Bertolucci Management, Inc.

Serving Salem Oregon, Keizer, and the Mid-Willamette Valley

What needs to be done to my house before it is ready to rent?

The better condition that a house is in, the better quality tenant it will attract.  Your home must be left in professionally cleaned condition.  Your Property Manager prefers to arrange this cleaning to insure that the cleaning guidelines are strictly followed.  The carpets must be professionally cleaned and all debris and personal belonging removed from the house.

It is not necessary to paint, but you should consider painting any room that has dirty or marred walls.  A neutral color is best.  Your Property Manager will be happy to discuss any necessary repairs or painting with you.  Neutral window coverings such as blinds should be left, but not curtains that match a particular bedspread or couch.  Tenants moving into a rental property do expect some sort of window coverings to be provided for privacy and safety.

The tenants are generally requested to maintain the yard in the condition it is provided to them.  Therefore, the yard should be freshly mowed, weeded, trimmed and the leaves and debris removed.

How will you find tenants for my house and how long will it take?

Your property will be advertised on our website, as well as Craig’s List regularly.  A Property Information Sheet will be prepared for your property with all the necessary information and pictures.  This information is given to anyone who sees the property, and is often faxed to people who have indicated an interest.  Information sheets for all available properties are at our office for prospective tenants to browse through if they stop by our office, which they often do.

It normally takes two to four weeks to rent a home.  It sometimes takes longer in the winter.  A home goes on the list of available properties as soon as we receive notice from the existing tenant and permission from the owner to re-rent.

Can I say that I do not want any pets or smokers in the house?  How about children?

Pet owners are not a protected class.  However, by eliminating them you are probably eliminating 75% of the people in the market for a rental house!  Being open to pets does make your property available to more potential renters.  Additional deposits for pets generally run $200-$300.00.  You may also ask for a monthly pet fee of $15.00 a month per pet.  We recommend a 20lb limit and 2 pet limit.  However, if you feel very strongly about this issue, we will agree not to show your property to anyone with a pet.

All of our properties prohibit smoking, in the interest of protecting your investment, as well as the health of the neighborhood. 

Children come under the protected class of “familial status” and it is not possible to discriminate in this way.

What happens if the tenant does not pay rent on time?

The rent is due on the first (1st) day of each month and considered late after the fifth.  If not paid by the eighth of the month, we will take the first step in the eviction process, which is to send the tenant a “Termination for Non-Payment of Rent” (otherwise known as 72 hour notice) to pay the rent or vacate.

If they have not paid by the end of the notice period, we would notify the owner and file at the courthouse for a FED (eviction) hearing, which will be within ten days.  In most cases, we will handle all evictions ourselves, without an attorney.  You would pay initially for filing fees (which are later charged to the tenant) but there is no additional charge for our time.  If an attorney is necessary in a contested FED, you will be responsible for any legal fees.

When do I get my money each month?

The rents are due on the first of the month and late after the fifth.  The rental funds must have cleared their banks before we can begin disbursing funds.  We begin the payment of bills on the fifteenth and the statements to owners, along with their checks, go out around the 20th.  The statements will have all activity on the account for the previous month.

How am I protected if the tenant damages the property?

A security deposit is taken at move in to minimize the risk of tenant damage.  Tenants who pass our screening criteria generally do not create any damages.  Our screening check includes criminal, credit and eviction records as well as jobs and landlords.

Should a tenant leave the property owing more than is covered by the Security Deposit, they will be billed.  If they do not pay, it will be turned over to a collection agency.

Will I get called in the middle of the night with emergencies?

We will handle all emergency and non-emergency repairs.  You would never be called in the middle of the night.

Who does repairs on the properties you manage?  Can I use my own contractors?

We use a variety of contractors depending on what needs to be done.  Many of our vendors are available 24 hours a day for emergencies.  Our vendors work at competitive rates and are licensed and bonded as appropriate. 

If you have a Contractor you have used in the past, we will be glad to use them if they are licensed, bonded and have the appropriate insurance.

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