Tenant FAQs
Answers to your common questions

After my application is approved, what do I do?

We will contact you as soon as possible to let you know that you have been approved. We can then then immediately schedule a tour of any property you are interested in with one of our property managers.

Can I apply my security deposit to my last month's rent?

No. Your security deposit is held in a separate escrow account and can only be used for outstanding charges after you vacate the property – NOT for your last month’s rent.

Can I change the locks on my home?

Generally, NO. Most of our properties are keyed on a master keyway system and any changes can affect the ability of our staff to respond to calls, lock outs, or maintenance requests in a timely manner.

Can I paint my home a different color?

YES, with a few stipulations. Unless agreed to in writing by the next tenants to move into your property, the property must be painted back to the original color by the tenant prior to vacating the property. This specific paint color needed can be received from a property manager at Riner Rentals.

Can I withhold my rent for items not being corrected to my satisfaction?

No. Under the VRLTA it is prohibited for a resident to withhold rent for failure to fix items submitted. Please contact our office to discuss your specific situation immediately.

Do I have to be present for a service technician to perform work?

No, you do not have to be present when work is being performed.

Do I need Renters Insurance?

Yes, our residents are solely responsible for insuring their own personal property that is located or stored upon the property leased. Any loss from the risks of damage, destruction or loss resulting from theft, fire, storm and other hazards and casualties are your sole responsibility.

Do you accept pets?

We accept pets on a case by case basis as determined by the individual owner of each property (many of our communities do NOT accept pets). If pets are allowed, all pets must be listed in the Pet Addendum. There is typically an additional pet deposit of $250/pet.  Some owners also require additional pet rent on a monthly basis that is non-refundable. Again, each situation can be different based on the wishes of our owners. Any damage done by the pet is the responsibility of the resident. All pets must be registered and immunized in accordance with local ordinances. No pets can be tied on the property. Several breeds of dogs will not be accepted under any circumstances (a list is available in our office). Each tenant in the dwelling unit must agree that the pet may be on the premises before pet addendum is signed.

How can I pay rent after I move in?

Once an account is created with our third-party affiliate ClickPayRent, you can login to your account and make an electronic payment online. You may also make payment by check, or money order at the location(s) designated in your lease.

How do I qualify to lease a property?

Each Prospect will qualify by meeting 1 of 2 standards below:

Have suitable credit history, rental history, criminal history and income that meets or exceeds 3 times the monthly rent for the property that you are trying to qualify for.

Have suitable credit history, rental history, criminal history and obtain a guarantor with suitable credit history, rental/ownership history, criminal history and income that meets or exceeds 5 times the monthly rent for the property that you are trying to qualify for to guarantee your obligations.

How do I submit routine maintenance requests?

All routine maintenance requests must be submitted in one of the following ways:

Online through the maintenance request form on the website. 

If your maintenance request is an emergency situation, please call 540.438.8800 right away. A property manager is available 24-hours a day should you need specific assistance.

How do I take a look at an available property?

We allow prospective tenants to view our properties by setting up an appointment with one of our Property Managers.  We do require a FREE application to be completed before setting up a property showing.  Please visit our office at 1587 Port Republic Road, Suite #3 or give us a call at 540.438.8800 during normal business hours (M-F 8:00am-5:00pm and Sa 9:00am-1:00pm). An appointment may be scheduled to view any occupied property by contacting our office as well. Please note that every attempt will be made to work with your schedule, but any current residents must be notified and given notice of at least 24 hours that their home will be shown. 

How do I turn on utilities?

The resident is responsible for placing all utilities in their name and pay all utility bills due for services to the premises for which resident is responsible (unless otherwise agreed to in the lease). At the termination of the lease the resident is responsible for having all utilities services disconnected 10 days after the lease end date.

How does the application process work?

Each adult planning to occupy the property must fill out an application allowing Riner Rentals to perform a credit check, rental history check, and employment verification. All people over 18 years of age will need to apply individually for a property. If applicant is a student or not employed, a guarantor must be used or they must qualify on their own. The guarantor must also fill out an application and the guarantor form.
Once your completed application is received, your information will be processed and within 1-2 business days you will be notified as to whether or not you have been approved for the property. During this time frame, we will run your credit report, verify current employment, and check your rental references. If you are approved for the property we will contact you and the leasing process will follow after viewing available property.
After signing a lease, the security deposit and move-out fee will be due in full within two weeks and placed into an escrow account. The first month’s rent will be due at the date of move in when you come to pick up your keys.Please contact Riner Rentals at 540.480.8800 with any questions that you may have about the application or leasing process.Once you have completed your application, please drop it off at our office located 1587 Port Republic Road, Suite #3, Harrisonburg, VA 22801 or e-mail it to us at rinerrentals@rinerrentals.com. You may also fill out an application on our website, but there is a $5.00 convenience fee to do so online.

