and when they become part of the pest control solution.

Again thanks to all, this is what makes this forum so beneficial

Stephen

[rgscpat]

Related question: How careful does an owner have to be about arranging pest control, particularly if a tenant has pets or small children, or has allergic sensitivities?

[crystalys]

Originally Posted by rgscpat

Related question: How careful does an owner have to be about arranging pest control, particularly if a tenant has pets or small children, or has allergic sensitivities?

Well you would start by giving a reasonable notice preferably in writing to the tenant of when you want to have it done and either make the appointment yourself or have the pest control company call the tenant to make an appointment. I'm sure that common sense would prevail and that the tenant will temporarily leave the premises and/or inform you of any sensitivities. BUT common sense sometimes is nowhere to be found so you or the pest control company would have to ask the tenant questions about that. As far as pets, when we have our house done we do not have to do any special handling with the pets beyond a 15 to 30 minute period of keeping them contained to make sure the chemical is dry according to our pest control guy.

[ReadyFreddy]

I would be surprised if a landlord expected a tenant to actually change filters. What incentive do they have to actually do it? How would the landlord even know? I thought things that protect the landlord's investment are usually handled by him, like paying the water bill to insure the tenant doesn't shut off the landscape water.