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FAQ’s
– for Tenants/Prospective Tenants
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Do you rent to smokers?
No, we do not allow smoking inside our units. And we ask tenants w/ guests who smoke to direct them to the porch or yard if
they wish to light up. We prefer to rent to non-smokers.
Do you allow backyard gardens?
Yes, in fact, we encourage them! Most of our houses have good sunny spaces
in the yards where you can garden, and some have existing garden spaces where the soil has been improved in past years. We
also encourage composting, as long as the area is contained and there are no odor problems. Please consult with landlord about
plans to landscape or modify the yard. We will work with tenants to convert grassy areas to mulched natural space that's easier
to maintain (as long as it does not revert to weeds & high grass)!
Do you allow pets?
The answer to this varies. In event of
a carpeted unit like the Clarendon loft or the Englewood Ave. upstairs apt.
the answer is no. For units with hardwood floors we often allow (litterbox-trained)
cats or occasionally a dog (usually in the small-to-medium size range) if there is no problem with barking or threats to other
tenants or their pets. We try to be considerate of the preferences of existing tenants in the house in making these decisions.
In the event a pet is allowed, there is a pet deposit of $100 for a cat and $150 for a dog. This deposit is only 85% returnable.
We require tenants to use an effective flea control method (usually Advantage or Revolution -- the drops placed on animal’s
neck monthly in warm weather, which requires a vet’s prescription), and to leave the apartment flea-free. Any rugs in the unit must be shampooed before end of tenancy. We
do not return pet deposits until 30 days after the end of tenancy to ensure that fleas do not return. In event of a flea infestation, we recommend using commercially-available flea-bombs – usually one
to each room – but it is imperative that tenants consult with other tenants and the landlord in advance, as this
requires turning off any gas pilot lights in the apartment, cutting off heat or AC systems and sealing up any vents that flow
out of the apartment.
Do you exterminate for insect pests?
All the houses have been inspected for termites, and treated underneath in
the event of this kind of infestation. But we do not contract with an exterminator
to routinely spray pesticides inside our houses and apartments. (Nor do we do this in our own house). Aside from the health issues of exposure to toxic substances, this kind of overkill is usually not necessary.
We recommend sprinkling boric acid powder under cabinets and near edges of the kitchen floor for cockroach control in summer
months. Boric acid kills by clogging breathing holes in the insects' abdomen, and is tracked back to nests where it continues
to work. Also, tenants should avoid leaving food or dirty dishes out –
either wash dishes right away, or put them in water with soap, empty sink drain
baskets w/ detritus into the trash after each meal (this also helps avoid sink clogs).
If you should see mice or rats, we recommend one of the cheap poisons sold by
Barnes Supply, on Ninth St. (they come in pellets or bars) that you can
put in crawl spaces, and under cabinets (these should be kept out of reach of pets!). The animals get thirsty after eating
the poison and usually leave the house in search of water before they die. Landlord
will reimburse tenant for modest purchases of the pest control substances recommended above.
If you should see a larger animal such as a squirrel or opossum entering your house’s crawl space, please let
landlord know. (as a general rule, crawl space doors should be kept closed) We
have a large animal trap that we can set if needed.
Is there a limit to the number of individuals who can share a unit?
Yes. The rent listed for our One-BR units is for one person. The only exception is Unit A at the Chapel Hill Rd. house (see
below). But in some units, a 2nd person is permitted with extra charge of $20/month, (plus extra person's water fee if paid
by landlord). These include:
* Clarendon St. downstairs units (A & B)
* Green St. unit B
* Chapel Hill Rd. unit B
The following units are intended for ONLY one person:
* the Clarendon house loft apt.
* the small apt. at Knox St. house
* the upstairs unit at Englewood Ave. house
* the upstairs apt. at Chapel Hill Rd. house
* Unit A at Green St. house
The following units are available at listed rent for either one person or two:
* Vesson St. upstairs apt.
* Knox St. house
* Downstairs of Vesson Ave.
* Large one-BR (Unit A) at Chapel Hill Rd. house
Factors we consider in decisions about number of occupants include: size of unit, total numbers of occupants in the house,
noise, wear & tear of common space and washer/dryer.
A 3rd permanent occupant is not permitted in any units, except in the case of a small child in the two-BR houses at Knox St.
house, and downstairs at Vesson Ave.
What do I do in case of a power outage, or if I blow a circuit?
