Resident FAQs
Answers to your frequently asked questions
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How do I pay rent?
We have a user friendly on-line portal you can pay your rent. Save money on postage and never worry about lost mail. Set up one-time or recurring secure bank transfers or eChecks... and with NO convenience fees! -
Avoiding Rental scams and Dishonest landlords:
Thank you for previewing our home for rent. This quick reference sheet will help you avoid rental scams and dishonest landlord. You may be dealing with a rental scam or a dishonest landlord if:- The landlord asks for the security deposit before you sign the lease
- You see the same property advertised on different web sites by different Landlords or management companies or for different prices
- The landlord lives out of state and doesn’t have a local management company with whom you can have regular contact
- The landlord will not provide you with their office or home address
- The landlord asks you for money up front to help you find a property
- The landlord doesn’t have an official ‘Rental Application’ form for you to complete • The landlord does not require that you sign a legally binding lease and give you a fully executed copy
If you suspect you are dealing with a scammer, feel free to contact our office and we will help in researching the property for you.
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I want to get a pet. What do I do?
Pet-Friendly Pet Policy
Many of our homes are pet friendly and will accept a maximum of 2 pets. If you apply for or reside in one of our homes and wish to have a pet, you will need to complete an online pet profile and pay a non-refundable pet application fee of $20 for the 1st pet and $15 for the 2nd pet. To start this profile please visit https://carolinapropertymanagement.petscreening.com/.
If your pet is approved you will need to pay a monthly lease administration fee of $25 for each pet. Carolina Property Management does accept assistant animals per state and federal guidelines. If you have an assistance animal, you will need to complete an online animal profile. There is no application fee for this process. Please contact our office with any questions. Unfortunately our insurance company will not allow the following dog breeds, even in our pet friendly homes:
Full breed or mixed breeds of:
- Akita
- Alaskan Malamute
- Doberman Pinscher
- German Shepherd
- Pit Bull
- Presa Canario
- Rottweiler
- Shar-pei
- Stafford Terrier
- Wolf/Dog hybrids
Any dog known to have vicious tendencies or known to have previously bitten someone is not permitted.
Any dog or cat under the age of one year is not allowed.
Ferrets are not allowed.
All pet reptiles, amphibians, rodents and birds must be caged.
Dog breeds other than those listed above and cats are considered on a case-by-case basis.
In the case of questions, the Landlord will make the final determination as to the breed or classification of any animal.
Online Pet Profile
https://carolinapropertymanagement.petscreening.com/Our Pet Profile provides you a secure place online to store all the important information about your pets. Pet Profiles can easily be shared with pet service providers such as veterinarians, animal hospitals, pet sitters and doggie daycares.
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Rental Fraud Scam Alert
The North Carolina Real Estate Commission has been receiving an increasing number of calls and emails about fraudulent rental ads attempting to scam innocent people out of their security deposits or application fees. These scam artists can be located anywhere in the world, yet claim they are local property owners. Here is information about rental scams and the Red Flags to alert you of a potential scam.
How You Can Avoid a Rental Scam
Many rental scams take place on social media. For example, a fake owner or fake property manager posts on Facebook, Craigslist, Twitter or other social media outlets. The posts look legitimate and may even have actual pictures of the real property they are claiming to be renting. In reality, the scammer has no connection to the property or right to advertise it, but the ad will ask for upfront payments to even view the property, or first month’s rent or a security deposit in advance. They may promise the money will be held in a trust account, and the destination appears to be legitimate, but it really goes to a scammer who is never heard from again. Being aware of this scam and not falling for these tactics can prevent the loss of hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Action You Can Take:
1. Never send money to someone online or electronically without verifying it is going to a legitimate place. Do your research and independently contact and verify that the person who will be holding any money is a real attorney, licensed real estate broker, or the true property owner.
2. Be skeptical of anyone asking for money upfront just to view a rental property. Make sure that you are communicating with the actual property owner or a licensed real estate broker. You can look the property owner up in public records for your county (typically through the tax department) and make sure you verify the identity of the person and their contact information. You can verify someone is a licensed real estate broker by searching the licensee look up page. From this page, you can verify that their email and other contact information matches the advertisement.
3. Avoid handling any rental transactions over the phone, email or by the internet, including social media. Make sure that you meet in-person with the owner or their real estate broker, as well as make a physical inspection of the property. Do not send any money until you have verified that the people and place are legitimate. You can ask to see the broker’s “pocket card” that shows they are a broker, and their driver license.
4. Search legitimate websites, like realtor.com, or actual property management company’s websites for true rental listings by licensed real estate professionals.
5. Search images on the Internet of the owner and broker, and see if they match the person you are dealing with.
6. Look for the Red Flags below and beware of these tactics.
Red Flags That You May Be Dealing With a Scammer
1. They don’t want to meet you in person.
2. The listing has typos or poor grammar.
3. The price is too good to be true.
4. They want you to move in immediately, without even seeing the property.
5. They ask for rent, a security deposit, or other up-front money before signing a lease.
6. There is no screening process.
What To Do If You Are Already a Victim Of a Rental Fraud Scam
If you have already responded to a fake ad and sent money, only to never hear from the scammer again, you can contact the North Carolina Attorney General’s office to notify them of the scam and provide as much information as you can. You can also contact local law enforcement (sheriff or police) and submit an internet crime complaint to the FBI to report the scam and see if there is any chance of recovery.
Contact the Commission’s Regulatory Affairs Division at (919) 719-9180 and/or contact the Attorney General’s office (877-566-7226) if you have concerns about the actions of an unlicensed property owner, managing their own property, or other unlicensed property management activity.