There are some things we want you to know that will make your stay in Kalamazoo much more enjoyable. These are things that we have experienced over the years, as well as common sense stuff that will help you avoid problems and financial stress.
• Don't put anything out on the curb for pickup including trash and recyclables on any other day but your scheduled pick up day. The City will pick it up for you for about $160 or pull your dumpster back for about $60. We put a pick up map in your welcome packet, but if you don't have a schedule, ask for one.
• Do not occupy the attic or basement unless the room is certified with proper egress. It is a housing violation and the City will evict you and we will still require the rent from you. If you are not sure about a space you looked at, call us. If you rent a house assuming you can occupy an uninhabitable space, we will not be responsible.
• Be wary of people you don't know coming to your door asking if someone's there you don't know. That is a typical way thieves case houses. If that occurs, call the police immediately and let them know what the person looks like and which way they are going.
• Don't forget to turn in your inventory and cleaning bill if you did cleaning.
• If you change your phone number, call us with it so we can get a hold of you.
• Your e-mail address is valuable. We have a couple of reasons for this:
| - We will notify you of issues we think you should be aware of. |
| - We are developing offerings from local vendors for goods and services they want to market to you. These will include coupons and other promotions that will be valuable to you. |
• The lint filters in dryers need to be kept clean all the time to keep your drying costs down as well as the potential for fire hazard. Keep an eye on this.
• Millennials and younger may have never seen a combination storm and screen window. Do not take the storms and screens out. The storm slides up and exposes the screen. If you have any questions about them, ask. Taking them out is the primary reason they get broken. They cost about $65 each to repair. So save yourself some money.
• Energy is your biggest cost after rent. Be conservative and reasonable. Pull your storms down to cover the screens, take air conditioners out of the windows, don't leave your doors open and turn the thermostat down at night. We will change filters and service the furnaces in the Fall. I can guarantee you that if the furnace is going to fail it will be on a Friday. Don't wait till 5 PM to call for help. Parts stores are not open on weekends. We have some infra-red and electric-oil space heaters for emergencies.
• A running stool will cost you or your landlord BIG dollars. Your lease says you must report a problem like this or be held liable for the costs particularly in the latter case. If your stool won’t shut off call for help..
• DO NOT USE CANDLES, LEAVE SMOKES UNATTENDED OR
PLUG TOO MUCH IN EXTENSION
CORDS. They are a direct cause of fires. A tenant burned down a house during exam week one year by carelessness. Not only did the tenants lose everything but the only thing that saved the one sleeping upstairs was
the SMOKE DETECTOR. Even with that, he had to jump out a window. Do NOT BURN THINGS and KEEP THE BATTERIES IN THE DETECTOR! So often
we find them removed. It's scary. The other thing to recognize is that if you
are the cause of a fire, you can expect the insurance company to pursue you for the loss. This is the reality of the world. Protect yourself and your family.
Don't use candles or excessive extension cords.
• The
last thing should go without saying but I am going to say it anyway.
DON'T
GET A DOG OR CAT AT ALL WITHOUT PERMISSION. THEY
ARE NOT ALLOWED. THEY WILL RESULT IN A DECLINE IN OUR GOOD RELATIONSHIP.
Remember to call with your number and e-mail so we can service you
better.