How is Rent Credited?

Rent is credited to the longest outstanding balance first. If you have an outstanding balance of $100 on the last day of the month and pay your normal rent for the following month the next day, your payment will be credited toward the $100 delinquent rent first before being credited toward the following month’s rent. If you do not ‘catch up’ on this outstanding balance, your account will be subject to Late Fees each month. Late fees that are not paid become overdue rent.

How long are your leases?

Most of our leases are for a minimum of 12 months; however, we do lease some properties for shorter or longer terms as determined by each of our individual owners. At the end of the initial term, the lease will revert to a year to year tenancy unless otherwise agreed to or proper notice of non-renewal given.

How long does it take to process my application?

Typically, once an application is filled out and dropped off, emailed, or received at our office, we can process your application within 1-2 business days and call you to let you know the outcome.

How much can I qualify for?

Typically, we require monthly household income of applicants to be three times the total of the monthly rent amount. In other terms, your rent payments can be approximately 33% of the gross monthly income of the tenants on the lease.

How much security deposit is required?

We require a security deposit on EVERY property leased. Usually the security deposit is the same as one month's rent but may be more or less but in no case shall exceed two month’s rent (the security deposit required but will be detailed in your lease).

How quickly can I expect my request to be performed?

There are many factors that go into each request and we cannot set give an exact day and time. However, we typically begin the process the same day we receive the request to assess the situation and determine the proper course of action. Our goal is typically no more than a 5 business day completion. Each maintenance request is handled by our contractors in the order that they are received, unless the request is deemed to be an emergency situation that may cause harm to health or property. In this case, these request will receive priority.

I am a student or do not have enough income to qualify for a property, can I still lease one of your properties?

Yes, however we will require you to secure a suitable person to guarantee the lease or qualify individually without a guarantor through our normal rental application process.

I do not like the way a repair was done, what should I do?

Please contact our office immediately so we may investigate the issue. We can contact our contractor to address any issues with them directly.

My water bill was high. What do I do?

The number one reason a water bill is very high is due to a toilet running frequently or constantly a toilet can consume 25000 gallons or more a month. If you can identify the problem such as a toilet or leaking sink we will have it repaired for you, and upon completion of the work you can email Riner Rentals and request a copy of your invoice. This is required for an adjustment. You can download a copy of the form to request an adjustment in the City of Harrisonburg http://www.harrisonburgva.gov/fileadmin/user_upload/watersewer/files/Application_Forms/Adjustmetn_Application.pdfIf you require an adjustment in another locality, you will need to call and discuss with whomever you pay your water bill to on a monthly basis.

What am I responsible for as a resident?

Typically, all residents are responsible for:

Securing all utilities for housing, unless otherwise provided
Lawn care, unless otherwise provided
Changing the furnace/air conditioning filters monthly
Minor repairs to your home, including, but not limited to, replacing light bulbs, clogged drains, etc.
Changing the smoke detector batteries during tenancy (these are new when you move in)
Pest control
Complying with all Homeowners Association Rules (if applicable)
Following all of the terms of your lease

What do I do if I am interested in leasing a property through Riner Rentals?

All students must fill out an application and be approved and/or obtain a Guarantor for the lease agreement. 

What do I do if I disagree with the refunded amount of my security deposit?

You must submit your dispute to Riner Rentals in writing within 30 days from the date of your security deposit return.

What do I do in an emergency?

If your emergency is life threatening or could have serious consequences, DIAL 911 IMMEDIATELY. For other emergencies, please call our 24-hour emergency line at 540.438.8800.

What do I have to pay prior to moving in?

You are responsible for paying the security deposit, move out fee, and first month’s rent prior to being issued your keys.

What do I need to do when I move out?

Please refer to your signed lease agreement for a list of the items that you need to accomplish to properly vacate your home. Most of these can be found in the Vacating Checklist.

What do you do with my security deposit after I move out?

Immediately after you vacate the property, one of our agents visits the property and performs a move-out inspection to assess the condition of the property in comparison to your move-in inspection report. We then process your security deposit in strict accordance with the VRLTA and your signed lease agreement.

What do you do with my security deposit?

All security deposits are held in strict accordance with the VRLTA in an Escrow Account.

What factors do you use in determining if my application is approved?

We operate in strict compliance with all Fair Housing Guidelines. After receiving an application we inquire about rental and/or ownership history, run a credit report, and verify income and employment history.

