Frequently Asked Questions
HOW TO
APPLY
Q.
What do I have to do to apply for an
apartment?
A.
Our process is simple! Either click “Apply” on our website,
or contact our office directly and we will walk you through the
process. This will give you instructions on our
requirements. PRIOR TO APPLYING, please be prepared to do the
following:
1. BE SURE ITS WHERE YOU WANT TO LIVE, as our applications are
legally binding and you will not be released from
obligations.
2. You will need to pay a $40 application fee for
processing.
3. You will need to pay your security deposit at the time of
applying which is $500 per person.
WEBSITE URL:
www.thecommonsofscranton.com
Q.
What needs completed for me to be able to move
in?
A. 1.
Completed Online Application with Security Deposit ($500) and
Application Fee ($40) paid in full
These fees are part of the application and the application will
not be considered “complete” until they are paid online.
2. A parent or guardian will need to be added to your application
and also sign a form. This is required for all students.
3. A lease will need to be signed. This will be emailed to you and
can be signed online once the application is complete.
4. First month’s rent and utility fee are due prior to receiving
keys to the apartment.
LEASE
TERMS
Q.
What are the lease terms?
A. The
leases run August through May. The specific start and end date
change yearly, depending on the academic calendar for the school.
For example, in 2019-2020, the leases went from 8/24/19 –
5/16/20.
We do not require a 12 month lease; this way you don’t have to
worry about finding a sub-let or paying for renting in the summer
if you would like to return home. Although, if you would like to
stay through the summer to take classes or for any reason at all,
we will allow it and even at a discounted
rate!
PAYMENTS
Q.
When is rent due? / What is the payment
structure?
A.
Rent is due by the 1st day of each month. We collect the rent in
10 equal monthly installments to make it
more manageable. For example, if your lease is for the amount of
$6000.00 for a school year, you will pay 10 equal payments of
$600.00.
Rent is not pro-rated.
Understand that our leases are 10 monthly installment leases
therefore you will pay 10 full monthly payments, or you can pay in
full per year or semester.
Q. What if I forget to pay my rent?
A. We do give you a grace period to pay by the 5th
of each month without late charges. However, if rent is
received after the 5th, your account is charged an automatic late
fee until it is paid in full.
Q. What is a Utility Fee and why/when do I pay
this?
A. The utility fee is to cover ALL utilities such
as your heat, central air, cable, internet, electric, gas, water,
sewer, trash, snow removal and lawn maintenance. This fee is
paid two times per 10 month lease at the beginning of each
semester. (Fee due with your August rent and fee due with
your January rent).
With this, you will have no utilities in your name and will not
have to worry about who’s name to put certain bills in. This
alleviates late monthly payments that could harm your credit
rating. We want you to focus on being a student!
Q. Are there any other fees or
options?
A. Parking: Parking is available on-site for
a small fee of $50 per semester. We have a gated lot to guarantee
you a spot at the housing and right across from the campus! We
provide you with a parking pass for your windshield.
Q. What about Insurance?
A. We REQUIRE that ALL tenants have rental
insurance. This is for your protection! And luckily, it very
affordable!
Why buy renter’s insurance?
Your landlord’s property insurance won’t help you if disaster
strikes. It covers the structure, but not any of your
things. Renters insurance covers your belongings from all
the possible bad events that are listed in the policy, such as
fire, smoke, water damage, windstorms, lightning, theft and even
vandalism. Even if you don’t think your stuff is worth that much,
renter’s insurance is a good idea. The cost of replacing just a
basic wardrobe and only a few pieces of furniture adds up quickly.
Plus, renter’s insurance covers more than your personal belongings
at home. Here are some other things a policy can cover:
- Hotel costs after a disaster
- Medical expenses for injured guests
- Damage that you or your guests may cause
others
- Legal costs if you’re sued
- Stuff you’ve rented or borrowed
- If someone breaks into your car
Shopping for coverage:
Decide how much renters insurance coverage you need before you buy.
