🛋️ Resident Handbook - Your Apartment Guidelines
Updated 1 month ago
by
Culdesac
Appearance
1. Patios/Balconies
Patios and balconies must be kept orderly and clean. Only outdoor furniture and related items may be placed on any private balcony. Patio/entranceway areas are not applicable to this for safety reasons. Trash, drying towels/clothes, and other unattractive or large items may not be stored on patios and balconies. Use of gas or charcoal grills on the patios and balconies is not allowed and subject to fines from both the Apartment Community and the Fire Marshall. Items of any kind should not be placed on the ledges or protrude from the railing. Hooks and levers for hanging plants are not allowed. Management has the right to limit the number of people on a balcony at any given time. No motorbikes or mopeds are allowed on balconies or patios. Nothing should be thrown or dropped from balconies or patios. Additionally, the Owner reserves the right to close or deny access to balconies, patios, and other Common Area spaces in or around the Unit or the Community when deemed necessary at any time and for any duration, for the safety or enjoyment of the Community or its neighbors, and at the Owner’s sole option and discretion.
2. Flags/Signs
Signs and banners may not be hung from patios, balconies, windows or from any area that would be seen from the exterior without prior approval by management.
3. Antennas/Satellites
For safety reasons and to maintain the appearance of the community, we do not allow any kind of outside antennas or satellite dishes to be installed unless approved in writing by us 10 days prior to installation and following all subsequent installation policies, paying additional security deposits, and any other requirements as directed.
You may install a satellite dish or antenna provided you sign our satellite dish or antenna lease addendum which complies with reasonable restrictions allowed by federal law.
4. In-Unit Utility Closets
The utility closets holding water heaters and air conditioning equipment are not to be used for storage or trash.
5. Windows/Curtains
Windows and doors cannot be blocked. If provided, blinds cannot be removed without written permission from Owner. Aluminum foil, tinting, cardboard, signs, etc. may not be placed over windows where they can be seen from the exterior. All window treatments installed by you must be removed at the end of the Lease term. Any damage caused by curtains, blinds, or other décor hung/applied by you will be repaired and charged to you.
Nothing shall be thrown out of the windows or doors. Do not leave windows or doors open during inclement weather. You will be responsible for any damage, including, but not limited to, paint, wall, cabinets, carpets and floors resulting from failure to exercise reasonable care.
6. Decorating/Painting/Wall Hangings
No structural changes or additions may be made to the exterior of the building, including the front entrance, patios and balconies. No alterations may be made to your front door or entrance to your apartment. Front door mats are encouraged, but we reserve the right to remove mats that are not designed for outdoor use, have an inappropriate message, are a trip hazard, or any other reason we deem necessary. Colored light bulbs are prohibited in all exterior fixtures.
In the interior of your apartment, you have the freedom to decorate by hanging pictures or other decorative objects. Stickers, including glow in the dark stars, double-sided adhesive foam or tape are not allowed on walls, ceilings, windows, cabinets, exterior or interior doors. You must obtain written permission from the manager to perform any repairs, painting, wallpapering, carpeting, electrical changes, or to make any other changes to the interior or exterior. It will be your responsibility to return the apartment back to the original condition or you will be charged. All shelf paper, tub or shower decals, shelf brackets, hooks, towel holders must be removed. If you put these on walls, ceilings, doors, etc., there will be a charge for their removal and any repairs needed.
7. Public Areas
For the safety of all residents and to preserve the appearance of the community, please do not keep any personal belongings in the walkways, hallways or entranceways/public patios. Please do not gather in the hallways.
8. Grounds
Lawn areas must be kept free of litter, cigarette butts, bicycles and other equipment. Residents should avoid allowing pets to use all lawns as animal relief areas, with preference for the Culdesac dog park.
9. Trash
The apartment and other areas reserved for your private use must be kept clean and free of trash, garbage, and other debris. Trash must be bagged and disposed of at least weekly in appropriate receptacles in accordance with local ordinances.
If your unit allows valet trash, trash must be in designated bins during the designated hours assigned to the property. This information is provided by the leasing office. Do not put hot ashes or coals, paint, chemicals, motor oil or other hazardous materials of any nature whatsoever in any trash receptacles, dumpsters or similar containers. We have the right to impose reasonable fines for the violation of these provisions, as well as for any littering by you or your guests.
10. Grills
Grills, Barbeques, and any other outdoor cooking or open flame devices will be used only on the ground level and will be placed a distance specified in your lease. ****Such devices will not be used close to combustible materials, tall grass or weeds, on exterior walls or on roofs, indoors, on balconies or patios, or in other locations which may cause fires.
