Complete these items before move-in:

• Sign your lease and required move-in documents within 48 hours of approval
• Pay your security deposit within 48 hours of approval
• Review your tenant portal and payment options
• Pay your required move-in charges.
• Set up utilities in your name and submit proof to our office
• Complete this new tenant orientation and certification
• Schedule key pickup at our office

(Note: mailbox keys for cluster boxes must be picked up at the post office and requires a copy of your lease)

 

Important late-month move-in reminder:
If your move-in date is on or after the 25th of the month, you should also expect to pay the next full month of charges, including rent and applicable Resident Benefits Package charges.

Next: Move-In Inspection

At move-in, you will receive an invitation to complete your move-in inspection through our inspection system, RentCheck, which will be due within 72 hours after move in.

This inspection is very important. It is your opportunity to document the condition of the home when you receive it.

Please be thorough, take clear and well-lit photos from afar and up close, and complete the inspection by the deadline provided.

At move-out, your move-in inspection is reviewed alongside the move-out inspection. This helps us fairly evaluate the condition of the property and distinguish between pre-existing items, normal wear and tear, and resident-caused damage.

Completing your move-in inspection protects you and helps us track how well we prepared the home for you, so please do not skip it!

Need help with your inspection? RentCheck provides in-app support, but you can also reach out to our team for further assistance and we will be happy to help. 

Next: Rent Payments

Due Date: Rent is due in full on the 1st day of each month and must be paid online through your tenant portal unless our office specifically instructs you otherwise.

Late Fees: Late fees typically begin on the 4th (please see lease), and continue to accrue daily. 

Autopay: Autopay is available and strongly recommended. You will still be responsible for monitoring communications regarding your autopayment in case of any failed payment attempt.

Transaction & Processing Fees: As part of your tenant benefits, you can pay onlive via ACH/eCheck for free! Card payments, including credit and debit cards, do have processing fees.

Communication: We know unexpected things can happen. If you believe there may be an issue with your rent payment, please reach out as early as possible. Early communication gives us the best opportunity to answer questions, help you understand your options, and avoid surprises.

Next: Know Your Home

Once you move in, please take time to get to know the home.

You are responsible for identifying the location of important home systems, including:

• Electrical breaker panel
• GFCI outlets
• Main water shut-off
• Appliance shut-offs
• Irrigation controls and shut-offs
• HVAC filters
• Smoke detectors
• Garage door sensors
• Other basic systems specific to the home

 

This is especially important if maintenance is needed or if there is a maintenance emergency.

For example, if there is an active water leak or irrigation issue, you may need to shut off water to help prevent additional damage while maintenance is being coordinated.

If you need assistance in locating any of the items above, please contact our office for assistance. 

Next: Maintenance & Troubleshooting

How to Submit Requests:
Non-emergency maintenance requests must be in writing, submitted through your tenant portal. 
Emergency requests should be reported by calling our office emergency line at (254) 239-0090, available 24/7.

Before Submission:
Before submitting a request, basic troubleshooting is required when appropriate. This may include checking breakers, GFCI outlets, thermostat settings, air filters, appliance settings, garbage disposal resets, garage door sensors, water shut-offs, irrigation settings, or other common items. Troubleshooting information may be found on our Maintenance Support page.

When submitting a maintenance request, please include clear details, photos, and videos when possible. This helps us assign the right vendor or team member and avoid unnecessary delays.

Reimbursements
We understand it is frustrating when groceries spoil due to a refrigerator issue, or utility bills temporarily increase due to a required repair. However, neither ODP nor the property owner will be responsible for reimbursing any utility or grocery expenses.  However, many city utility providers typically offer a way to claim a discount on your bill if there was a leak repair at your home. 

Tenant Chargebacks
It's important to know when a tenant may receive a charge for a maintenance request:

Unneccessary/Non-Issue call: Failure or refusal to troubleshoot a maintenance request that results in a visit resolved by basic troubleshooting, or visits where no issue is found upon arrival.

Damage: If we have to visit the property to repair damage caused by you or your guests, whether accidental or negligent, or if failure to report a maintenance issue in a reasonable timeframe results in excessive or additional damages.