Purchase enough insurance to replace all of your belongings, plus
consider the added options that allow you to get the above
coverages. We require a minimum of $1,000,000 in liability coverage
with ourselves listed as an additional insured. Remember to quotes
from several insurers, including the company that provides your car
insurance. You likely will score a discount if you buy renters and
car insurance from the same company.
Q.
How can I pay my rent?
A. We
have a quick and easy process online. When you apply for an
apartment with us, you automatically have a “Resident
Portal”. This portal is extremely helpful! From here,
you can pay rent, look at your lease agreement and request
maintenance all at one time! When you submit a payment
online, there is a $1.95 processing fee for online payments made
with a bank account. Credit card companies charge various fees as
well. Otherwise, you can drop the rent off to our
office. OR, you can mail your payment to our office.
Keep in mind, if you are mailing the payment, late fees start on
the 5
th and we go by the date that the check is
received, not the date that it is postmarked!
We accept payments with a credit card, debit card, check, e-check
(bank account number), or money order. No cash.
Q.
Can I pay the entire semester at once?
A.
You absolutely can do this. However, we like to try and
lessen the burden and split the rent into 10 monthly installment
payments.
Q.
Can I use financial aid to pay for my housing?
A.
Yes, you can use financial aid to assist in paying for
housing. HOWEVER, there are a few rules that we need to abide
by because typically loan payments are not paid out until AFTER you
are required to pay your rent. You must clearly communicate
to our office that you are waiting on your student loan and you
MUST provide us with two things:
1. A copy of your statement showing that you are waiting on the
disbursement. This statement must show that the refund you
are receiving is greater than the amount that we are waiting to
collect.
2. Sign a Deferred Payment form
Please know that if you are using aid, we need both of these items
and cannot take one without the other. Additionally, we always need
the security deposit and first month’s rent and utility fee to move
forward, but future month’s rent installments (Ie.: Sept 1) can
wait until the disbursement is made.
Contact our office and we will walk you through this simple
process!
Q.
I have signed all of the forms for the Deferred Payment,
why am I getting notices that rent is due and now I have late
fees?
A. Our
computer system automatically generates late notices if you have a
balance on your account. If you have followed all of the
procedures for the deferred payment plan, understand that your
account will continue to accrue late fees until the account is
brought to a zero balance. If all steps have been followed,
once payment is received, we will then remove all late fees from
the account.
Q.
What happens if I don’t pay my rent, or I pay
late?
A.
We as the Landlord, have an obligation to the owner of the property
to collect all rents and on time. If you are not on a
deferred payment plan your account will receive late fees that you
will be responsible for. (Please see above, When Is Rent
Due) If you have not paid your rent by the 14
th of
the month our office starts the procedures for filing a complaint
with the local Magistrates office. At the time we drop off
paperwork to the Magistrates office for non-payment, we must pay a
court fee to do so. In exchange, we do charge YOU the court
fees and you are responsible for the court fees once the paperwork
has been filed. You will then receive notification from the
Magistrates office giving you a date and time for your court
hearing. It is highly recommended that you attend the
hearing, so you fully understand what will potentially happen if
you do not pay the rent.
COMMUNITY
Q.
Are there RA’s or Live-In staff?
A. The
Commons has on-site staff / interns who live here. Additionally,
the office is open daily from 9AM - 5PM excluding weekends and
holidays.
Q.
What sort of events do you do for the
residents?
A. We
try to host approximately one event per month for our
resident-guests.
Here are some examples of things that we have offered:
- parking lot party which included tons of pizza, sports, games,
and give-a-ways
- movie nights
- potluck dinners
- video game nights
- pizza parties
- a parking space “chalk-out”
- contests in which tickets to concerts and PSU football games
have been given away
- scavenger hunts
- complimentary coffee / hot chocolate bars
- bowling nights
Plus many more to come! We love when residents recommend events and
always try to cater!
Q.
How do I know what is going on at the Community? How
is this communicated to me?
