APPLICATION PROCESS:

All applicants must be income pre-qualified before they will be allowed to sign out keys to view properties. Applicants will need to qualify for 4 times the amount of rent (one week’s gross pay must equal the monthly rental amount of the property you are interested in).
*The income pre-qualification does not mean your application is approved!*

To complete the income pre-qualification, all persons who are 19 years of age or older that will be residing in the property must fill out the rental application and provide current proof of income. Acceptable forms of income are: most recent check stub, most recent MyPay LES, most recent Schedule C tax form if you are self-employed, social security, disability, alimony, child support, food stamps.

**IF you have pets, all vet records must be submitted with your pre-qualification documents. 

When applying for a property, J. Brittain Associates only allows 2 occupants per bedroom space.
*i.e. a 2 bedroom property can only have 4 occupants.. a 3 bedroom property can have 6 occupants.. etc.

For employment income to be considered, applicants are required to have a minimum of 1 year of steady work history (at one job). If an applicant is starting a new job, they have to provide evidence they are transferring from a job, that they were employed at for 1 year. If there is a gap between jobs, it cannot be more than a 1 month gap (4 weeks).

Once an applicant has been income pre-qualified, they may begin to view properties in their pre-qualification range. If the property is vacant, the applicant may sign out a key from our office. In order to sign out the key, a valid form of ID must be left with the office. The ID will be returned to the applicant when the key is returned to the office. Acceptable forms of ID are: driver’s license, credit/debit card, insurance card, social security card.

An applicant cannot sign a lease for a property, sight unseen. If the applicant is unable to view the property themselves, they can have a representative (whose opinion they trust) view the property on their behalf. 

J. Brittain Associates also advertises properties one week prior to a current tenant’s expected vacate date. If the pre-qualified applicant wants to view an occupied property, they must complete the income pre-qualification steps. Then, when the property comes vacant and J. Brittain Associates states the property is in satisfactory condition to show, the applicant will be able to sign out a key from the office to view the property. 

After an applicant has seen properties and would like to continue with the application process, there is a required $40.00 (Venmo), non-refundable application fee from everyone 19 years of age or older that will be residing at the property.
*When you fill out the application online at our website, you will have the option to pay the $40.00 there as well. If you pay the fee when you are submitting your application, you will not need to pay the fee via Venmo. 

We accept and process multiple applications for the same property and work them all simultaneously. Paying the application fee does not secure a property. All properties are first come first serve once your application has been approved and you have seen the inside of the home. We do not hold any properties and will not accept any move-in funds for a property until an application is fully approved.

Applications are good for 90 days. After 90 days, everyone is required to fill out a new application, provide proof of income again and pay another application fee(s).

All applicants are required to have a minimum of 2 years of verifiable landlord (that is not a relative)/mortgage history. If you do not have this, we require applicants to either pay the full first month’s rent, full last month’s rent and full security deposit when they sign a lease OR they will be required to have a qualifying co-signer who has a minimum of 2 years of verifiable landlord/mortgage history.

 All co-signers will be required to qualify for any rent/mortgage payments they have as well as the rental amount they will be co-signing for.
**Example: If a co-signer has a $500 mortgage payment, and are trying to co-sign for a property that leases for $500, the co-signer must gross $1000/week in order to income qualify.

If an applicant has a foreclosure or a mortgage that was included in a bankruptcy, they will automatically be charged the full first month’s rent, full security deposit and full last month’s rent at the time of signing a lease AND they will be required to look at J. Brittain Associates properties that lease for a minimum of $200.00 LESS than what their mortgage payment was.

If using military income, the applicant will be required to provide J. Brittain Associates with a copy of their PCS orders before signing a lease AND must be prepared to provide a copy of their current MyPay LES as proof of income.

