Q & A

Look beyond the obvious. Talk to the neighbors. Check the furnace and air conditioner. Call CenterPoint Energy at 800-227-1376 and ask for both the average bill for the last twelve months and the highest bill. Test the faucets, toilets, showers, etc. Open the cabinets. Visualize the space; is it right for you? If you choose to rent the unit, it will be your home for better or worse. Make sure you know what you are getting into.

We look at a variety of factors, in no particular order: ability to pay the rent, indications that you will damage the property while you are there (e.g. evictions with large amounts of damages or methamphetamine charges), indications you will disturb other tenants or neighbors (e.g. noise complaints, public drunkenness, domestic violence, or maintaining a common nuisance), fit for the property (e.g. family size not too large or no pets), references from prior landlords, and general impressions. Bad credit, criminal history, or prior evictions are not necessarily a bar to being able to rent a property; however, there will be further review before we can definitively state whether or not an application will be approved. If you have any questions about your particular situation, please contact our office.

All of our leases are month-to-month so you never have to worry about being trapped in a lease or about paying an early termination fee. All we require is at least a thirty-day written notice of intent to vacate with that notice being effective at the end of the month following the month notice was given (e.g. notice given in June will be effective July 31st). Our philosophy is that, if we are doing a good job and providing quality units, our tenants are going to stay, so there is no need for a one-year lease; and, if a tenant ends up being a “bad apple” (such as disturbing other tenants or engaging in illegal activity), it is easier to give a thirty-day notice to the tenant asking them to move. Although the vast majority of our tenants have been with us for years, a month-to-month lease term just gives more flexibility for everyone.

Unless agreed to otherwise in advance, we do not meet for appointments at the property. You may come by our office and drop off your ID to receive a key to view the unit or you may use a third-party app, if available, as stated in the property listing to view the unit on your own. Once you have decided on a property, you may fill out an application online. Please be advised that there is a thirty-five dollar ($35) application fee that must be paid online at the time you fill out your application.

Before we can approve your application, we will need two recent pay stubs (if applicable) to verify employment and a copy of your driver’s license/identification and social security card. All persons over the age of 18 who will be residing in the property will be required to submit an application and to sign the lease. 

Shortly after you fill out an application, we will contact you to let you know whether you are approved. Properties are rented to the first eligible tenant who pays at least half of the security deposit. We will not hold a property without a security deposit being paid (in whole or in part). When you pay a security deposit, we will take the property off of the active market and your security deposit becomes non-refundable should you choose not to move in. The property will be held prior to move-in for a maximum of three weeks with a full security deposit paid (or two weeks with a partial deposit). If the tenant does not move-in by the expected move-in date, without a written extension by our office, the security deposit will be forfeited and the property put back on the active market to be rented.

Anyone we sign a lease with is over 18 years old, which makes them an adult. Thus, we treat our tenants as such and with the respect and courtesy to which each person is entitled. They are our customers and we are here to serve them. Our philosophy is to be “straight” and candid with our tenants and to expect the same from them. If we make an agreement, whether in signing the lease, in performing a maintenance request, or in making payment arrangements for rent, we expect ourselves and our tenants to hold themselves to that. Although there are valid reasons that may preclude performance of an agreement, we expect that reason to be communicated quickly and honestly and for it not to be an “excuse.” Tenants are expected to know and to hold to the lease provisions. Thus, rent is due when it is due. No pets means no pets. Tenants are expected to keep their property clean and sanitary on their own. On the flipside, we have an obligation to do our very best for our tenants, to respond to maintenance requests in a timely manner, and to be friendly and responsive to the needs of our tenants. We have a symbiotic relationship with our tenants. We depend on each other to take care of the property and to make sure that the tenant’s place is truly their home, which is the goal for everyone.

Yes, there is a non-refundable application fee of thirty-five dollars ($35). This fee is to cover the costs of us running background checks on a prospective tenant. The application fee must be paid before an application can be processed and it is not credited to a tenant’s security deposit, which is separate and distinct from the application fee.

