Welcome to your new residence and HUNTAHOME. The following information is designed to answer frequently asked questions, and to minimize confusion related to caring for the property and interacting with HUNTAHOME.
Paying Rent
Rent is due by the 1st of each month.
A late fee of $35.00 will be assessed on the 6th of each month if rent payment has not been received.
The Rent Payments page on our website allows you to pay your rent online using a checking account or debit/credit card. Otherwise you can pay your rent by personal check, money order, or cashiers check, which should be made payable to HUNTAHOME, LLC.
Rent payments not made online should be mailed to PO Box 73711, Houston, TX 77273.
Please put your name and rental address on your check/money order every time to ensure that you are properly credited with the payment.
Be sure checks/money orders are completed with names of payer & payee. HUNTAHOME cannot be responsible for cash or incomplete money orders left on the premises.
Maintenance Requests
- If a maintenance issue should arise, you may submit a Maintenance Request online, or call us at (281) 645-8900 if you do not have internet access.
- We ask that you submit maintenance requests in writing to avoid confusion and to ensure that we have a clear record of your request.
- When making a request, be specific about the problem and remember to include your name, address and the best number(s) to reach you.
- Tenants are responsible for securing any pets that the vendor may encounter on their visit to the property.
Emergency Maintenance
- If you have an emergency that cannot wait until the next business day and it is before or after our regular business hours, you can call us at (281) 645-8900.
- An emergency is a fire, flood, or any dangerous or hazardous situation.
Locked Yourself Out?
- We keep extra keys for each property. During regular business hours you may come by and borrow a key, which will need to be returned to our office within 72 hrs. After business hours, keys are not available and you will have to call a locksmith.
- Its a good idea to leave a spare set of keys with a friend/neighbor. However, if you hide the keys and they are discovered, the locks should be changed and it will have to be at your expense.
- Be sure to carry all of your door keys (handle and deadbolt) with you. When vendors are authorized to enter a property to make a repair, they are required to secure the premises when they leave. That includes setting the deadbolts or locks whether you set them or not.
Care and Use of Your Residence
The following information has been gathered in response to requests from residents looking for guidelines at move-in and move-out times. If you have questions about the use and care for items not on this list, please feel free to contact us.
Most of our properties have care manuals for appliances, etc., provided by the owners. Please refer to them first whenever there is a problem. Answers are often found in these guides.
PLEASE REPORT UNSAFE OR HAZARDOUS SITUATIONS IMMEDIATELY
Heating/Air Conditioning Maintenance
- All tenants are responsible for cleaning or replacing the air filter at least once every 60-90 days. Problems caused by failure to clean/replace the filter may be the tenants responsibility.
- Dust can accumulate on air vents. A small broom brushed across the vent openings will clear away any dust and help the air conditioner operate efficiently.
Power Outages
- If the power goes out in your unit or house, first check to see if the whole area is without power. If it is out in the area, chances are the electric company is alread aware of it, but you can try calling them to report it.
- If the power is only out in your house/unit, check the circuit breaker box. One or more circuits may be tripped and you may see the switches in the off position. If no switch is off turn each switch off then on to reset the circuits. If this doesnt solve the problem, call your electric company.
Drains & Garbage Disposal
- Avoid letting food, hair, and excess soap get down the drains.
- Clogged drains caused by hair, grease and soap are the tenants responsibility. Some dishwashers will clog from food left on the dishes when put in the machine.
- An excellent drain cleaning/clearing solution recipe is: 1 cup salt, 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup vinegar, followed by 8 cups boiling water. We recommend performing this treatment monthly to avoid build-up.
- Hardware stores carry hair catchers to place in sink and tub drains that significantly help keep drains free of hair.
- ALWAYS run water while the disposal is operating to avoid damage to the unit. Let the water run long enough to grind all the material in the disposal. Then let the water run for 10-15 seconds after turning off the disposal. Learn to recognize the sound the machine makes when completely free of garbage.
- Disposals are designed to grind up organic items only. Exceptions include: banana peels, artichoke leaves, celery stalks, flower stems, coffee grounds, bones, or any item that is particularly tough. NEVER put paper, plastic, glass, aluminum foil or grease in the disposal.
- ALWAYS be sure to check the power switch (usually under the sink), try the reset button (somewhere on the machine), and remove all contents before calling for maintenance. Problems caused by users are the tenants responsibility.
Refrigerator Coils/Drip Pans
- Keep coils on refrigerators (especially sub-zeros) free of dust.
- Coils need free air flowing around them to operate efficiently. Failure to keep coils clean may cause the appliance motor to burn out. The replacement of a burned out motor due to dirty coils may be the tenants responsibility.