Apartment & Maintenance Tips
- Kitchen
- Stove
The stove provided has a flat cook top. Make sure the bottoms of your pots and pans are fully dry before using them on the cooktop; this will prevent debris from forming. When cooking, be careful not to spill food on the surface.
The best practice for cleaning the stove is to use a Glass Stove Cleaner and a microfiber cloth. - Oven
- Steam Clean Feature
To start a Steam Clean cycle, empty the oven and remove the oven racks and accessories, such as a partition.
Pour a cup of tap water (not distilled water) in the Steam Clean tray. If your oven does not have the tray, simply pour it onto the bottom of the oven. Then, close the door.
Select Steam Clean, and then select Start.
After this cycle, there will be a significant amount of water left on the bottom of the oven and it will be very hot. Once it has cooled, wipe it away with a sponge or soft dry cloth.
Steam Clean quickly cleans your oven in 20 minutes, while the hidden bake element makes cleaning your oven easy with a seamless cavity interior. - General Cleaning Practices
Apply a small amount of stainless steel cleaner or white vinegar to a cloth or paper towel. Clean only the areas made from stainless steel. For the glass, use a glass cleaner or soapy water. To clean the racks, soak them in lukewarm, soapy water, and then scrub impurities from the racks using a non-abrasive scouring pad.
- Steam Clean Feature
- Garbage disposal
Please avoid putting these foods down the disposal: pasta, rice, oatmeal, egg shells, pits, seafood shells, coffee grounds, bones, potato peels, stringy and fibrous veggies, fats, oils, grease, trash, nuts, seeds, and harsh chemicals - Dishwasher
Only use detergents made for dishwashers specifically.
To clean the interior, place an 8 ounce cup of distilled white vinegar upright in the lower basket, and then run a Sanitize cycle by selecting the Sanitize button. - Stainless steel appliances
Common mistakes when cleaning stainless steel appliances:- Avoid using steel wool or any other abrasive sponges or scrubber pads.
- Don’t use any chlorine-based cleaner or anything with chloride in it.
- Don’t use an oven cleaner.
- If your tap water is harsh, it might leave spots or stains.
- Vinyl Flooring
Use a dust mop, dry mop or flat mop to gather up surface dirt. After mopping, assure the floors are fully clean by vacuuming. Then it is suggested to use a vinyl floor cleaner.
- Stove
- Bathrooms
- Commode
To ensure that pipes stay clog-free, here are items you should not flush down the toilet: wipes of any kind - even if they are “flushable”, paper towels and tissues, cotton balls, rounds, or swabs, feminine products, dental floss, contact lenses, hair, Band-Aids, medications and other hazardous materials, diapers, and cat litter.
- Commode
- Other Appliances
- Dryer
For the safety of the unit, please be sure to clean the dryer lint screen after every use. - Air Conditioning
Getting hot in the Arizona summer months? We recommend you set your thermostat to 72 degrees to stay cool while saving on your energy bill.
Culdesac Tempe uses the Honeywell T6 Lyric WiFi-enabled thermostat. Refer to the Honeywell Home website to learn all about compatibility, programming, and more. - Breaker Box
If you experience a loss of electricity, the the breaker box to see if any breakers are “tripped” (not turned on) and reset. If there is a tripped breaker, flip the lever completely off and then back on. If this doesn’t cause the power to regain, contact the leasing office for assistance. - GFI Switch
If you experience loss of power in your bathroom(s) or kitchen, press the reset button the the GFI receptacle. The power to the circuit should be restored. Contact the leasing office for assistance if power does not restore. - Smoke Detectors
Smoke detectors should not be tampered with. If you hear a “chirping sound”, it is likely that the battery needs to be replaced. - Front Door Lock
Your fob will grant access to all open spaces as well as to your specific pod/building and your individual apartment.
If you are experiencing any difficulties accessing your unit, contact the leasing office for assistance.
- Dryer
Keys and key release
You agree to maintain (1) key per resident. Each additional or lost key will be charged to the resident at $50. You will not abuse our key policy and agree not to alter or duplicate your fobs.
Each unit will receive two mailbox keys. These keys will provide access to a unique mailbox assigned to the unit. Mailboxes are located next to the Market building on the east side near the package room and gym.
Apartment entry
Except in case of emergency or when it is impractical to do so, we will give at least 2-day advance written notice of any entry into an apartment. This notice may be hand delivered to someone in the apartment, or may be sent certified or registered mail. If notice is sent by mail, it is deemed received 5 days after mailing or the day the person receives the mail, whichever occurs first.