Our standard security deposit is equal to one month’s rent. Non-refundable pet fees, application fees, and other fees are not counted towards the security deposit. The security deposit must be paid in full by the date of move-in.

Yes, if you are referred to us by a current tenant, please let us know who referred you. Current tenants who refer someone to us will receive a $100 credit on their rent when the person referred is approved and signs a lease with us.

Yes and no. For some units, Pets are strictly forbidden. Our apartment complexes tend to not allow pets for the safety and convenience of others. If a pet is allowed, there is a non-refundable pet fee of $500 and, in certain circumstances, there is an additional pet fee of $50 per month above the stated rental amount. Having a pet in a no pets unit will result in an eviction being filed without notice to the tenant once we document the pet is there.

Most units allow smoking, but some units are explicitly smoke-free. Smoking in a smoke-free unit will result in an eviction being filed without notice to the tenant once we document that someone is smoking there.

The types of appliance provided, if they are provided, are on a unit-by-unit basis. Please refer to your lease or the listing for the unit for what appliances are provided for a specific unit.

The types of utilities provided, if they are provided, are on a unit-by-unit basis. In certain circumstances, the utilities may be in our name, but each tenant is responsible to us for their pro-rata share. Please refer to your lease or the listing for the unit for what utilities are provided for a specific unit. In general, if a tenant cannot obtain utilities in their name, we will not put the utilities in our name on behalf of the tenant. Failure to maintain utility service on the property for all utilities is a breach of the lease.

Yes, you may install security systems provided that they are installed by a reputable third-party company and we are given a master code to be able to enter the property. In certain properties, we have already installed a security system and you must use the security system installed and use the monitoring company we have contracted with to do the monitoring.

Satellite dishes are allowed only if they are placed on a stand-alone pole in the yard, which is removed at the end of the tenant’s tenancy. No satellite dishes may be attached to any building or other structures on the property. No satellite dishes are allowed on multiple tenant properties that do not have a private yard reserved for each unit.

No changes may be made to the unit without our express written consent to the exact change being made (e.g. painting, shelves, etc). Failure to get our express written consent will make the tenant liable for returning the property back to its original condition. In general, we will consent in writing to any changes so long as the changes improve the property; however, we typically will have our staff make the changes at the tenant’s request and not have the tenant perform the work themselves.

We reserve the right to perform cleaning inspections on all our units, although that does not mean we will every month. Cleaning inspections are done only on the first Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of each month unless we are notified there is a problem that we need to address. A cleaning inspection isn’t looking for dirty clothes on the floor or for dirty dishes in the sink. The point of the cleaning inspection is to ensure that the tenant’s conduct (including failing to notify us of maintenance issues) is not damaging the premises. For instance, we have had tenants, for whatever reason, not take trash out of a home until the entire home was filled with trash. We also have had tenants collect soda cans and not wash them out, leading to an extreme roach infestation. We have also had tenants fail to notify us of leaking toilets, missing shingles, broken windows, etc – all of which can lead to worse maintenance issues later if not reported. Thus, we perform cleaning inspections not only for ourselves, but for the benefit of current and future tenants.

We currently have four maintenance staff and a number of contractors we can call if the need arises. In the event of an emergency, someone is almost always available to come immediately. If it is really important, but not an emergency, it may be up to a day, depending on the staff’s other obligations. (For instance, a large number of frozen pipes bursting or other emergencies slow things down.) Minor or discretionary maintenance requests can take up to two weeks, again depending on external factors.

The easiest way is through your tenant portal on our website. For all maintenance requests or other needs, you may also call our office at (812) 205-4414 during business hours (usually, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, although we are not always in the office). For emergency maintenance issues only, please call (479) 414-5739. Note that non-emergency “emergency” maintenance requests responded to after hours are subject to a $40 trip charge.