If the outage is for the whole area, you just have to wait until the power company fixes it. If it is a blown circuit in the
house, first turn off whatever appliance you were using on that circuit. If your unit is served by a breaker box, then all
you need to do is flip the affected breaker - 1st OFF and then ON again. When a circuit is blown the corresponding breaker
is left in the middle position (out of line with the others) and usually there is a visible orange marker by it. You should
then avoid putting that much load on the circuit in question! (Keep in mind that sometimes there are several outlets on the
same circuit.)
If, instead of breakers, you have a fuse box, then you need to replace the blown fuse, which is the one with the black spot
on the glass front. Just unscrew and replace. Usually some fuses are kept in the apt. Look by the fuse box or in a kitchen
drawer. It should be the same type as the one you blew (eg. S-20, TL-15). (Never install a fuse with # of amps larger than
25 - this is a fire hazard!) If you need to buy more, they are available at Home Depot or any hardware store (they're cheap).
If you have trouble locating the electric box, consult with other tenants at your house or call the landlord. If a high voltage
appliance like stove or furnace goes out, please call landlord.
As a general rule, make sure that large appliances like an AC, refrigerator, microwave, or computer are either kept on separate
circuits, or are not operated at the same time. Anytime power is cut off for a running appliance with a compressor (eg. AC
or fridge), please wait 3 minutes before starting it again.
Water & plumbing issues:
Please pay attention to any signs of water leakage or odd sounds of water running in your
unit. The most common is a toilet that does not turn itself off properly after a flush, or that fills intermittently between
flushes. Both of these can run up water bills enormously in a short time, and since bills only come every 2 months, feedback
on the bill is too slow to be useful. Also, water leakage can damage wood and structural elements and cause termites, in addition
to run up bills. Twice we've been alerted to a leak because tenants heard water running when it should not be outside their
unit. So call us right away when you think there's a problem with running water!! Also, do not leave water running for watering
gardens; fill a bucket and dip from a bucket rather than relying on the hose or sprinklers. -- Hoses left on will also run
up bills. We pay for routine water use in some of our units, but if we get unusually high bills due to excess tenant use,
a portion will be passed along to you!!
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Do your units have dishwashers (central AC, security systems, internet access)?
Our units do not have dishwashers, disposals, or electronic security systems.
The Green St. house has central AC. but most others have window AC. Most of the older house units do have ceiling fans and
washer/dryer access. The furnished units have microwave ovens. The upstairs apt. on Englewood Ave. has wireless internet access
in the living room and kitchen. We continue to add ceiling fans where appropriate to assist in low energy cooling, and we've
added additional grounded outlets and sometimes new circuits (when elec. systems permit) to many units. Tenants who wish
to subscribe to cable or internet access may do so. Our philosophy is to keep rents affordable, to encourage energy efficiency,
& to educate tenants on how to minimize fire risk; Since each additional electronic system must be maintained, and has an
environmental cost, there are trade-offs in upscaling. We are gradually trying to downsize and to reduce energy use in our
own home, and to abide by the "Live simply so others can live" philosophy, and we love to find tenants who share those goals!
Do you rent to undergraduates?
Generally not. Our typical tenants
are graduate students, young professionals or post-docs/visiting faculty. We
look for mature individuals with stable lifestyles, who have experience living on their own, and knowledge of how to take
care of a house and its systems. We try to find tenants who appreciate the benefits
our units offer such as affordability, walking or biking distance to Duke and 9th St., yards with garden spaces,
large windows and porches, urban neighborhoods, etc. We value our existing tenants, and so we seek to rent to individuals
who will respect the rights of their housemates in terms of noise, cleanliness, energy use, and sharing and taking care of
common spaces, including yard care (in most of our units, tenants do the mowing).
Do you rent units for the academic year only (or for one semester only)?
The answer to this question is usually no.
Due to my teaching schedule in an academic department, I am unable to devote time to tenant turnover, (and the maintenance
and upgrades that tend to accompany turnover) during the academic year. Most of our flexible time for handling this is during
the summer, and highest demand for longterm rentals is in late summer, so we prefer long-term leases (at least a year) and
to have our leases begin and end in early to mid-August. In the rare cases where
we permit an academic year lease, we would need to charge a higher monthly rent.
Do you allow sublets?