Next: Emergency vs. Non-Emergency

If there is a life-threatening emergency, fire, active break-in, medical emergency, or immediate danger, call 911 first. After emergency services have been contacted, notify ODP as soon as it is safe to do so.

MAINTENANCE EMERGENCIES: 
For maintenance emergencies, please call our office at (254) 239-0090.
Maintenance emergencies generally involve situations that may cause immediate damage to the property or make the home unsafe, such as:

💧Major active leaks that cannot be contained

❄️No hot water throughout home

⚠️Major electrical hazards

☣️Sewage backups

HVAC Repairs:
HVAC issues are NOT considered an emergency and most local HVAC vendors do not treat them as such.
However, our team treats HVAC as URGENT repairs and will make reasonable efforts to address these repairs as a top priority. 
You may call our on-call service line for these types of repairs, but after hours availability is dependent upon vendor availability and not guaranteed.

NON-EMERGENCY WORK ORDERS:
Non-emergency items must be submitted in writing through the tenant portal.
This includes routine repairs, cosmetic concerns, appliance issues that are not urgent, minor leaks that are contained, general questions, and other items that do not require immediate after-hours response.

Next: Alterations and Tenant Repairs

Tenants may not make alterations, repairs, installations, or changes to the home without written approval.

This includes painting, changing fixtures, installing shelves or mounts, changing locks, adding landscaping, making repairs, or hiring someone to perform work at the property.

Even if the change seems small, approval is required first to avoid future unexpected repair costs.

If something needs repair, submit a maintenance request instead of attempting the repair yourself unless you have been specifically instructed or authorized to do so.

Next: Home Care Basics

Routine Care:
As a tenant, you will be responsible for routine care of the home during your lease.

This includes but is not limited to:

• Lawn care
• Pest prevention
• Replacing light bulbs
• Replacing batteries for smoke detectors, thermostats, fan remotes, etc. as needed
• Keeping the home clean and sanitary
• Preventing clogged drains
• Reporting concerns early
• Taking reasonable steps to avoid damage

Know what to avoid: 

❌ Improper Countertop Cleaners - Read product packaging carefully to know what materials they are safe for use on. 
For granite countertops, make sure you use a product that states it is granite-safe or safe for use on natural stone to avoid breaking down the granite's sealant.

❌ Avoid the Self-Cleaning Oven Feature: The extreme temperatures used during self-cleaning cycles can cause excessive smoke or fumes and even overload and damage certain oven parts.
In severe cases, this feature can lead to fires when not performed properly.
Extreme caution must be exercised to remove any cleaning product residue or anything loose, including crumbs, racks, foil, and the home must remain well vented during self-cleaning cycles. 

❌ Mixed Chemicals - Never mix some of these common chemicals, or cleaning products that contain them:

- Bleach + Ammonia: produces toxic chloramine gas
- Bleach + Vinegar: produces chlorine gas
- Hydrogen Peroxide + Vinegar: Produces peracetic acid, which is a corrosive

Drain and Disposal Care 
To avoid clogs or other damage, never put the following down the drains of your home:

❌ Acidic/Caustic Cleaners (Drano, Liquid-Plumr, Green Gobbler, etc)

❌ Fats, Oils, and Grease

❌ Coffee Grounds

❌ Shells, skins, and peels (eggshells, shellfish shells, potato peels, onion skins)

❌ Hard items (bones, nutshells, fruit pits, seeds)

❌ Starchy/Expanding Foods (Potatoes and potato peels, pasta, rice, etc)

❌ Harsh or undiluted chemicals

❌ Cat litter

❌"Flushable" Wipes (Don't listen to the marketing hype - These often don't truly break down and cause significant and costly plumbing damages!)

❌ Other Paper Products (things that are NOT toilet paper; paper towels, tissues, cotton balls, etc)

❌ Femine Hygeine Products

❌ Any other large, corrosive, expandting, or foreign objects

Duty to report:
Good home care also means reporting issues promptly.
If you notice a leak, water stain, pest access concern, irrigation issue, HVAC concern, or appliance problem, please report it as soon as possible.
Waiting too long can turn a small issue into a much larger problem!

