Rental Application Accepted

Get Ready to Move-In

We are happy to welcome you to an Southern Setter Property Management and we hope you will enjoy your stay with us.

First Month's Rent & Security Deposit

Southern Setter Property Management will send you a Rental Acceptance letter upon the acceptance of your application that will outline the specific amount due to fully execute your rental contract.  Please note, your first month's rent, security deposit, and any other applicable fees are all due within 24 hours of lease signing.  Your initial payment must be by wire transfer or certified funds only.  We are happy to provide wiring instructions to comply with the 24 hour requirement.  Please call our office for wiring instructions at 919-977-0266.  SSPM will never ask you for your account information via email nor will we provide wiring instructions via email.

Once you become one of our tenants, you will have the option to make your rental payments online on the tenant portal through Buildium.

Move-in Date & Inspection

We will provide all necessary information about your move-in, including the date and any inspection details, at the signing of your rental contract. You will be required to complete a Move In Checklist within three (3) days after the lease start date and email a scanned copy to help@southernsetterpm.com. If you fail to submit your Move-In form within 3 days of taking possession of the property, in accordance with your lease, you accept each item on the form in GOOD condition and each item must be returned in GOOD condition.

SSPM uses a third party vendor to execute a full property report complete with pictures and catalogues all appliances,  two or more days prior to your move in.  No one enters the home after the property report has been completed to ensure that you will be the first one in the home after the report has been completed. Note that we WILL NOT review your inspection report for maintenance issues, but rather keep it as a record of the condition of the unit at move in. If there are any discrepancies between your inspection report and the property report completed by a third party, SSPM will want pictures to document your findings.  If there are any critical maintenance issues that need attention you will need to submit a work order on the tenant portal for those, otherwise as the rental contract reads, the unit is accepted in as is condition.

Utilities

Be sure to place all utility accounts for your rental home in your name as quickly as possible to begin on the first day of your lease.  You will need to provide SSPM with confirmation of each utility account, emailed to help@southernsetterpm.com. Failure to do this may result in outages and you will be responsible for all fees associated with restoring access.  Move-In may be delayed if utilities are not in your name at legal possession (first day of your lease.)

Wear and Tear vs Damages

Security deposits can be used to repair damage for which the tenant is responsible.  However, the landlord cannot apply the security deposit to normal wear and tear. But  the most common questions asked is, “what is the difference?”   Damage can be defined as  deterioration which occurs due to negligence, carelessness, accident, or abuse of the premises or equipment or chattels by the tenant or member of his household, or their invitees or guests.

The following list is intended as a guide only to a reasonable interpretation of the differences between “normal wear and tear”  from normal residential use and irresponsible, intentional, or unintentional actions that cause damage to a landlord's property, it is not a complete list of all potential considerations nor intended to be all-inclusive:

Wear and Tear

  • Small nail holes caused by a 6 penny nail or smaller.  A 6 penny nail is 2 inches long and is used for hanging picture frames and other items on walls

  • Faded paint

  • Faded caulking around the bathtub and tiles

  • Hard water deposits.

  • Worn out keys

  • Loose or stubborn door lock

  • Loose hinges or handles on doors

  • Worn carpet traffic patterns

  • Faded finish on wood floors

  • Linoleum worn thin

  • Worn countertops due to daily use

  • Stain on ceiling from rain or bad plumbing that was reported as specified in the lease agreement

  • Stain on ceiling from water damage from a property above the unit

  • Drywall cracks from settling

  • Faded, chipped or cracked paint

  • Loose wallpaper

  • Worn drapery rod

  • Faded curtains and drapes

  • Heat blistered blinds

  • Dirty window and door screens

  • Sticking window

  • Loose or inoperable faucet handle

  • Running toilet or wobbles

  • Musty odor

  • Closet bi-fold door off track

  • Non-functioning smoke detector or CO detector or dead batteries

  • Non-functioning light fixture

Damages

  • Large holes from hanging shelving, pictures, screws, wall anchors, flat screen television brackets or any other wall hanging that causes damage larger than a 6 penny nail

  • Spot painting and patching or touch up painting of any kind

  • Missing caulking around the bathtub and tiles

  • Buildup of dirt, mold, mildew, or water stains from a preventable or unreported water leak or drip

  • Broken, lost or unreturned keys

  • Broken or missing locks

  • Damage from a door from forced entry, or damage from using feet to open doors

  • Torn, burned, stained, missing, ripped, scratched, or snagged carpet

  • Scratched, gouged, warped or water damaged wood floors

  • Linoleum with tears, chips or holes

  • Burned, cut, stained, scratched or water damaged countertops

  • Stain on ceiling from rain or bad plumbing that was NOT reported as required in the lease agreement

  • Stain on ceiling from mold or mildew from running water without using the exhaust fan

  • Holes in walls, doors, screens or windows from misuse, negligence, carelessness, accident, or abuse

  • Unapproved or poor tenant paint job

  • Ripped or marked-up wallpaper

  • Broken drapery rod or drapery rod pulled loose from the wall

  • Torn or missing curtains and drapes

  • Blinds with bent or broken slats

  • Torn or missing screens

  • Broken window

  • Broken or missing faucet handle

  • Broken toilet seat, tank top or chipped or cracked toilet bowl

  • Urine or pet odor throughout unit

  • Damaged or missing bi-fold door

  • Missing or detached smoke detector or CO detector or missing batteries

  • Missing, burnt out, or incorrect style light bulbs

Mailbox keys

You will need to contact your local USPS office as soon as possible to request a new mailbox key, if one was not given to you. You may need to provide a copy of your lease to them in order for them to change the mailbox lock. We recommend that you do not delay this step as it may take the post office up to several weeks to get this completed.  The owner will pay for one key only, if lost, the tenant is responsible to pay for a new key/lock by the post office.