Tenant Frequently Asked Questions

Our application process takes approximately 24-48 hours for approval or denial.  Landlord and employment verifications may take longer if they are not supplied with the application.

Yes, in all single family and townhomes, the tenant is responsible for basic lawn and yard care.  It is your home and you should take care of it.  Occasionally, in a mult-family building, or a particularly difficult lot, the owner will be responsible for lawn maintenance.  The property listing or your lease will specify who is responsible.

No, the tenant may not paint or wallpaper anypart of the property without prior written consent of management.

Although we prefer that you mail your rent payment to our Post Office Box, you can drop off rent at our office Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.  We also have a convenient locked drop box at the top of the driveway which can be used at any time.  The mail has not been totally reliable recently, so some tenants prefer to be certain that we receive their rent payment on time.  Please be sure that your name and rental address are identified on the payment.

We do not schedule move-out walk through appointments unless you request it in writing at least 15 days in advance.  We will perform the move-out walk through within 3 business days of receiving possession (keys) of the property from you. We will contact you with our findings by mail, along with the Security Deposit transmittal, to the forwarding address you provide within 45 days of the end of your tenancy.

Yes, we require an application fee of $25 per adult and a separate check or money order for a holding deposit equal to one month's rent in order to take the property off the market during the processing.  Then, upon approval, it will be deposited and become your first month's rent.  Please refer to the Rental Application - Tenancy Guidelines for detailed information regarding requirements.  

Upon move out, you are expected to return the home basically in the same condition you received it.  We expect to see that no damage has been done to the property or it contents, except normal wear and tear, that the property is fully cleaned and all trash, debris and personal items removed, and that the yard has been freshly maintained.  For your convenience, we send our Vacating Checklist along with our Move Out Letter in response to your Notice to Vacate.

Please call our office at 301-293-3635 for during business hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM for viewing instructions.  You will be asked a few basic qualifying questions before we make an appointment.

Our most up-to-date listings are on this website under "Homes for Rent".  We add new listings immediately upon them being Rent Ready, and remove them as soon as we have approved an application.  All pertinent information and photos are there.  Call the office at 301-293-3635 to make an appointment to see the home.

This all depends on the credit issues that you have.  In order to qualify for one of our properties, the following basic guidelines are required for each applicant:

• The total monthly gross income must be a minimum of three (3) times the rental amount.
• No prior evictions.
• No current amount due to any previous landlord.
• Credit Score of at least 500 and willingness to pay the maximum security deposit allowable by Maryland Law equal to two (2) month's rent.

Each adult, 18 years or older, that will be living in the property must submit a complete application unless they are a full-time student and dependant.

The only way to hold any property so that no one else may rent it is to submit a complete application and pay the Good Faith/Holding deposit.   Otherwise, we will continue to advertise and show the property to others.

Each property owner has a different pet policy.  The pet policy for the specific property is listed in the "Homes for Rent" write-up on this website.  Our general Pet Policy  is:  No more than two (2) pets allowed; $400/each additional Security Deposit; Credit Scores above 600; No dogs allowed in apartments; No wild animals, farm animals, large birds, large snakes or lizards; and No known vicious dogs, ie; Pit Bulls, Staffordshire Terriors, Chows, Presa Canarios, Dobermans, Rottweilers, Wild Dogs, Wolf-Hybrids, or any mixes of these breeds.

Service or companion animals will always be accepted, provided documentation is submitted.  A pet deposit will not be charge for a service or companion animal.  A service animal is not a pet.

Applications are available at showings or you can download and print one out of this website.  The "Tenancy Guidelines" attached to it give you more detailed information and answer many more questions.  In order to qualify for one of our properties, the following basic documentation and verification is required for each applicant:

• The total monthly gross income must be a minimum of three (3) times the monthly rental amount.
• If acting as a guarantor/cosigner, must be a resident of Maryland and have excellent credit.
• Must have no prior evictions and not owe any previous landlord.
• Credit Score of 600 or better.  If not 600, but above 500, there would be a maximum security deposit of two (2) month's rental amount required.
• Application for each adult must be complete with all applicable information provided and signed.
• a non-refundable appication fee of $25 per adult must be paid by Certified check or money order.
• A copy of the two (2) most recent pay stubs.
• Self employed individuals must submit the immediate past two (2) year's tax returns.
• If you are transferring from out of state or starting a new job, provide a letter from the employer on company letterhead with the start date, salary, and it must be signed by the employer.
• For any additional income beyond employment, verification must be provided.
• A copy of a government issued photo ID and social security card.
• If applicable, a recent and full body photo of your pet(s).

Applications will not be processed until all required documentation and applicable funds are received.

The application fee is non-refundable.

The Holding deposit is NOT the Security Deposit.  We will collect the Security Deposit from you at the time of Move In.  It is in consideration of taking the property off the market and holding it for the applicant.  Upon approval, the entire Good Faith/Holding will be applied toward your first month's rent and/or any other amounts due at the time the lease becomes effective.

The applicant agrees to sign the Lease and take possession of the property.  The applicant will be in default if they do not execute Professional Property Services' standard lease agreement or refuse to occupy the proprty on the agreed upon date.