Next: Quarterly Inspections

During your lease, the property owner has the right to have the home inspected to monitor its condition, upkeep, and any maintenance concerns we can get ahead of.

Self-Guided Inspections
We also understand that this is your home during the lease, and we have the utmost respect for your privacy. Our goal is not to inconvenience you or invade your space, which is why most quarterly inspections are self-guided through our inspection system, RentCheck. Please watch your email closely and complete self-guided inspections by the deadline provided. 

Mid-Lease Staff-Led Inspection
Around the middle of the lease, our team will complete an in-person inspection instead of the self-guided inspection. We will send notice in advance with important instructions about access requirements, animals, and anything else needed. You won't need to be home during this time - our inspectors are in-house employees and are fully vetted and will have the utmost respect for your home and privacy. 

During any inspection, you will need to be prepared to ensure all areas, walkways, doorways, windows, attics, and water heaters are freely accessible. For in person inspections, the front door keyless deadbolt must be unlocked so we may enter, and animals must be secured in an appropriate enclosure (kennel or crate - not a room).

Next: Animals and Pets

We know pets and animals can be an important part of your household, and many of our homes welcome approved animals.

All animals must be approved by our office before they are brought onto the property.
This includes dogs, cats, visiting pets, temporary pet-sitting, and alternative pets such as fish or small caged animals.

Approval helps make sure the property owner is aware of the animal, that property-specific requirements are reviewed, and that the home is protected from preventable damage.

Approved animals must be properly cared for, vaccinated when applicable, and kept in accordance with your lease, local laws, ordinances, HOA rules, and any written animal agreement.

Assistance Animals:
Assistance animals are not considered pets and do not require a pet deposit or pet fee, but they do need to go through the appropriate approval process for documentation purposes as outlined in our rental criteria.
Tenants will of course remain responsible for any damages or penalties associated with assistance animals brought on property.

Next: Occupants and Guests

Only approved occupants may live in the home.

Guests are allowed within the limits of your lease (typically 10 days), but anyone staying longer than the allowed guest period must be approved or added to the lease when required.

This helps ensure the home is occupied by approved residents and that we have accurate information for safety, communication, and lease compliance.

Next: HOA and Local Rules

If your home is located in an HOA community, you are responsible for following HOA rules, along with any other local ordinances and regulations.

Common HOA or city violations include:

• Excessive weeds
• Mowing issues
• Overgrown bushes
• Trash cans left out too long
• Trash cans visible from the street
• Overnight parking violations
• Trailers and RVs
• Exterior maintenance concerns

Tenants are responsible for violation fees caused by tenant action or inaction.

NOTE: Some HOAs may give warnings, but others may issue fines right away. ODP does not control whether an HOA gives a warning first, so it is important to stay on top of exterior care and community rules from day one!

Next: The Resident Benefits Package

As an ODP resident, your lease includes our Resident Benefits Package, a set of tools and services designed to make renting easier, more convenient, and more supported throughout your lease.

Your package may include helpful compliance features like renter's insurance, HVAC filter delivery, easy online portal access, flexible online payment options, credit-building, identity protection, self-guided inspection tools, maintenance coordination support, resident rewards, and more.

These benefits are here to help you stay organized, care for the home, meet important lease requirements, and get more out of your rental experience.

Please review your lease documents and our website for the full details of what is included.

Next: Communication

ODP communicates important information primarily by email.

Please pay close attention to emails from ODP Property Management and from the systems we use to manage your tenancy.

You may receive communication through:

• Our direct email
• Our property management software
• Our inspection software
• Resident Benefits Package tools
• Other important systems used during your lease

These emails may include move-in steps, maintenance updates, inspection notices, lease compliance information, billing reminders, or notices of a need to enter the home.

It is your responsibility to read and respond to important communication in a timely manner.

Next: Security Deposit Use

Reminder: Your security deposit cannot be used as your last month’s rent.

The deposit is held to address other unpaid charges, damages beyond normal wear and tear, cleaning issues, or other amounts owed after move-out, as allowed by your lease and applicable law and is accounted for in an itemized breakdown within 30 days of vacating the home. 

Rent must continue to be paid as required through the end of your lease term or any approved move-out date to avoid additional fees and penalties. 

 

Next: Certification