Pets will only be considered at a property as long as we are able to obtain a rental reference from a current landlord regarding the pet(s), and we receive a copy of their up-to-date vet records. We also require a one time, non-refundable $200.00 (minimum) pet fee due at the time of the lease signing. WE DO NOT ALLOW PUPPIES. All dogs must be at least 1 year old. All cats must be spayed/neutered (documented evidence must be provided). THE PET POLICY DOES NOT ONLY APPLY TO DOGS AND CATS. THE PET POLICY MAY EXTEND TO ANY/ALL ANIMALS, AT OWNER DISCRETION.
*Individual property owner approval is required for ALL pets if:
1. We are unable to receive a current rental reference regarding the pet(s)
2. An applicant has more than 2 pets they are wanting to bring to the property
**Some insurance providers do not permit owners to have “viscous breed” animals on the premises of their rental properties. If J. Brittain Associates is to be notified of this after the applicant/tenant takes possession of the property, the applicant/tenant will be required to remove the animal from the premises to avoid the owner’s homeowner insurance being canceledAs of June 2016, we will allow college students to have pets at our rental properties ONLY IF we are able to receive a landlord reference from a current landlord regarding the pet(s).

REFERENCES FROM PARENTS/RELATIVES WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. 

All college students are required to have a parent/guardian co-signer on the lease with them.

The main, but not all, reasons an application may be denied are:
-If we receive an unfavorable rental reference from a current/previous landlord (i.e. damages, eviction, extreme late pay history, complaints etc.)
-If a balance is left owed to a previous landlord (once the balance has been paid off in full, we will then re-evaluate the rental application. If the application is accepted after the balance has been paid, the applicant will be required to pay the full first month’s rent, full last month’s rent and full security deposit at the time of leasing). *Any balances including damages will result in an automatic denial.
-If we discover falsified information or falsified documents provided with the application

-Any felonies within the last 5 years. *Felonies within the last 5-10 years will be carefully examined and will require approval from a realtor.
*Other criminal activity charges will be carefully examined and could lead to denial as well.

If an applicant has had one eviction filed against them, J. Brittain Associates may still be willing to work with them ONLY IF:
1. Any/all outstanding balances to previous landlords are paid IN FULL (if any balances include damage charges, the application will be denied indefinitely). If the application is accepted after the balance has been paid, the applicant will be required to pay the full first month’s rent, full last month’s rent and full security deposit at the time of leasing.
2. The applicant can provide a minimum of 2 years of verifiable rental history, since their eviction was filed, stating they have been good, on time paying tenants and have not caused any damages or received complaints. If a satisfactory landlord reference cannot be obtained, the application will be denied.
*If an applicant has had more than one eviction filed against them, their application will be denied indefinitely. 

LEASING/LEASE RENEWALS

All tenants are required to have renters insurance with a minimum of $100,000.00 personal liability AND J. Brittain Associates must be added to the policy as an additional interested party/additional insured. Proof of this insurance must be provided before you will be able to receive keys to the property you have signed a lease on. We also verify throughout the year that your policy stays in effect. If the policy does cancel and you do not reinstate it or get a new policy, that is a violation of your lease which is grounds for eviction.
(Renters insurance protects the tenants personal property in the event of a fire, flood, etc.).

In the event of a roommate situation, a separate renter’s insurance policy will be required from each occupant with the same requirements listed above ONLY IF all occupants’ names cannot be listed on the same policy. 

At the time of leasing, an applicant will have 24 hours to fully execute their lease. If the lease has not been signed and paid for within that 24 hour time frame, we will cancel the lease and move on to the next approved applicant.

An applicant cannot sign a lease for a property, sight unseen. If the applicant is unable to view the property themselves, they can have a representative (whose opinion they trust) view the property on their behalf. 

A minimum of the full first month’s rent and full security deposit is required when the lease is signed (unless there is a move-in special). Additional funds, such as pet fees or last month’s rent, will be determined prior to leasing. These funds will only be accepted electronically, through the tenant portal.

Due to Housing Authority procedures, if a property is listed under a move-in special, the move-in special will not be applicable to Section 8 tenants.

Typically, all lease agreements are written for one year. Short term leases must be approved by specific property owners and there may be an additional monthly fee added to the rent amount.