What happens if I bring in an application for a property that already has one or more applications submitted?

All applications are accepted and processed on a first come-first served basis. Due to our fiduciary relationship to the owner, if more than one application is submitted before approval of an application we are required to select the highest rated application.

What happens if I do not pay my last month's rent?

You will be responsible for the late fee associated with the non-payment and be subject to the Warrant in Debt/Unlawful Detainer process if your account has an outstanding balance after all amounts due are processed.

What happens if I do not pay my rent?

If your rent is not received on or before 5pm on the 5th of the month, you will receive a letter notifying you that you are in breach of your lease and payment must be made promptly. If you do not make payment in a timely manner then we will file an Unlawful Detainer or Warrant in Debt against you in the local court of jurisdiction in order to collect the debt due.

What happens if my check is returned?

We will notify you and expect immediate payment. Additionally, you will be charged with a NSF Check Fee and may be charged an additional fee from our office of up to $250 as a civil recovery fee.

What if I do not pay my outstanding charges?

Any outstanding charges 10 days from the date of invoice will become rent per you lease and will be turned over to our Collections Specialist and will become part of your Unlawful Detainer/Warrant-In- Debt proceedings.
What if my application is denied?

In the event your application is denied, we make every effort to contact you promptly regarding the denial. We encourage those who are denied to find a suitable guarantor so they can lease the housing of their choice from us.

What if my security deposit does not cover my charges?

We will send you a letter notifying you of a balance due and follow up with the actual contractor’s bills that could not be covered by your deposit. Payment will be expected promptly to prevent further legal action to collect the debt.

What is an Unlawful Detainer filing?

An Unlawful Detainer filing is the first step in the eviction process and should be taken seriously. A decision in favor of the Plaintiff (landlord) can stay on your record for 10 years and might make it difficult to obtain future housing and credit. An Unlawful Detainer filing is also expensive and will be the responsibility of the resident it is filed against.

What is the difference between a Sublease and an Assignment of a Lease?

A sublease is a lease from one tenant (lessee) to another (called subtenant or sublessee). The agreement between the landlord (the lessor) and the first lessee remains in effect and governs the terms of the sublease. An assignment of a lease is a complete transfer of the right to be the tenant under the lease from one tenant to another. The landlord no longer holds the first tenant liable under the original lease. A fee may apply to process paperwork in this case.

What is the difference between an Individual Lease and an Group Lease?

In an Individual Lease the individual is only liable for performance of their share of the lease and will only be held liable for their share of the payments and their share of damage done to a property, except for common or shared areas of the rental. In a Group Lease all people listed as tenants are equally and severally liable for performance of the lease and will be held liable for all payments due or damage done to a property.

What is your application fee?

Our application process is FREE!

When are Late Fees charged?

Rent is due on the 1st of each month. If rent is not paid by 5pm on the 5th of the month a late fee will be charged immediately of 10% of the rent amount that has not been paid.

When are new properties posted?

Our website is updated continually to reflect our current inventory of properties.

When can I get my security deposit back?

Under VRLTA we have 45 days from the date in which you moved-out to process the unit and submit any remaining security deposit back to you. Please make sure you provide us with your forwarding address when you turn in your keys.

When do I have to return the keys after I move out?

Keys must be returned within 12 hours of vacating the property. You are not officially moved out until the keys are returned and you may be responsible for charges until the keys are returned. Make sure you provide us with your forwarding address when you return your keys. There is a $35 fee for each non-returned key.

When is rent due?

Rent is due on the 1st of the month and considered late after 5pm on the 5th of the month. Rent must be in our office by 5pm on the 5th of the month. If you pay rent after 5pm on the 5th of the month there is a late fee that is assessed per your lease agreement of 10% of the total rent amount that has not been paid.

Where can I get information on your available properties?

Information on our properties can be found on our website www.RinerRentals.com 24 hours a day.  You can also contact our office by phone at 540.438.8800 or stop by our office anytime to speak with a property manager.  We are located at 1587 Port Republic Road, Suite #3, Harrisonburg, VA 22801.  Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm and Saturdays from 9:00am to 1:00pm.  We are available Sundays by appointment only. 

Who must fill out an application?

Each adult (person over 18 years of age) planning to occupy the property must fill out an application.

Why does my guarantor have to fill out an application?

Just like our residents that do not need a guarantor, we must evaluate the creditworthiness of anyone involved in the leasing process. The guarantor’s credit must be satisfactory and income must be approximately five times the monthly rent amount.

Why must all prospective tenants fill out an application?

Every adult who resides in the property must be listed on the lease to have a legal right to occupy the property. We must verify and approve of everyone on the lease.