• Broken water line
• Blocked or broken toilet or drain system if there is only one toilet in the house
• Serious roof leak
• Gas leak
• Failure of the heat or air conditioner during times of extreme outside temperature (i.e. below 32 degrees in winter or over 95 degrees in summer)
• Dangerous electrical fault
• Flooding
• Serious storm damage
• Failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply
• Any fault or damage to the premises that makes the home unsafe or unsecure
• An appliance, fitting or fixture that is not working properly and causes a substantial amount of water to be wasted
• A serious fault in steps or in a staircase

You are responsible to change the air filters at least once every thirty days, the cost of which is borne by you. The changing of air filters protects the HVAC system in the house and lowers your utility bill. If you need assistance in knowing how to change the air filter, please contact our office. If our office changes the filter due to your failure to do so, you will be responsible to pay our office for the filter change.

Except for common areas in multi-unit properties, you are responsible to maintain the yard and landscaping on the premises. Maintaining the yard and landscaping extends to you having the responsibility to regularly clean out the gutters and the outdoor drains on the property and to perform all snow removal from the porches, steps, and sidewalks. If you are part of a multi-unit property, you are responsible to remove the snow from the porches, steps, and sidewalks that lead solely to your unit, and, per Evansville Municipal Code chapter 12.05.170, those tenants in the bottom unit of a multi-unit property are responsible for snow removal from all common and public sidewalks on the premises. Please note that taking care of the landscaping also applies to cleaning up any trash and debris, regardless of who put it there, in addition to weed/grass control. Failure to maintain the premises will cause us to have to do it and the tenant will be billed accordingly.

According to Evansville Municipal Code §15.15.150 – Extermination:

“The owner of any structure shall be responsible for extermination of rodents and insects within the structure prior to renting or leasing the structure. The occupant of a one-family dwelling or of a single-tenant nonresidential structure shall be responsible for extermination on the premises after taking possession of the property. The owner of a structure containing two or more dwelling units, a multiple occupancy, or a rooming house or a nonresidential structure shall be responsible for extermination in the public or shared areas of the structure and exterior property. If infestation is caused by failure of an occupant to prevent such infestation in the area occupied, the occupants shall be responsible for extermination. The occupant of any structure shall be responsible for the continued rodent-free condition of the structure, and if the occupant fails to maintain the rodent-free condition, the cost of extermination shall be the responsibility of the occupant.”

In other words, we are responsible to ensure that a property is pest-free prior to anyone moving in and to treat the common areas of multiple-unit properties. The tenants are responsible for their own homes. We, as a matter of policy, will treat any property upon notification of a pest problem; however, the cost for the treatment will be borne by the tenant if it was the tenant’s responsibility to maintain a pest free environment.

Yes, renter’s insurance is required of all tenants. Failure to get renter’s insurance is a breach of the lease. If a tenant fails to get renter’s insurance, in our discretion, in lieu of an eviction to enforce the renter’s insurance provision, our office will place a Landlord’s Required Resident Liability insurance policy on the property, which solely protect us from casualty damages caused by the tenant. It is not renter’s insurance and will not protect the tenant like renter’s insurance. Thus, the tenant must get renter’s insurance. In addition the Landlord’s Required Resident Liability insurance policy does not typically cover non-casualty damages caused by the tenant, such as holes in walls, broken windows, excessive wear-and-tear, etc.

A tenant must obtain and maintain a renters’ insurance policy to cover their personal belongings as well as personal/premises liability coverage for an amount no less than One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00). All residents must be listed on the renters’ insurance policy and we must be listed as additional insureds on the renters’ insurance policy. A copy of the renter’s insurance policy is required to be presented to us within Seven (7) days of move-in. The insurance policy may not be cancelled or materially changed without Thirty (30) day written notice to us.