In the event of default, Applicant acknowledges that Professional Property Services will keep the Holding Deposit as liquidated damages, which are compensation for taking the property off the market.  Applicant agrees that the amount of lost rent in holding the property off the market is unknown and that this provision is intended as a good faith estimate of Landlord's damages in the event of Applicant's default. 

No, do not call a contractor on your own!  You are not authorized to perform or contract for any repairs on the property.  If you call a contractor and incur any bill or invoice for any repair on the property, you are doing so at your own cost. Neither management nor the property owner will reimburse you for those costs.  You must contact management  so that they can arrange for all repairs/maintenance on all systems, appliances and the structure of the property.  Occasionally we may agree to reimburse you, but you must get our agreement in advance.

Each home is different when it comes to security deposit.  Usually, the Security Deposit is $100 plus whatever the rent amount is as long as your Credit Score is above 600 and you have no pets.  If your Credit Score is below 600, but above 500, we will charge a Security Deposit equal to two (2) times the rental amount, which is the maximum allowable under Maryland law.  If you have pets, we will charge an additional Security Deposit  of $400 per pet.  We will only know the exact Security Deposit for you after we process the application.

Please call our office at 301-293-3635.  If it is after hours, our voicemail system will answer and give you an emergency number to call - 240-818-2573.  Also, please leave a message of the voicemail regarding the problem.  This will make certain you will get the fastest possible response to your problem.

After you have called the office to notify us of the emergency, please also go to this website: www.propropertyservices.com, to fill out the online maintenance request form.  This will provide us details of the issues in writing for your file, as all maintenance requests must be submitted in writing, including emergencies.

We will gladly accept the following forms of payment for your monthly rent:

• Personal Checks.
• e-check online payment from your bank - $2.50 convenience fee.
• Cashier's Check
• Money Order
• Traveler's Check
• PayNearMe - Pay at any 7-11 

We regret that we cannot accept Cash, Credit or Debit Cards.  Please be sure that your name and rental address are identified on your payment.

• Rent is due on or before the first of each month.
• There is a 5-day grace period.
• A late fee will be charged at 9:00 AM on the 6th of the month regardless of weekends, holidays, pay periods, or acts of God.
• On the 10th of the month, any tenant with unpaid rent and charges still due will be filed against in District Court for Failure to Pay Rent.

We require a 30-day paid written notice to vacate, which must be received by the 1st day of the month.  A form is provided in your Tenant Handbook, or we accept a letter by email, fax or snail mail.  If the notice is received after the 1st of the month, than the 30 days will begin and end on the following month and rent will be due for that month.

We understand that your last few weeks of residency will be exceptionally busy ones.  However, we do request that you attend to a number of small but important details:

• Please insure that you have turned in your 30-day written notice to vacate.
• You have possession of the property until midnight of the last day of your lease.  All keys, remotes, access cards, gate openers, etc. must be returned to management by 9:00 AM the following day.  If you have put the keys in the drop box, please put them in a bag or envelope labeled with the property address.
• In order to return possession of the unit, ALL keys to the house must be brought to the office and turned in.  The keys represent possession of the property.  Do not leave any keys or garage door remotes at the propety unless you have received an OK from management in advance.  If you do not return ALL keys and remotes, you will be charged at the daily rate for each day they are not returned.
• You must provide Professional Property Services with a forwarding address.  If you are returning the keys via the drop box, please include your forwarding address at that time.
• All utilities must remain on until the final day of your lease.  Do not have them disconnected - only taken out of your name.
• If vacating in the winter, please set the thermostat(s) no lower than 60 degrees with the heat on "Auto" to prevent freezing pipes.
• If vacating in the summer, please set the thermostat(s) no higher than 80 degrees the the A/C on "Auto" to prevent moisture build-up.
• If you owe any balance, those amounts must be satisfied prior to vacating the unit.
• We have a cleaning list as a part of our Vacating Checklist to be used as a guide for cleaning your rental house when you vacate.  We would like to point out that you will not be charged for "ordinary wear and tear."  We DO NOT consider DIRT in any form as "ordinary wear and tear."

Professional Property Services will send the security deposit refund check within 45 days of your return of possession to the forwarding address you provide.  You can receive the full deposit back so long as the following happens:

• Lease term has expired or agreement has been terminated in writing by all parties.
• Lessee has given a written, paid 30-day notice to vacate.
• No damage has been done to the property or its contents, except normal wear and tear.
• Property is returned by Lessee fully cleaned and all trash, debris and personal items removed.
• Property is returned with the yard freshly maintained if required in their agreement.
• All rent, fees and charges have been paid by Lessee in full.
• All door keys and amenity keys, mailbox keys, access cards, gate openers, garage door openers, and any remotes have been returned to management.

You may send your payment or bring yur payment into our office for the total amount due.  If you cannot pay the entire amount due at one time, please contact us by phone or email to discuss your options.  If you owe money over and above your Security Deposit, and do not pay or make payment arrangements within 30 days of the Security Deposit Transmittal, we will pursue collection legally.