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07 June 2014
The Renter's Guide
Who should I speak to when I have an issue? Will it be the leasing agent who helped me in leasing the unit? Or should I speak to the superintendent of the building or should I go directly to the property manager? Who should I go to if I need to book the elevator as I am waiting for a delivery? If I am going away for a week, do I need to advise someone and if so, who should I inform? We face so many issues and yes, it certainly can be confusing, especially if it is your first time in a rental apartment. It is therefore important to understand the functions and duties of the different personnel associated with the rental apartment. We will explain it here and hopefully it will enable you to overcome any confusion.
The Leasing Agent
This person is at the front line. The person you will be meeting when you first visit the building. You will be asked when you would like to move in, in order to determine what units maybe available. You will be advised of what size units are available, the floor they are located on, if parking is available, the amenities available in the building, the rental amount and what is included or not included in the rental amount: such as utilities, parking , storage. The leasing agent will also be the one to explain to you the rental qualification requirements and to provide you with the rental application. They will be able to guide you in completing the application and what supporting documentation, if any, may be required of you. The leasing agent will be the one to process your application and will confirm to you later on the status of your application. It would be the leasing agent, who then will invite you to sign the Lease Agreement. You should remember that any presentation made by the agent should form part of the agreement. If you have any questions regarding the building, the rental agent should be able to provide you with the information you are looking for.
The Property Manager
The property manager is the person in charge of running the day-to-day operations of the building, and depending on the size of the building, he may also be the one to assume some of the administrative aspects (as opposed to the administrative personnel which normally exists in a large building). The property manager is in effect, the person who the residents will communicate with more often than any other person on staff. The communication may include such things as questions regarding repairs, noise complaints, rent payments and getting a FOB. The manager will compile all the maintenance issues, either from property inspections or via tenant maintenance requests, and will arrange for a contractor to schedule the work. The manager will inspect the property to ensure that the physical aspect is well maintained and take all the necessary steps to ensure same. The manager will also be the one (depending on the size of the building) to collect the rent. In addition, the property manager will direct the superintendent (if applicable) as to what their daily tasks are. It will be the manager (or superintendent where applicable) who will schedule and attend to the move-ins and will do the same at move-out time.
The Superintendent
The superintendent is the most visible person in the building. He is the one who performs the cleaning and all other work which can be done without the necessity of engaging an outside contractor. The superintendent can be the one who may be contacted for any minor repairs in your unit. If the superintendent is living on the premises, he will also be on-call most of the time (except on their days off).
The Concierge
In some of the more upscale rental apartments, you may find the services of a concierge.
This person is usually at the main entrance of the building. They may have various functions: provide only security services, welcoming residents, announcing the arrival of guests to the residents, ordering transportation and accepting deliveries on behalf of the residents, to name a few.
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Shlomo Sharon is CEO of Taft Management Inc. and a member of CCI since 2002. Taft Management Inc. is an ACMO 2000 Certified Property Management Company and has been providing property management services since 1996. Visit the website www.taft-forward.com for further information or email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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