APPLICATION PROCESS

COMPLETE A RENTAL APPLICATION

Application Criteria & Rental Rules

Thank you for considering Reliance Real Estate Services, LLC as your housing provider. We provide quality homes throughout the area, and look for quality tenants to fill them. To make the home shopping process as smooth as possible, please review the following information before completing your application.

Application Standards

• Income Level: You should have Gross Income of at least three (3) times the monthly rent amount. Married couples and related residents over 18 may combine income. Two non-related persons must qualify individually. We must be able to verify employment history and income. If you are self-employed, we will need tax returns for the last two years.
• Credit History: To determine satisfactory credit worthiness we obtain a report from a credit-reporting agency.
• Rental History: Your previous residencies must be verifiable, and free of evictions, judgments, and unpaid rents.
• Criminal History: All occupants over 18 will be checked. No one convicted of a violent or property crime, or any felony, will be approved.
• Occupancy: The number of occupants may not exceed two (2) persons per bedroom.
• Pets: Policies on pets vary from home to home. Please call the office to determine the pet policy for the home for which you are applying. None of our homes permit the following breeds of dogs: Pit Bulls, Dobermans, Rotweilers, Chows, or any mixed breed that is a near relative. Pet policies are strictly enforced, and any breach will be grounds for termination of the lease, at tenant's expense.

Submitting Your Application

The Rental Application must be filled out completely and the processing fee paid before it can be processed. Missing information will delay the processing of your application.

The application fee is a non-refundable processing fee. It covers the cost of the credit report, national criminal search, employment, income and residential verification.

Signing the Residential Lease Agreement

Once you are approved, you will be notified by phone or email. Within 3 days upon receipt of the Lease, all adults must sign the lease or the Lease offer will be withdrawn and voided. At that time, money for the first month's rent, security deposit, and any applicable pet, cleaning, or other fees and deposits will be collected. These fees must be in certified funds, i.e.: certified checks or money orders.

Fair Housing

It is unlawful to discriminate against any person based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, or familial status. We strictly adhere to this policy.

Rental Rules

• Leases: Leases are for a minimum of one year, unless otherwise stated. All leases require at least a 60-day written notice to vacate even if the move is in conjunction with lease expiration. Tenants must allow the property to be shown "For Rent" no earlier than 60 days prior to the lease expiration or to be shown "For Sale" no earlier than 90 days prior to the lease expiration. We do not break leases for a voluntary move; any Tenant vacating during the initial lease period for reasons other than official military transfer orders will be charged a fee equal to 1 months rent to cover extra processing costs in addition to being liable for any lost rent, the costs of re-renting the premises, and forfeiting the security deposit.
• Rent: All rents are due in full on the 1st of the month in certified funds. They will not be considered late if in our receipt by 5:00 p.m. on the 5th day of the month. Rent paid after the 5th of the month must be paid in certified funds and include the correct late fee.
• Renters Insurance: The landlord/property owner carries a fire policy that covers the dwelling only. Insurance coverage for the contents (i.e. your furniture, jewelry, clothing, etc.) must be provided by the Tenant. The Lease requires you to obtain Renters Insurance coverage for your personal belongings and also to cover negligent or accidental acts by tenant, family, and/or guests.
• Maintenance: Routine maintenance such as replacing faucet washers, cleaning gutters, replacing furnace filters and lawn and shrub care is the responsibility of the Tenant. All repair request must be in writing to our office. A repair deemed to have been made necessary by the Tenant (i.e. a kitchen drain stopped up by grease) will be billed to the Tenant. No changes may be made to the premises without PRIOR approval of the property manager - including contact paper in cabinets, wallpaper, painting, taking out or adding plants, etc.
• Pest Control: If a pest control problem exists at the time a Tenant occupies a house, we will have a professional pest control company spray the property one time at the owner's expense. Any additional spraying/ treatments after occupancy will be the responsibility of the Tenant.
• Inspection: You will receive a copy of the latest survey completed at move-in. Please verify the discrepancies noted on the survey. If there are any other items of damage not noted on the survey, please make a list in writing of the additional ones and submit it to the office within five days of taking possession of the house. This survey will be used as a comparison for the one done at the time you vacate. If you find something that does not work, you may submit a repair request in writing to our office.
• Cleaning: When the property is turned back over after you vacate, it must be clean. This includes (but is not limited to) the stove, oven, and refrigerator must be cleaned, the carpets professionally dry-cleaned, bathrooms clean, cabinets cleaned inside and out, woodwork cleaned and walls spot-cleaned if necessary, and the windows to be washed inside. All trash is to be removed and may not be left outside for later pick-up by garbage collectors. A Vacating Checklist guide will be sent to you when we receive your 60-day notice. Any residue or smell from pets, cooking, smoking, etc. must be eliminated or will be considered as damage.
• Move-Out Inspection: Move-out inspection are done during the business week. The Tenant will be responsible for rent and utilities until Lease expiration. All keys are required to be returned at the end of the lease period or at the move-out inspection. Tenant is to clean the house and have it ready for final move-out inspection. All keys must be returned to our office to terminate their possession of the house. Move-out inspections will be done within three (3) business days upon termination of the Lease. Security Deposit is refunded within 30-days with an itemized list of any repairs unless repair estimates have to be obtained or cleaning done. Otherwise, in accordance with Virginia law, the security deposit account will be closed within 45-days from date of Lease termination. All utilities must remain on until the lease expiration date.
• Helpful Hints: For those who have never had the acrylic or fiberglass tubs before, please do not use scouring powder to clean them. It will ruin the finish. There are special cleaning products for these units. Also - for houses with fireplaces/ woodstoves, the Tenant living there is presumed to have used them (during winter, of course) and will be billed for the annual cleaning in the spring. If you do not use it and the chimney- sweep verifies that it was not used since the last cleaning, then there will be no charge. If the oven is self- cleaning, please do not use oven cleaner in it.