J Brittain Associates does not furnish utilities. It is the tenants responsibility to have ALL utilities turned on prior to their move in, even if a utility is on at time of viewing. J Brittain Associates does not guarantee that it will be on at time of your move in. Please note that utility companies do not offer same day service, you will need to have them scheduled early.

If a tenant vacates the property before the lease expiration, the tenant will still be responsible for the rent until the lease expires or until the property is re-rented, whichever comes first. If J. Brittain Associates places a new tenant before the lease expiration, an additional leasing fee will be charged.

For lease renewals, tenants are required to fill out an updated information form (which will be provided by our office, or may be completed electronically through our website), provide current proof of income and renters insurance, have a walk through completed with one of our realtors and your account must be at $0.00.

When all lease renewal requirements have been met, the tenant will be emailed an electronic lease renewal to sign, reflecting their new lease dates and any changes in the rent amount. 

If a tenant does not sign a lease renewal by their the lease expiration date, they will be charged an additional month by month fee.

If a tenant chooses to vacate at their lease expiration, they are required to sign and submit a 30 day written notice to J. Brittain Associates (a phone call is not sufficient). Although the tenant’s lease may be expiring, a 30-day, written notice is still required. If a tenant does not submit a written notice and vacates, they will be charged an additional 30 days of rent.

J. Brittain Associates will advertise the property one week prior to the tenant’s expected vacate date, as listed in the intent to vacate notice. 

When a tenant vacates, they must return all keys, garage door openers, parking passes, pool passes and/or carpet cleaning receipts to J. Brittain Associates. Upon receipt of said items, J. Brittain Associates will have 60 days, from the day the items are received, to complete a move-out statement and mail a copy to former tenants.

Utilities are required to remain on until after the inspection.  Inspections will be completed the business day after keys are turned into our office.  Rent will be charged until the property has passed inspection and is available for another tenant to occupy.

IF ANY UTILITY IS TURNED OFF BEFORE J. BRITTAIN ASSOCIATES COMPLETES THE FINAL INSPECTION OF THE PROPERTY, TENANT WILL BE CHARGED AN AUTOMATIC $100.00.

If a tenant does not provide J. Brittain Associates with a forwarding address, the move-out statement will be mailed to the property the vacated from.

CURRENT TENANTS:

Rent is ALWAYS due the 1st of each month and delinquent on the 6th. A late fee, equal to 10% of the rent, is automatically added to the tenant’s account on the 6th of each month.

If a tenant owes more than one full month’s rent by the 16th of the month, they will be posted for eviction and an additional posting fee will be added to their account. This notice will give the tenant 7 days to contact the office and satisfy the account.

If a payment has not been made or a payment arrangement has not been submitted, and approved, within 7 days of the posting, eviction action may occur.

Cash will NOT be accepted as a form of payment for rent. J. Brittain Associates will only accept personal checks, money orders, cashier’s checks or online payments.

If a tenant’s personal check or online payment is returned to J. Brittain Associates, the tenant will be required to pay the full rent amount, full late fee and a NSF fee. This will need to be paid by either money order or cashier’s check. After receiving two returned checks or online payments, J. Brittain Associates will only accept cashier’s checks or money orders.

Any maintenance issues discovered by the tenant should be reported to J. Brittain Associates immediately. If tenant does not receive a follow up, or if the issue has not been resolved, within 48 hours, tenant must contact J. Brittain Associates.

No changes may be made to any J. Brittain Associates property without prior written consent. If a tenant wishes to make changes to a property, they must email the office for approval.

All J. Brittain Associates properties are smoke free on the interior. Any smoking must be done on the exterior with the doors closed to prevent the smoke odors from traveling into the property. If any smoke odors are detected inside the property when J. Brittain Associates completes the final move-out inspection, funds will be held from the security deposit for cleaning, deodorizing and/or painting.

Pest control and lawn maintenance are the tenants responsibility, unless otherwise specified in the lease agreement.

A/C filters are to be changed on a monthly basis, by the tenant, in order to ensure minimum repairs. Failure to do so, with service to system required, will be at tenant’s expense at time of service.