FAQS

Applicant

How do I apply?

Once you decide that you have found the right apartment, contact one of our leasing associates at leasing@quadphilly.com or our office number: 215-735-9729.

Will you check my credit?

Yes, credit checks are performed on all apartment applicants. If an applicant has bad or limited credit, acceptance may be contingent on the applicant obtaining a co-signer.

Is there an application fee?

There is no application fee, but you will need to submit a deposit with your application.

Should I purchase renter’s insurance?

We strongly encourage you to purchase renter’s insurance. It is inexpensive and will protect you in the case of a loss. Except in the case of negligence, your landlord is not responsible for damage or theft of your property. Being uninsured in either of those scenarios will mean needing to repair or replace your property at your own cost. Renter’s insurance can help with this.

Are your apartments pet-friendly?

We allow pets in many of our apartments. Approval is at the owner’s sole discretion. We require you to list your pet on your application and, if approved, we will charge $50/mo as additional rent. We will ask you for photos and a description of your pet before giving approval. If you are a new resident with a pet, final approval for your pet occurs when we send you the lease.

Can I see an apartment more than once?

There are exceptions to every rule, but in general we try to show our apartments only once to any given applicant.

How much do I need to pay before I move in?

You will pay a Security Deposit when you apply. When you sign your lease, you will pay a Last Month’s Rent deposit. Each payment is equal to one month’s rent.

Tenant

How do I pay my rent?

You will complete an authorization form, which is available for download on this website, and from that point forward an ACH debit from your checking account will occur on the first of each month.

What happens if I can't pay my rent?

A fee of 6% of outstanding rent is applied to any late rent.

May I apply my security deposit to my last month’s rent?

Your security deposit is in place to compensate for any damage to your apartment outside of typical wear and tear. Because of that, the security deposit must still be in place when the lease ends, meaning you may not apply it to your last month’s rent.

Can I add an additional roommate to the lease?

On a case by case basis, you may add an additional roommate. Please refer to your lease for the specific policies for your apartment. Typically we will screen the new applicant, accept or decline him/her, and then notify you of any rent increases or security deposit increases associated with the addition.

What if my roommate wants to move out?

If your roommate wants to move out, you will each still be responsible for the entirety of the rent due under the lease. If you would like to add a new roommate to fill in for your departing roommate, we will need him/her to fill out an application. We will review the application, and either accept or deny the applicant. If accepted, we will have him/her sign a short one page document, which will formally add him/her to the lease.

May I end the lease early?

The lease is a legal agreement and, as such, you should not expect that changes would be made. Occasionally, a tenant may end a lease early if he/she finds a replacement who meets our screening requirements, but these arrangements are made on a case by case basis and nothing in the lease provides for an early termination.

How do I report a repair that needs to be performed in my home?

First, please visit the maintenance section of our FAQ page to see if there are any remedies that you can try yourself. If you don’t see a solution there, send an e-mail to operations@quadphilly.com to notify us of the issue. Someone will reply shortly. If it is an emergency, contact us by telephone.

What is considered an emergency?

An emergency is anything that poses a hazard to life or property if not immediately addressed.

I would like to paint some walls in my apartment. Is that OK?

If you’d like to paint any walls, you’ll need written permission first. Please provide a swatch or color ID # for us to review and approve. Before you move out, you’ll need to repaint the walls so they are the same color they were when you moved in.

Will I be charged for repairs at the property?

Any repairs that result from typical wear and tear are not your responsibility. Any repairs that are needed due to tenant negligence, neglect, or misuse will be charged to you or taken out of your security deposit.

How do I store and dispose of trash?

Be a good neighbor and make sure to keep your trash in your own unit or in your own yard until trash day. On trash day, make sure to follow local ordinances about when trash cans are allowed to be set on the sidewalk.

I locked myself out of my apartment. What do I do?

If you lock yourself out of your apartment, please try to solve the situation on your own by contacting a roommate or someone with whom you left a spare key. If you need an extra copy of your key, you can set up a time (on a weekday between 10am and 6pm) to pick one up at our office. If you are locked out of your apartment outside of these hours and have no other choice, you may use a locksmith, at your own expense, to gain entrance to your apartment. Please do not change the locks to your apartment without first asking us. If a locksmith alters your doors or locks, please be aware that we will charge you to correct what has been changed.

I have a car and would like to park near my home. Do you have any advice?

The Philadelphia Parking Authority issues parking permits for different zones around the city. These parking permits allow you to park without paying within the PPA zone in which you live. Contact the PPA for more information.

Who is responsible for the utilities?

Refer to your lease to be sure, but tenants are usually responsible to pay for all utilities. Typically, this means that you should put the electric (PECO), gas (PGW) and cable/internet (Verizon or Comcast) in your own name. Tenants are also, in general, responsible for paying for their water usage. Rather than change the name on that account, which can be exceedingly difficult, we will bill you for your usage.

How do I get the utilities changed to my name?

Contact the utility company. Typically, you should be able to apply online for a service transfer. Occasionally, proof of residence will be necessary. For documentation purposes, you are usually able to use your lease, or cell phone/credit card/any other bill with the property address and your name on it. We usually do not require tenants to put water accounts in their name because the water department makes it very difficult. Instead, we pay the water bills and ask tenants to occasionally reimburse us for the cost. If we have been paying the water bills for your apartment and you would like an update about how much they cost, please e-mail us.

