Tenant Handbook

GENERAL INFORMATION

Ithaca East Apartments is owned and managed by Bruce D. Abbott Management LLC.  The property manager is Bruce D. Abbott, a Licensed Real Estate Broker in New York State. The Management Office phone number is (607)319-0692.  E-mail:  [email protected]

All applicant and tenant inquiries should be directed to the Maintenance and Rental Office.  The phone number is (607)319-0692The 24-hour Emergency Hotline is (607) 379-0081.  If leaving an emergency message, please speak slowly and clearly giving apartment number (Example: Apple-6), phone number if available, and urgent issue.  If we do not respond within 20 minutes, please call back.  For life-threatening emergencies, such as acute medical conditions or accidents, fire, or domestic violence, call 911.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

A pre-application form is available on this website, or it can be obtained from the Rental Office at 301 Maple Avenue, F-5, Ithaca, NY  14850.  The information asked for will help us determine the household composition, appropriate apartment size, and allow us to contact your past landlords.

The application form which will be necessary after the pre-application is evaluated will contain personal, sensitive data that will not be sent over the Internet, and every effort will be made to maintain its confidentiality.  We will not share your personal information with any third-party, unless compelled to do so by a law enforcement agency, or with the written consent of the Tenant.

RESIDENT QUALIFICATIONS:

Residents at Ithaca East Apartments will be chosen on the basis of a demonstrated ability to pay the rent required, rental history, and in some cases credit history and criminal background checks.  If such personal background checks are required, Management will notify the applicant in advance and obtain their permission to submit their personal information to the appropriate agency.  Admission in the light of negative information will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by Management which is not obligated to admit those applicants who are not considered compatible with the policies of the Ownership.

MOVE-IN PROCEDURE:

Upon move-in, we recommend that you conduct an overall check of the condition of the apartment.  To avoid being charged later for unusual conditions, please make a written record of such conditions and submit a copy to the Office for your file.

SECURITY DEPOSIT:

Management requires a Security Deposit equal to one month’s rent prior to move-in.  The payment must be in the form of a Money Order.  The Security Deposit will be placed in a numbered savings account in the name of the Head of Household at the Tompkins Trust Company, Ithaca, NY, and will be held until after the final inspection, and returned, if applicable, with interest within 30 days after the date of move-out.

A list of common charges that may be levied against the Security Deposit, or that may be required to be paid during the tenancy period is included at the end of this Handbook.

If the Head of Household (the name associated with the Security Deposit account) vacates prior to other members of the household, notice should be so served at the Office and a discussion can be had with Management regarding how the Security Deposit shall be administered among the remaining members of the household.

KEYS:

A front door key will be issued to each adult in the household over the age of 18.  There will be a charge for lost keys that require replacement.  A key copy borrowed from the Office should be returned to the Office as soon as possible.  If a front door lock must be changed for any reason except mechanical malfunction, the cost of the lock and installation may be charged to the Tenant.  Keys lent to non-household members is done so at the sole risk of the Tenant.

Those requesting a key at the Office, or to be let in to an apartment must show ID and be identified from the household file.  Management is very careful to verify identity before opening doors.

After-hours lock-outs (between the hours of 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. weekdays, or on week-ends) will be treated on a case-by-case basis.  Repeated instances may be charged to the household at the discretion of Management. 

RENT:

Rent is due on the first of each month with a 5-day grace period.  The Office will collect a fee of $5.00 for rent paid after the fifth of the month, and $1.00 for each day there-after.  Personal Checks or Money Orders should be made payable to

Bruce D. Abbott Management LLC

Cash payments will be accepted under certain circumstances, but not on a regular basis.  Please make sure that your apartment number is written on the check.  Rent can be dropped into the appropriately marked box at the Office (F-5), but not for cash payments which should be made in person.  To avoid late payment penalties, allow time for mailing, or use the rent box outside the Office.

 EXTERMINATION:

On the third Thursday of each month, between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., a licensed commercial exterminator, accompanied by an agent of Bruce D. Abbott Management, will apply a preventative chemical spray for cockroaches in apartment locations where they are most likely to occur. 

Infestations of any bugs (roaches, spiders, bedbugs, fleas, bees, wasps, etc.) should be reported to the Office immediately for a special application before they can spread to neighboring apartments.  Boxes moved into the apartment that have been stored for any length of time, or that have originated in large city environments or foreign countries, should be carefully checked and repacked if possible.  Mattresses, even new ones, should be carefully checked for bedbugs, especially under seams.  The purchase of second-hand mattresses is not recommended, even if there is no visual evidence of bedbugs.