Our insurance doesn’t protect you; it protects us. It’s that simple. For a tenant to have protection, they need renter’s insurance. Renter’s insurance is what tenants get to protect them. Renter’s insurance typically provides:

•  Protection for the loss of a tenant’s personal belongings, whether due to fire, theft, or natural disaster (renter’s insurance sometimes even covers your personal belongings when they are not in your home!)
• Temporary housing (and sometimes food!) if for some reason (fire, etc) the tenant’s home is uninhabitable
•  Coverage for personal injury for the tenant’s guests
• Coverage to protect against casualty losses that are the fault of the tenant

The Landlord’s Required Resident Liability insurance policy that we would force place if you don’t have renter’s insurance provides almost none of the aforementioned protections and may be more expensive than renter’s insurance. All the Landlord’s Required Resident Liability insurance policy does in protect us from casualty losses that are the fault of the tenant. Thus, why would you pay more for Landlord’s Required Resident Liability insurance policy and get less protection? Renter’s insurance is just better for the tenants, which is why we not only strongly encourage it, we require it.

Rent is due on the 1st day of each month with a three-day grace period for being late (i.e. you have to the fourth (4th) to pay your rent without a late fee); however, you may always pro-rate your rent to avoid late fees or an eviction. Late payments are subject to a late fee of 10% of the monthly rental amount. Please make your payments to “Deli Muz, LLC.” Mailed payments must be received by the due date, so please allow 5-7 business days for mail delivery.

No. 

We do not accept cash or personal physical checks. We only accept credit card, money order, or EFT for payment of rent and other charges. If you would prefer to pay by check, you can pay by EFT check on the payment section of your tenant portal. You may pay by credit card online through

your tenant portal. There will be a fee if you pay by credit card; however, there is no fees if you pay online by EFT check. There is also a $35 fee for any returned payments

Yes, in the first part of the month, we will take rent payments from a charity or a township trustee who is helping a tenant with their rent obligation; however, the entire outstanding balance of rent due save the charity/trustee contribution must be paid before we sign the agreement to take charity/trustee money. If the charity/trustee payment comes at the end of the month or during an eviction, all of the outstanding balance (including court costs, if applicable) must be paid and the trustee payment will be applied to the current month’s rent obligation.

We understand that there may be extenuating circumstances that preclude you from paying your rent in full on the due date. We have been there ourselves. Nevertheless, our responsibility is to collect the rent in full from each tenant. Thus, as a compromise, if you cannot pay your rent in full on the due date, you may make a pro-rated rent payment until your rent can be paid in full. Pro-rating your rent allows you to avoid late fees and a possible eviction. For instance, if your rent is due on the first (1st), but your next paycheck (so that you can pay your rent in full) is on the twelfth (12th), you may pay your pro-rated rent due from the first (1st) to the twelfth (12th) (i.e. rent for twelve (12) days), and pay the remainder of your rent due for the month on the twelfth (12th), with no late penalty as long as your payments are made on time. To avoid the late fee, you must make your partial (i.e. pro-rated) rent payment by the fourth (4th) of the month and pay the remaining rent in full as agreed.

We typically file an eviction for the non-payment of rent on the 5th of the month or reasonably soon thereafter. We usually attempt to contact the tenant during the three-day grace period to inquire as to the rent payment; however, if no (full or partial) rent payment was received by the fourth day after rent was due (i.e. the 5th), we typically file an eviction after 12 p.m. on the 5th of the month. 

It is never pleasant to have an eviction filed against you and we hate filing them; however, if we have filed an eviction, doing the following will reduce the unpleasantness as much as possible. First, please attend all court hearings stated in the paperwork you receive from the court. Second, make sure to stay in contact with us. Staying in contact with us gives you the best chance of getting something worked out so that you can stay in the property if you so desire. Third, if you vacate the property, please make sure to turn in your key and to leave the property in clean and rentable condition. Fourth, if you are going to vacate the property and you are wanting us to store any of your personal belongings, please notify us in writing that you would like us to store your personal belongings. Otherwise, when we get back possession of the property, anything left in the property will be considered abandoned. Finally, please make sure to give us a forwarding address in writing. Just because you are being (or have been) evicted does not mean you may not be entitled to a return of some of your security deposit.