We do not encourage subletting. We prefer to rent to tenants who anticipate
remaining in the area for at least a year after signing the lease. If a tenant has a sudden change in plans and needs to leave
town (eg. for a summer internship or new job) before the lease is completed, we allow tenants to replace themselves with a
landlord-approved subletter paying the same rent during the remainder of their lease term. We may write a new contract with
that person beginning w/ start of sublet if the old tenant is leaving for good, and new tenant will be longterm. There is a minimum $50 fee charged against a tenant’s security deposit for subletting. In order to
avoid loss of further deposit funds, the tenant needs to shoulder the responsibility (and any costs incurred) for advertising and showing the apartment, including orienting the subletter to details of the house or
apt. systems, utility payment, and introducing him/her to other tenants. The
landlord must meet and approve a subletter. The original tenant remains ultimately responsible for the apartment rent and
its condition until either the lease is fulfilled, or a new lease is written to replace theirs with a new tenant (who has
paid a new security deposit). The security deposit (minus sublet fee) for the prior tenant will be returned 30 days after
moving out, if these conditions have been fulfilled.
What do you do to encourage energy efficiency?
* All our units have storm windows (this is in process for upstairs at Chapel Hill Rd. house). We have added insulation to
attics at Clarendon, Chapel Hill Rd. & Green St. houses. We have caulked air leaks and sealed chimney drafts at all houses,
and sealed heating ducts at Chapel Hill Rd.
* We installed new more efficient, and slightly smaller refrigerators in many of our one-BR units. New, more efficient furnaces
have been installed at the Clarendon St. & Green St. houses, and for upstairs at Chapel Hill Rd. To control moisture we put
down a plastic liner in the crawl space at Knox St. and installed gutters and underground drainage at Clarendon St. and Chapel
Hill Rd.
* We've installed more efficient compact flourescent light (CFL) bulbs in ceiling lights downstairs at Clarendon & Chapel
Hill Rd. We encourage tenants to use CFL bulbs in all light fixtures -- we did this in our house, and initial projections
show it will save us about $35 in the first year! They only use a quarter the energy of incandescents. We will cover 50% of
cost for those you buy for house fixtures (must leave with house, include receipt with rent). Also, please plug "vampire"
energy users like computers & components, stereo and TV into power strips and turn off the strips when appliances are not
in use.
* We just installed solar hot water at the Englewood house, which also serves the upstairs apt. so this unit now has cheaper
electric bills, but to optimize solar-heated water, showers and clothes washing in the Englewood house should take place after
noon, and we look for tenants who are willing to adopt the same lifestyle changes that we have.
* Many units have high ceilings, ceiling fans and large, openable windows, which reduce need for AC use in summer.
We encourage use of clothes lines to cut down on dryer use, and will assist in installation of a clothes line if your yard
does not have one.
* In winter, make sure your storm windows are closed. Remember to turn down your thermostat when you leave home and when you
go to bed; and if you share a thermostat with a housemate, work out an arrangement with them to do this. Do not cut heat off
entirely in winter; use the thermostat to control it rather than the on/off switch.
* In summer, see if ceiling fan alone is sufficient for cooling. If you need AC, only cool the rooms you are using. If you
have central air, or a thermostat on your window AC, adjust thermostat upwards when you leave home. Close blinds on the sunny
windows, esp. those on south or west sides of house.
Hints on using the washer and dryer:
Usually your clothes will turn out fine, and you'll save energy, by using the warm wash/cold rinse setting (or cold/cold),
instead of hot/warm or warm/warm. Make sure you pile clothes in the washer loosely - do not stuff them in tightly. Make
sure the water level you use is high enough to cover the clothes. (in general, its more efficient to wait til you have a full
load and run one load, than to run several small loads) If the washer starts vibrating violently, it means it is out of balance.
Turn it off, then re-arrange clothes inside so the weight is distributed. Machines get out of balance easily with rugs or
heavy blankets. If you need to wash such items, please do them at a commercial laundry. If machine has been jostled (or if
you see water on floor!) make sure the drain tube is still sticking inside the drain pipe.
With dryer, again, don't stuff clothes in tightly. Make sure you clean the vent screen before each load. To save energy and
avoid shrinkage, experiment with shorter drying times (eg. 35-40 min. is sufficient for most items) and lower temp. settings.
In warmer weather, take advantage of free solar energy and hang clothes outside on a line!
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Running Dog Propeties, 2030
Englewood Ave., Durham, NC 27705
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