A highly-magnified bedbug. Actual size is approximately that of a grain of rice. 
Bedbug

NOTE:  There is no history of bedbug infestation at Ithaca East Apartments.  Let’s keep it that way!

INSIDE OF YOUR APARTMENT

 

UTILITIES:

The following utilities are included in your rental payment:  heat (September 15-May 30), cold and hot water, electricity, cooking gas.  Please be mindful that these commo-dities are expensive and need to be conserved.  Waste will be reflected in future rent increases.

SERVICES:

The following services are included in your rental payment:  Internet; parking; garbage, rubbish, and food waste removal; snow removal; and most repairs to the interior of your unit.  Broken screens, broken windows, holes in walls, stained carpets, or water damage will be charged directly to the Household.

INTERNET:

Hi-speed Internet service is provided by Clarity Connect of Ithaca, NY.  Please contact their service department directly for issues associated with this service provided to you free-of-charge by the Owner. 

Regular Hours:  M-F, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.  Phone:  (607)257-8268;
After Hours/Weekend Emergency Line:   (607)330-1218

KITCHEN:

Stove- All stoves are equipped with electronic ignition.  If the odor of natural gas is detected, call the Emergency Office Number immediately.  Do not call from inside the apartment as cell phones can ignite gas.

Top Burners- It is the Tenant’s responsibility to keep the stove top, under the stove top, oven, and broiler pans clean.  Oven cleaner from any store will do the job.  Use as recommended.  Make sure that the oven is cold and thoroughly rinse off the cleaner residue.  Upon move-out, charges will be made for stoves that are not clean.

Refrigerator- Do not pack the freezer so full that contents block cooling vents.  To clean the refrigerator inside and out, a mix of water and baking power works nicely.

Sink- Please handle cooking grease as suggested below. Make sure that a strainer basket is in the kitchen drain to catch food scraps so that they do not plug the pipes.  For slow drains, boiling hot water helps.  If the drain is stopped up, then report it to the Maintenance Offices so that it can be professionally treated.  DO NOT USE DRAIN CLEANERS OR ACID IN TH DRAINS.  It is advisable to check under the kitchen sink on a regular basis.  If the trap leaks, or the facet is dripping, report it immediately so not to waste water and cause further damage.

Cooking Grease- Do not dump hot grease down the sink drain or flush down the toilet.  Make sure that all grease from cooking is put into a container for future disposal, not down sink drains or toilets.  Suggestion:  keep a tin can in the freezer, and add hot grease to it until ready to be placed into a dumpster in solid form.

Countertops- To avoid cuts and gouges in counter tops, a wooden or plastic cutting board is recommended.  Do not place hot pots or pans directly on the counter surface.  Mild cleansers are suggested to avoid scratches.

Floors- Removal of loose dirt and occasional mopping is recommended.  The use of ammonia, or concentrated products containing ammonia will strip off wax and cause eventual wear to the linoleum beneath.

BATHROOM:

Toilets- The maintenance of our sewer system is a constant and expensive concern.  The best rule:  TOILETS ARE FOR HUMAN WASTE AND TOILET TISSUE ONLY.  Paper towels, feminine products, Q-tips, condoms, kitty litter (pets are not allowed), food scraps and other products advertised as disposable should be collected and taken to a dumpster.  Disposable does not necessarily mean flushable.  It is a good idea to keep a toilet plunger handy in case of a clog.  If you hear the sound of running water or a dripping sound when not in use, please report this to the Office, as this is a waste of water.

If a sewer blockage can be attributed to a particular apartment unit, Management reserves the right to charge the Household for the professional correction of the problem.

Sinks- If a faucet is dripping or a drain is slow, contact the Office.  Even a small drip amounts to a tremendous amount of wasted water over time.

LIGHT FIXTURES:

The Tenant is responsible for the replacement of light bulbs after move-in.  The recommended replacement bulb is a 15-watt CFL bulb to conserve electricity.  Refrigerators take a special appliance bulb made for colder temperatures.

SMOKE AND CO2 DETECTORS:

Under State and local laws, all smoke and C02 detectors in the apartment must be working at all times.  It is the Tenant’s responsibility that all alarms have working batteries.  If the alarm beeps, and continues to beep periodically, this is a sign that the 9-volt battery inside needs replacing.  If you are unsure of how to replace the battery, call the Office for assistance.

HEAT:

During the heating season when the outside temperature is below 50-degrees, all windows must be kept closed to prevent waste.  During the winter when the outside temperature is below freezing, leaving a window open, even one inch, can freeze the heat lines beneath the window and cause a flood.  Management will watch for open windows and repeat offenses may result in a charge to the Tenant. 

Heating Season:  September 15 – May 31.

PETS:

Dogs and cats, or other animals that require access to the areas outside of your apart-ment unit are prohibited.  Visitors should be made aware of this rule as well. 