Notice to us of a service or maintenance request automatically grants us the authority to enter the apartment at all reasonable times for the purpose of that request. We have the right to enter in case of emergencies and, subject to notice requirements, in cases where entry is for:
- responding to our request;
- making repairs or replacements;
- estimating repair or refurbishing costs;
- performing pest control;
- doing preventive maintenance; changing filters;
- testing or replacing smoke-detector batteries or carbon monoxide detector batteries;
- retrieving unreturned tools, equipment or appliances;
- preventing waste of utilities; exercising our contractual lien;
- leaving notices;
- delivering, installing, reconnecting, or replacing appliances, furniture, equipment, or access control devices;
- removing or rekeying unauthorized access control devices;
- removing unauthorized window coverings; stopping excessive noise;
- removing health or safety hazards (including hazardous materials), or items prohibited under our rules;
- removing perishable foodstuffs if your electricity is disconnected;
- removing unauthorized animals;
- cutting off electricity according to statute;
- retrieving property owned or leased by former residents;
- inspecting when immediate danger to person or property is reasonably suspected;
- allowing persons to enter as you authorized in your rental application (if you die, are incarcerated, etc.);
- allowing entry by a law officer with a search or arrest warrant, or in hot pursuit; showing apartment to prospective residents (after move-out or vacate notice has been given);
- or showing the apartment to government inspectors for the limited purpose of determining housing and fire ordinance compliance by us and to lenders, appraisers, contractors, prospective buyers, or insurance agents.
Health and safety inspections
We will perform routine apartment inspections to ensure health and safety standards are being met and to identify potential hazards. You will receive advance notification and the inspections will focus on the following:
Safety Equipment
- Smoke detectors
- Sprinkler heads
- Other security features (self-closing door hinges, peep holes, window & door locks, etc.)
- Patio doors, flooring, and railings
Fire Hazards
- Frayed and/or overloaded electrical wiring
- Stacks of newspapers or magazines
- A/C filters
- CO2 and smoke detectors
- Covered heaters
- Build-up of grease in ovens, broilers, or on stovetops
- Storage of gasoline or other flammable materials, or gas powered vehicles in unit
Health Hazards
- Garbage or food improperly disposed of
- Unsanitary bathroom conditions
- Unreported water intrusion/leaks
- Pest control
Corrective warning notices will be communicated within a reasonable time following the inspection. Any violations that mandate an immediate fine will also be communicated via such means and will be considered due and payable upon receipt.
Storage units
If you have a storage unit included with your unit, the leasing office will give you the key when you move in.
If booking a storage unit on a month to month basis, then you will need to pick up the key from the leasing office.
After moving in, storage units should be treated as an extension of your home. Do not store anything in the storage unit that would otherwise not be fit to be stored in your unit.
For move out, storage unit keys should be returned to the leasing office. Either at the end of your monthly storage unit booking or upon moving out, all unit keys need to be returned. Failure to do so will incur a fee.
Pets
Unless otherwise provided under federal, state, or local law, no animals (including mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, rodents, and insects) are allowed, even temporarily, anywhere in the apartment or apartment Community unless we’ve so authorized in writing. You must remove an illegal or unauthorized animal within 24 hours of notice from community management. To keep a pet in the community, you must execute a separate animal addendum which may require additional deposits, rents, fees or other charges. An animal deposit is considered a general security deposit. We will authorize an assistance animal for a disabled person. When allowed by applicable laws, before we authorize an assistance animal, if the disability is not readily apparent, we may require a written statement from a qualified professional verifying the disability-related need for the assistance animal. If we authorize an assistance animal, we may require you to execute a separate animal and/or assistance animal addendum. Animal deposits, additional rents, fees or other charges will not be required for an assistance animal needed due to disability, including an emotional support or service animal, as authorized under federal, state, or local law. You must not feed stray or wild animals.
If you or any guest or occupant violates animal restrictions (with or without your knowledge), you’ll be subject to charges, damages, eviction, and other remedies provided in this Lease Contract. If an animal has been in the apartment at any time during your term of occupancy (with or without our consent), we’ll charge you for defleaing, deodorizing, and shampooing. Initial and daily animal- violation charges and animal-removal charges are liquidated damages for our time, inconvenience, and overhead (except for attorney’s fees and litigation costs) in enforcing animal restrictions and rules. We may remove an unauthorized animal by (1) leaving, in a conspicuous place in the apartment, a 24-hour written notice of intent to remove the animal, and (2) following the procedures of paragraph 28 (When We May Enter). We may keep or kennel the animal or turn it over to a humane society or local authority. When keeping or kenneling an animal, we won’t be liable for loss, harm, sickness, or death of the animal unless due to our negligence. We’ll return the animal to you upon request if it has not already been turned over to a humane society or local authority. You must pay for the animal’s reasonable care and kenneling charges. We have no lien on the animal for any purpose.