- Some refrigerators have drip pans under them. If not kept clean, the pans can start to develop a strong odor. Please take the time to get acquainted with the appliances in your unit.
Oven Racks and Pans
- The easiest way to clean oven racks and pans is to put them in a heavy duty garbage bag (do this outdoors), add 2 cups of ammonia and seal the bag. Let it sit for a couple of hours, then carefully open the bag (without inhaling the strong odor). Remove racks & pans and the grease will wipe off with very little effort.
Fireplaces
- Please burn only hardwoods in the fireplaces and woodstoves to minimize to build-up of creosote, etc. in the chimney. Creosote build-up is a fire hazard.
- Be sure a fireplace screen is in place when a fire is burning to prevent hot ashes from burning the floor or floor coverings.
Plumbing Fixtures
- NEVER use abrasives on brass or gold fixtures.
- It is best to wipe fixtures clean after each use.
- If brass needs to be polished, please use a product specifically designed for use on brass.
- Many homes and apartments have low-flow toilets. We strongly recommend that you keep a plunger nearby. Low-flow toilets tend to clog or back up if too much paper, etc. is flushed. Tenants must be prepared to plunge the toilet to clear clogs and avoid damage from over-flows.
Water Damage
- Tenants must take care to avoid water damage caused by allowing water to sit on counters and floors.
- Care must be taken to ensure that shower curtains are inside the tub, and that shower doors are completely closed when taking a shower. Water on tile floors can seep through the grout and cause dry rot on the floorboards below. Water can also seep around the edges of linoleum and damage the flooring below. We recommend putting a mat, towel or rug on the floor to step on when exiting the tub or shower.
- Water can easily be splashed into the space behind the faucet in the kitchen or bath and damage the counter surface. Please be sure to keep these areas dry to prevent damage.
Sliding Glass Doors, Screen Doors, and Shower Tracks
- It is imperative that dirt and debris regularly be cleaned out of sliding door tracks. Rolling over dirt, leaves and pine needles that frequently accumulate in the tracks can damage the wheels on sliding doors, especially the heavy glass sliders. Please make it part of your cleaning routine to clear the tracks.
- Please do not use oil or WD40 to lubricate slider doors or screens. They only attract dirt and gum up the wheel mechanisms.
- In order to retard the growth of mold in the tracks and at the bottom of shower doors, keep the tracks clean. Use an old toothbrush and do a regular monthly cleaning, its much easier than doing one major cleaning at move-out time!
Mold
- Bleach is the best product for removing mold that forms around the edges of showers, tubs, on tile walls, around metal windows, and anywhere there is moisture. The easiest way to remove mold is to cut paper towels in half and fold them into one-inch strips. Dip each strip into the bleach bottle and hold your finger against it as you draw it out. Lay the bleach-soaked strips directly on the mold and leave them there for several hours. It works like magic. Remember to use rubber gloves, and air out affected rooms.
House Plants
Be sure drip pans are kept under all plants. Water run-off will stain or damage most surfaces.
Kitchen Counters
To avoid costly damage from nicks and cuts in counter tops, please use a cutting board at all times.
Ceramic Tile - Molded Tub and Shower Walls
Dilute 1 part white vinegar in 5 parts water for cleaning all ceramic tiles and molded fixtures.
NEVER use scrubbing cleansers like Comet or AJAX on molded fixtures, as these products will permanently scratch the surfaces.
Mini Blinds
When cleaning mini blinds, dont soak them the finish may bubble and peel. Spray them with a mild soap & water solution and wipe them. 3-Day Blinds in San Rafael have a spray cleaner that is inexpensive and easy to use. Weekly dusting or wiping can save a lot of work later.
Smoke Detectors
Tenants are responsible for keeping fresh batteries in smoke detectors. We recommend changing batteries at the beginning and end of daylight savings time.
Wood Decks/Porches
Potted plants and flowers add beauty and appeal to a property. If you have planters or pots, please put feet under them so that they are raised up off the deck a few inches to allow air flow beneath the pot, and to prevent water run-off from rotting the deck.
Hardwood Floors
NEVER use a mop for cleaning or applying oil. Use a soft cloth only. It is best to sweep and dust regularly.
Kitchen areas only: once every 3 months clean floors with a small amount of vinegar in water.
Periodically clean floors with Murphys oil following the directions on the label.
Use throw rugs in front of the sink and the stove to protect these areas from water and grease.
Marble and Granite
- Never use any acidic or abrasive cleaning products including vinegar. It is best to use warm water and a sponge with a small amount of dishwashing liquid such as Dawn or Joy.
- Marble is a porous material. Be careful that water run-off from plants is not left standing on the surface. It will permanently stain the marble.
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