The issue of service animals, as defined by Federal Law, will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will require a discussion with the Office, as part of the application process.

OUTSIDE OF YOUR APARTMENT:

THE DRIVEWAY:

The driveway and parking areas at Ithaca East Apartments are the private property of the Owner, and thus subject to rules of use as are from time to time made and enforced.  First and foremost, a speed limit of 10 MPH is posted in several places, and is expected to be observed by tenants, visitors, and service vehicles.  This limit was set because is allows the driver of a vehicle to react to a child or other person who may cross the vehicle’s path, especially around blind corners.  Management takes the limit seriously and we ask you to do the same. 

In addition, incoming or outgoing cars should respect the rights of other and keep sound levels at normal volumes.

We also ask that apartment access points, especially when snow is piled up around the parking areas, remain unobstructed by parked vehicles.  The Owner reserves the right to tow vehicles without notice to the owner when deemed necessary.

BACK PORCHES:

While your back porch is a part of your apartment, it is exposed to the public.  We cannot accept any responsibility for any items stolen or vandalized.  Tenants must not store recyclables, garbage, broken furniture, automobile tires, or any items deemed flammable or inappropriate in the opinion of the Owner.  The patio door is a second exit in case of fire and must be left unobstructed at all times.  If you need advice or assis-tance in removing unneeded items, please contact the Office.

GARBAGE COLLECTION:

Two dumpsters are currently available for your convenience.  Seal household garbage in a plastic bag and place completely in the dumpster.  We would greatly appreciate if bottles, cans, cardboard, compost, and other recyclable items are placed in the appropriate bins.

RECYCLING:

Every effort has been made to provide a receptacle for the disposal of recyclable items.  Please use the appropriate one for the item being disposed of.  Cardboard should be cut down and stacked upright between bins.

Your cooperation in the disposal of garbage/rubbish/recycling is greatly appreciated!

DISPOSAL OF FURNITURE & OTHER LARGE ITEMS:

If you have furniture or large items to dispose of, please place them neatly next to the garbage dumpsters.  Metal items or electronic items should be left on the north side of the Maintenance Shed.

THE LAUNDRY ROOM:

The Laundry Room, located next to the Management/Rental Office is open 24-hours a day, unless otherwise posted.  If you lose money in the machines, or a machine is malfunctioning, notify the Office during business hours, or leave a note in the Rent/ Paperwork slot outside the Office.  A note placed on the machine as well would be a nice gesture to the next user.  The room is under constant camera surveillance.

PARKING:

There is no assigned parking at Ithaca East Apartments – parking is first-come, first-served.  All parking, driveway, sidewalk, and lawn areas are private property, and thus subject to rules set by the Owner.  Your rights as a tenant begin at your front door and do not extend beyond same.  The Office reserves the right to tow any vehicle to an impound that is disabled, lacks plates or current registration, missing tires, or is parked in a restricted area.  All vehicles must be moved during storms to help facilitate snow removal or at the request of Staff.  The Owner reserves the right to plow in any vehicle that impedes snow removal — the digging out of same will be the responsibility of the vehicle owner.  Please observe signs. 

WHEN YOU GO AWAY:

When you leave on vacation, or for more than three days during the winter, please call or drop off a note at the Office.  We reserve the right to check for frozen pipes and to close open windows during your absence.

Please do the following before you leave for extended periods:

    • Make sure heat is set at 68 degrees – never turn it off!
    • Close and lock all windows.
    • Turn off all lights, or use timers.
    • Place a stick in patio doors and ground floor windows for added security.

You may be liable for water damage caused by broken pipes due to negligence.

RENTER'S INSURANCE:

We highly recommend renter’s insurance to protect your personal belongings.  It is easily obtained and relatively inexpensive.  The Landlord is not responsible for damage to your belongings caused by personal errors, fire, water damage, theft, or other events outside of the Landlord’s control.

CHARGES FOR VARIOUS SERVICES OR ITEMS:

From time to time, it will be necessary to pass charges or expenses incurred by the Landlord in a variety of instances onto the Tenant.  Following PDF docutment shows a representative listing of items and typical expenses for your information:

Tenant charges (PDF, 50 KB)

NOTICE:

The information contained in this Handbook is only provided as a courtesy and is not intended to substitute for, or to be an interpretation of, your lease agreement with Bruce D. Abbott Management LLC, or the Rules and Regulations that are made a part of your lease.  Please review those documents to familiarize yourself with the provisions contained therein.

The ownership and staff of Bruce D. Abbott Management LLC wish you and your household a pleasant and mutually cooperative stay at Ithaca East Apartments. 

 

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