A. In
order to apply for our apartments, you must have an email
address. PLEASE UNDERSTAND that our computer system sends ALL
communication via email. It is imperative that you check your
emails on a daily basis. We often announce community events,
specials and other exciting things also on our Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/thecommonsofscranton.
SO don’t forget to like us so you can be kept up to date on all of
the FUN STUFF! Tell your friends to “Like Us” too,
because not all giveaways are for resident guests only!
Q.
Why do you recommend living at The Commons instead of
commuting?
A.
Being that the apartments are right on the edge of campus, it gives
you easy access to all of the wonderful activities that PSU has to
offer! Our residents always form a “community” bond and enjoy
walking back and forth to class and events together. Our live-in
interns will often go door-to-door to see if residents would like
to attend events with them. It helps our residents to gain a solid
core group of students to study with and rely on during collegiate
times.
Q.
Are there laundry facilities on site?
A.
We provide laundry on-site. It is typically located in the building
that the guest resides. The machines are coin operated. They cost
$3.00 per load.
Q.
What else do you have on site?
A.
We have vending machines for drinks and snacks and beautiful
outdoor gazebos.
Q.
Do you offer maintenance?
A. We
have maintenance regularly at the property! You can submit a
maintenance request anytime through the resident portal app on your
phone, from your laptop or ipad, or even by calling the office! We
also have a 24-hour maintenance emergency line!
Maintenance Fees: You pay for maintenance only if we make
repairs due to your negligence. Examples: Holes in
walls, holes in doors, damage to countertops, improperly disposing
of trash (leaving it at your front door), lock out fees because you
forgot your key, etc.
Cleaning Fees: This typically only applies at the end of your
lease term. If you do not follow our instructions on cleaning
when you vacate, we do have contractors who will clean your room
and the amount will be deducted from your deposit. (Please
refer to “Move Out Procedures”)
THE
APARTMENTS
Q.
What size are the beds?
A.
The beds are twin extra long.
Q.
What furniture comes with the apartment?
A.
Living Room: Sofa, loveseat, end tables, Flat Screen TV,
dining room table and chairs. The bedrooms have beds, wardrobes,
desks and desk chairs.
Q.
What appliances come with the apartment?
A.
The kitchens are equipped with a stove, dishwasher, microwave and
refrigerator. This does not include pots/pans, utensils,
dishes, etc.
Q.
What do I need to bring with me to my apartment?
A.
All of the apartments are equipped with the basic furniture and
basic appliances. You are responsible for your own linens,
area rugs, kitchen items (pots, pans, utensils, dishes, etc), small
appliances (toaster, coffee maker, etc) and any other article you
would need to comfortably reside in your apartment. Blinds
are provided for the windows. We suggest that you not install
any additional window coverings as it may damage the drywall around
the windows and you will be charged.
Please see the below list for suggestions on what to bring
-
Bed Linens
-
Blankets
-
Pillows
-
Storage cubes
-
Pots / Pans
-
Utensils
-
Dishes
-
Paper towels
-
Toilet Paper
-
Napkins
-
Dish Soap
-
Hand Soap
-
Toiletries
-
Shower Curtain
-
Bath Mats
-
Small Rugs
-
Hangers
-
Dish Washing Detergent
-
DVD Player or Movie Source
-
Coax / HDMI cables
-
Bath Towels
-
Quarters for Laundry
-
Hamper
-
Laundry Detergent
-
Toaster
-
Coffee Maker
-
Food / Beverages / Brita
-
School supplies / bag
-
Clothing / outerwear
-
Chargers
-
All Cleaning Supplies (Bathroom, Kitchen, Carpet, Stove Cleaner,
Vacuum, Broom, Lysol Wipes, etc)
OTHER
Q.
I
have signed a lease and/or submitted my application but do not want
to stay. How do I get out of my lease?
A.