All of our leases are month-to-month so it should be rare that you have to leave before completing your lease term; however, if you still need to leave early, you will still need to pay for the balance of your lease term unless we are able to rent to the property to someone else before your lease term ends. Thus, if you must leave early without giving us proper notice, please make sure the property is clean and in move-in ready condition and return the key to us as soon as possible. In many instances, we have been able to rent a property in a matter of days once a tenant tells us they are moving and has vacated the property. Your efforts may make a big difference in having the property re-rented quickly.

Yes. In general, we are happy to let a tenant transfer to another one of our units. You will need to put down at least half of the deposit on the new property to hold it and so we know you are serious about transferring units. Your prior security deposit balance will transfer; however, the amount of the security deposit that will transfer depends on whether your security deposit is necessary for repairs on the first unit. If the tenant’s first unit requires repair due to the fault of the tenant, then only that part of the security deposit remaining after the repairs on the first unit will transfer to the second unit. If the amount of the security deposit transferred from the first unit is not great enough to fully fund the whole security deposit on the second unit, you will be responsible for paying any additional deposits required on the second unit. Note that pet fees do not transfer and will need to be paid again if the tenant moves to a new unit. In addition, you will be charged rent at both units until you surrender your key to the first unit.

You can typically add someone to the lease without any difficulty so long as they meet the criteria that we would normally accept as a tenant. Removing a tenant from the lease is more complicated as both the other tenants and the landlord may have relied upon that tenant in making the decision to rent the property. Thus, if someone wants to remove himself/herself from the lease, all of the other tenants on the lease must consent in writing to the removal of that tenant and we, as the landlord, must consent to the removal of the tenant. In general, if the other tenants consent to the removal of a tenant and the other tenants meet our rental criteria, we will approve a tenant getting off of the lease.

A written thirty-day notice of your intent to move-out is required. Please note that a month-to-month tenancy is calculated in whole month increments, meaning a notice given at any point in one calendar month (e.g. June) will only be applicable for the following calendar month (July) and will only be effective on the last day of the calendar month following the month of receipt of your notice to move-out (e.g. July 31).

If it is before the end of your lease term, please see the question above about early move out.

A statement showing what happened to your security deposit shall be mailed to you within forty-five (45) days after we have regained possession of your unit, provided you have provided us, in writing, with your forwarding address. If we do not have your forwarding address, we will send you the security deposit statement to you within forty-five (45) days of us obtaining your forwarding address. If you are entitled to a refund of your security deposit, a refund check will accompany the security deposit statement.

In the event of an alarm, you should presume that your smoke detector or security system is not monitored and you must Call 911! to report the emergency. Do not rely upon any possible outside monitor to report the emergency. call 911! Not all of our properties have monitored alarm systems, but some do, whether paid for by us or by another person. If the alarm is malfunctioning in a property in which we provide alarm service, please contact our office immediately to address the issue. A malfunctioning alarm is considered to be an emergency and we will address it as quickly as we can.

If you lose your key, please contact our office for a replacement. There is a $35 charge for key replacement.

Unfortunately, lockouts are not an emergency. During normal business hours, please contact our office and we will arrange to have a staff member unlock the home at their earliest convenience. If it is after business hours, there will be a $40 charge for us to unlock the home or you may contact a locksmith at your own expense.

In general, we ask everyone to attempt to get along and to resolve the issue between them; however, repeated inconsideration to other tenants, especially after 10 p.m. and before 8 a.m., may result in us having to take action to remove a tenant. Of course, before that point we will attempt to mediate a resolution between the tenants and sufficiently document the problem before taking any action on our part.

Call 911 to report the activity. If you are uncomfortable calling 911, please contact our office. The safety of our tenants is very important to us. If the neighbor is one of our tenants and is doing something illegal (e.g. selling drugs, abusing their family, maintaining a common nuisance – i.e. using illegal drugs in the house), then we will attempt to document that and will seek to evict that tenant for the safety and convenience of others. In addition, there is a city ordinance that requires us to evict such tenants.