Fort Wayne LISTINGS

Our Company Housing Policies

Q: I can’t pay my rent. What are my options?
A: We understand that life is unpredictable. Job loss, illness, etc. may strike unexpectedly, making it difficult to meet your legal obligation to pay rent. However, failure to pay your rent is a very serious matter, which may have long-term financial consequences. Our owners rely on the income from rental property to meet their own financial obligations; therefore, if a tenant fails to pay rent, we have no choice but to take immediate legal action to recover the money owed.

Q: One of my roommates can’t pay his/her rent. Are the other people living in the property responsible for his/her missed payment?
A: Yes. When you sign a lease, you agree to pay a total monthly rental amount; not several smaller, separate amounts. If you have a roommate who cannot pay rent, every person living in the house becomes equally responsible for any missed rent or shortfall.

Q: If I don’t pay my rent, what will happen?
A: If you cannot pay your rent and have not informed us that you’re having a problem, we have no other choice but to seek immediate legal action to recover the rental payment that you owe. In addition to the amount of rent owed, all lessees will be responsible for the applicable court costs involved with this process.

Where are you located?
Click here for directions and contact information.

Why do I get voice mail when I call your office?
Our leasing agents and property managers are frequently out of the office showing properties or inspecting them. This happens more frequently during the busiest rental season (May, June, July, August). We have an automated telephone system that answers all calls and routes them to the appropriate staff member. We are always reachable in the event of an emergency. Otherwise, please leave a message on voice mail and be patient. Your call will be returned as soon as possible.

I have a maintenance emergency!!
Read our maintenance page.

I need to request non-emergency maintenance. How do I do that?
Read our maintenance page.

When is my rent due?
Rent is due and payable in our office on the 1st day of each month. It is considered late after that and you will be charged a late-rent fee. If you mail your check to our office, allow 10 days to be sure it arrives on time. You may also bring your rent payment directly to our drop box during normal business hours.

Do you accept cash rental payments?
We no longer accept cash rental payments. You must pay by check or money order. This is for our protection, and for yours. Keeping cash on our premises has grown increasingly dangerous. In addition, it is harder to track cash payments and ensure they are credited appropriately to your account each month.

Is it true that if one roommate can’t pay thier rent, then everyone on the lease can be penalized?
Absolutely. When you and your roommates sign your lease, you agree to pay a specified total monthly amount for the property. If one of your roommates can’t pay his/her share, and we are forced to begin court proceedings to recover his/her rent, the court proceedings involve everyone in the home. All of your names are on the lease; therefore, all of you are equally responsible.

Who is responsible for turning on the utilities when I move in?
You are. We turn off utilities in our name effective on the first date your lease begins. Therefore, it is your responsibility to contact the appropriate utility companies and request that service begin in your name on the first day of your lease. If you do not do this, you may not have utilities on the day you move in.

We recommend that you allow plenty of time for the utility companies to begin furnishing service to your unit. It may take up to several business days for service to begin, particularly during peak seasons or holidays.

If you cannot move in to the unit on the first day your lease begins, you must begin utility service on that date. Occasionally, problems or delays occur between the time when we have service turned off in our name, and service begins in your name. If you must have power, heat, water, etc. on a certain date, do not assume the utilities are in place. This is especially important in winter, when pipes may freeze and burst if not properly maintained. Double-check with the utility companies to make sure service has begun.

Who is responsible for yard maintenance?
Check your lease agreement to see if you are responsible for yard upkeep or if the owner has furnished yard maintenance as part of your monthly rental amount. If you need a copy of your lease, call our Home Support Team™ at our 24-7 Home Hotline (260) 436-5000 extension 223 or our contact page here

I would like to paint/alter my unit in some way. Do I need approval to do this?
Yes. You must receive written approval from us before changing or altering the unit in any way, including painting. Otherwise, you could be held financially responsible for putting the unit back as it was when you moved in. Also, before you install any sort of fixture (Window Unit A/C, ceiling fans, etc.), check with us first. The Real Estate Law has strict guidelines determining who owns a fixture once it has been permanently attached to the house. For more information call our Home Support Team at (260) 436-5000 extension 223 or our contact page here

Do I need renter’s insurance?
Your lease requires that you have renter’s insurance to protect you. Our owners carry insurance on the building that you live in, but their insurance does not protect your personal property or liability. Renter’s insurance is inexpensive and very easy to get; your car insurance company most likely offers this coverage.

I want to move out before my lease period has expired. Can I do this?
Read our Change of Resident Page, or our Early Move Out  page here.

Do I need to provide written notice that I’m moving out, even if my lease has expired?
Yes. Depending on the type of lease or property that you’re renting, you must provide us with written notice that you intend to move out at the end of your lease period. In many instances, that notice must be received at least 90 days before the end of your lease. See our page on Moving Out for more information. Some properties designated as student rentals may require Tenants to make renewal/move-out decisions in December of each year for the next academic year.

Do I have to let you show the house to prospective renters?
Yes. In order for us to re-rent the house as soon as possible after you’ve decided to move out, you are required to allow a member of our staff or a licensed real estate agent to accompany prospective renters into the house, as long as they have an appointment to do so. You may not unreasonably impede the showing process. We realize showings can be inconvenient, and we will work with you to make the process as easy as possible.

How do I make sure I get all of my security deposit back?
It’s very simple. The unit must not be damaged and must be clean when you leave it. We understand that “clean” means different things to different people, so we’ve provided a Moving Out page where you can find information on what we expect in order to give you a full refund of your security deposit.

When will my security deposit be returned to me?
Your security deposit will be returned to you within 90 days of your lease end date and receipt of ALL keys. You are not considered to have vacated until you turn in your keys at our office. You can speed up the process by providing us with a forwarding address. See our Moving Out page for more details.

Can I use my security deposit as my last month’s rent?
No. We cannot stress enough that your security deposit cannot be used to pay your last month’s rent. It is against state law for you to do this. Your security deposit is intended to protect the owner of the property against damage caused to the unit during your occupancy. Your monthly rate is a completely separate payment that is due in our office on the 1st day of each month and is considered late after the 5th day of the month. In fact, if your last month’s rent is not in our office by the 6th of the month, we immediately file court papers to recover that rent. If you have questions about this policy, we encourage you call or email here, to discuss it.

Do you own the property I live in?
This is a common misconception, and the answer is it depends. We are a property management company and a real estate investment company. Property owners pay us a monthly fee to manage the renting of their houses, condos, and apartment buildings. Therefore, we work for the owners and our first responsibility is to them. We are bound by a property management agreement to act in our owners’ best interests. Louise Beck Properties does not actually own any property.