Understand that by signing our application, you are legally bound
to the terms and conditions of the lease agreement. The
only way to be released from responsibility of the
lease term is to find a suitable replacement for your lease.
Please contact our office for complete details. It is
imperative that you understand we are not in business to release
resident guests from responsibility and will file a Landlord/Tenant
action against you for the full lease term.
Q.
Can I choose my roommates?
A.
Yes. If you are moving in and have someone else who wants to
live with you, please have them apply online at the same time and
be sure to send us an email immediately with your roommate
preference.
Q.
Do you offer co-ed housing?
A.
If you do not have a roommate, we match you up with other Males or
Females only. The only exception would be if you found an
entire group to live with and you came in all together to take an
entire apartment.
Q.
What if my roommate moves out, am I responsible for their
lease?
A.
No. All leases are joint and several leases with individual
rent responsibility. What this means is that you are not
responsible to pay your roommates rent if they decide not
to.
Q.
Are my roommates and I jointly responsible for
anything?
A. You
each have your own lease agreement, however any common space that
is shared, you are jointly responsible for. For instance, you
all have access to the living room, kitchen and bathrooms.
Any damage and/or cleaning necessary in these spaces, you are ALL
equally responsible for. If you rent your own single bedroom,
you are soley responsible for your bedroom. If you share a
bedroom, you and your roommate are jointly responsible for the
bedroom.
Q.
What do I do if my apartment is damaged when I move
in?
A.
Upon move in, you will receive a move in checklist. This
gives you the opportunity to go through the ENTIRE apartment being
as detailed as possible on things that have happened prior to your
arrival. Keep in mind, this is not a brand new property and
there will be some flaws. You will have 5 days to return this
to the office after taking occupancy. We will review this
list for any work order items and this list then remains on file
throughout your stay with us. It is then used as a tool when
refunding your deposit that the office will check. You will
NOT be charged for damages/flaws which happened prior to your
arrival if this checklist is returned to our
office.
Q.
Can I hang decorations on the walls?
A.
You can hang items on the walls, but you must use adhesives that
will not damage the walls when removed. Small nail holes are
permitted in small amounts, however no large screws or anything
that can damage the walls. Please remember, you
will be charged for any damage above and beyond
normal wear and tear.
Q.
What do I do if I have a maintenance
emergency?
A.
If you are in need of emergency maintenance after hours, you can
call
(800) 724-6007. Please note that this
number is for emergency purposes only. For
non-emergency items you can log onto your portal and enter a work
request, OR call our office and we can enter it for you!
Q.
What do I do if I get locked out of our
apartment?
A.
If it is during office hours, please visit the office for access to
your apartment. Otherwise, please call the maintenance emergency
line at
(800) 724-6007.
Q.
I am MOVING IN, when can I?
A.
In July, prior to move in, we will send out move in instructions
which will include office hours, rent due and all of the other
detailed information that you need! Remember, KEEP CHECKING
YOUR EMAIL, and LIKE US on Facebook as we often post announcements
in these two areas!
This year our move in date is AUGUST 18, 2018. There are no
exceptions to this date. You must get your keys on that day or wait
until Monday the 20th, which is the first day of school.
Q.
I
am moving out, what is the process?
A. We
have a detailed packet called “How to get my security deposit back”
manual that we will send out in April. (This comes via email,
so watch your email!) This will give you specific and
detailed instructions to follow. As long as you follow these
instructions on cleaning, have your rent paid in full and have not
damaged the apartment, you will have NO problem getting your full
deposit back! If you have any concerns, we are here!
Stop by and we can talk!
Please understand how charges are assessed at the end. You
are all equally responsible together for the common areas:
Living Room, Entry ways, Kitchen, Bathrooms. If cleaning and
or damages are noted in these areas, the bill that is received will
be split equally amongst all residents who occupied the
apartment. As for your bedroom, if you are in a single room
alone, you are fully responsible for all cleaning and/or damages in
that room. If you share a room, you and your roomie will be
charged equally for the cleaning and/or damages to the
room.