Owner Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: Can we charge tenants for maintenance issues that were caused by them?

  A: Whenever we send a contractor to perform maintenance on a home, we always ask the contractor to provide a professional opinion on whether the needed repair was caused by tenant neglect or abuse. If that professional states that tenant neglect or abuse was the root cause of the problem, then the tenant will be charged for the repair.

• Q: Do I have any say in selecting tenants?

  A: When we process an application for a prospective tenant, we will provide you with an overview of the application data, along with our recommendation. You’ll have the final say based on your own comfort level with the credit, income, and rental history of the prospective tenant.

• Q: How often will my property be inspected?

  A: Exterior inspections are conducted two times per year, after the 3rd month and after the 9th month or an annual lease cycle. Owners can also request an interior inspection at anytime, giving tenants a 48-hour notice. Drive-by inspections are conducted throughout the year.

• Q: How will I know if there is a maintenance issue at my home?

  A: Whenever a Work Order is created, our system automatically sends a courtesy email to the owner at that time.

• Q: If tenants are late with rent payments, who keeps the late payment fee?

  A: If the tenant pays rent after the 5th of the month, delaying transfer of rental funds to the owner, late fees will be charged to the tenant and forwarded to the owner when collected. If the tenant pays by the 5th of the month and funds are transferred to the owner as scheduled but the tenant’s rent check later bounces, the NSF fee and late fee collected from the tenant will be payable to Evernest.

• Q: Is there a penalty to terminate our management contract?

  A: Our management contract is for one year with an automatic renewal for each additional year. If an owner decides to terminate a management agreement after the first year, there is no termination charge. We also have a 100% satisfaction guaranteed policy, so if an owner wishes to terminate because he/she is not completely satisfied with our services, there is no termination charge. We are happy to say that we have never had a contract cancelled due to dissatisfaction. We are completely committed to providing excellent service!

• Q: Should I get a home warranty contract?

  A: The landlord’s decision regarding a home warranty should be based on his/her budget for maintenance along with a thorough understanding of the pros and cons of home warranties. Please review our blog post on this topic for more information.

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• Q: What happens if a tenant does not pay rent?

  A: If we have not received rent by noon on the 5th of the month, we’ll give a courtesy call to the tenant to get a status on the rent payment. If rent is not received by 9AM on the 6th of the month, we will assess late fees and have the Sheriff post a 5 Day Notice to begin the legal process.

• Q: What happens if a tenant trashes my house?

  A: While this actually does not happen often, in such an event, we will deduct damages to the fullest extent allowed by law from the security deposit. If damages exceed the security deposit and are such that VRLTA and depreciation time frame set by local judges allows for further collection of damages, you will have the option to sue for further damages.

• Q: What happens if I get transferred back to the area and need/want to move back into my house?

  A: Our leases have an owner transfer clause that allows owners who are transferred back to the area by their employer to terminate the lease with a 60 day notice to the tenant.

• Q: When should I expect my monthly rent payment to be deposited into my account?

  A: We collect rent from the tenants on the 1st through 5th of each month, ensure all checks are credited to our account and deduct any maintenance charges on the 6th, and initiate the ACH transfer into the owner’s accounts on the 7th. The ACH transfer can take 3 business days, so owners typically see the credit to their account on the 10th of each month. Weekends or holidays can impact the process, so we suggest owners plan to have funds in place by the 11th or 12th of each month.