May I change the locks?

No – You may not change the locks. If you change the locks for any reason, we will charge you to correct what has been changed.

Maintenance

Garbage Disposal

Proper Usage

Never put grease, coffee grounds, starchy or stringy vegetables, pasta, egg shells, rice, fruit pits, seeds, or bones in the disposal. Generally, only put small amounts of food in the disposal at a time.

Trouble Shooting

If you flip on the switch and hear a humming noise, there is likely something impeding the blades or fly wheel from rotating. The blades can be manually rotated with a wrench to clear the impediment. Look underneath the garbage disposal. You should see a hexagonal hole. Often, there is a hexagonal wrench in a bag attached to the disposal. If not, purchase one from a hardware store. Once you have the wrench, insert it in the hole and rotate it in a circle in each direction until you feel the wrench moving easily. Turn on the water and turn on the disposal. Things should be working properly again.

If you flip on the switch and don’t hear anything at all, the circuit breaker on the garbage disposal has likely flipped off because something was clogging the disposal.  There is a small red button on the bottom of the disposal that you can push to flip it back on.  It is small, and sometimes hard to find.  It usually makes a slight clicking noise when you flip back on the circuit.  You will probably also need to unclog the disposal using the steps above in order to get the disposal to run.

Heat Pump

At most temperatures, a heat pump is one of the most efficient ways of warming a house. However, when temperatures drop below 30 degrees, it’s not rare for the heat pump’s backup furnace to power up. The lower the outside temperature, the more your heat pump will rely on the backup, which is comprised of coils (not unlike a toaster). There is an emergency button that is for just that, emergencies. Pressing the emergency button will cause the heat pump to rely solely on the back-up system, which will be significantly less efficient and thus more expensive. Only use the emergency button as a last resort.

Air Filter

We endeavor to keep extra air filters in your home so that you can easily replace your filter every month or two. Replacing your air filter will significantly improve the efficiency of your heater/air conditioning unit. The frequency with which you’ll need to replace the filter depends on the type of filter your system requires. You’ll know how often to replace the air filter based on what it says on your filter. Changing the air filter should be simple once you learn how, but if you need the assistance of the internet, try searching “replacing air filter for heat pump.”

Wood Floors

One major culprit of scratches on wood floors is furniture. Chairs, tables, and sofas all stay in one place most of the time, but when they’re dragged across a wood floor they leave scratches that are expensive to remove. Avoid making the scratches in the first place by putting felt pads under the contact points between your furniture and the floor.

Drains

If your toilet, sink, or shower drain is clogged, your first attempt to fix the problem should be with a plunger. If attempting to clear a clog in a sink or shower drain, make sure to plug any overflow holes with a rag, then place the plunger over the drain and force the plunger handle down forcefully. If it feels like you don’t have a tight seal, consider applying a thick layer of petroleum jelly to the plunger and then try thrusting forcefully again.

If the plunger does not work, and the clog is in the bathroom sink or shower drain, the cause is most likely hair; try using a drain tool such as Zip-It. You can buy a drain tool at most hardwares.

If none of these methods work, you should try clearing the drain with store bought chemicals or any of the natural combinations (vinegar and baking soda) that are suggested and described online.

If none of the above suggestions resolve the problem, contact us.

Roof

If your roof leaks during a hard rain storm, and the paint or drywall is beginning to bubble, pierce a small opening in the ceiling where the bulk of water is coming through so that the water can escape, and place a bucket beneath the hole to catch the water. We will not be able to patch the leak during the storm, but we will be out as soon as we can to repair your ceiling and to prevent it from happening in the future.

Shower Curtain

Make sure that all water from your shower or bath goes down your drain. It sounds obvious, but some people don’t realize that when they splash water out of their tub or shower, they can cause damage to apartments beneath them. Make sure you have a shower liner inside your tub or shower that directs water into the basin and down the drain.

Caulk

If you notice that the caulk around your tub, shower pan, or sink is dry, cracked, or not in place, let us know. This is a simple fix and can help avoid leaks in rooms below your tub.

Light bulb

Changing light bulbs is the responsibility of the tenant. If a light bulb is not easily reached, you may have to borrow a step stool or ladder.

Washer Dryer

Make sure to clean the lint filter every time you use the dryer. Lint buildup is a serious fire hazard.  Do not keep any flammable products near the clothes dryer.  Do not do laundry for people that are not on your lease or permit them to do laundry in your machine.

Move Out

When should I move out?

Review your lease. You will need to be completely moved out by whatever date and time is specified in your lease.

If you choose to move out early, please notify us.

How do I return my keys?

You can drop them off to our office Monday through Friday 10am – 6pm or send them in the mail. If you do choose to send them in the mail be sure to tape them to cardboard or a thicker stock so that they do not puncture the envelope and fall out in transit. A cushioned envelope will work, as well.

How do I get my security deposit back?

You will need to complete our security deposit return form. This form provides us with important information such as the address to which you would like your security deposit returned.

When will I receive my security deposit?

You will receive your security deposit within 30 days of the end of your lease.

May I use you as a reference for my next apartment?

Absolutely. We enjoy sharing the good news about quality tenants.