Other, Current Residents

The traditional model of a management office is a retail office, has a receptionist answering the phone, greeting incoming guests who walk-in off the street, and someone always at the other end of the phone. BMore Management is different. We use technology and outsourcing to deliver a better overall experience, without the bricks and mortar with which you might be familiar, even though we are local.

Phone: You won't always find someone at the other end of the phone, EXCEPT in an emergency. Our staff are busy out in the field making sure our properties are safe, and our residents happy in their physical surroundings. Instead we employ a state of the art call center, available 24/7 so that your important EMERGENCY Call gets to a person who can then dispatch the necessary people to assist you. Call us for emergencies at 410-777-8651 24 / 7 / 365. Don't bother with email or anything else. You need a person; they are waiting for your call.

During business hours (9am-4pm M-F) you will reach one of our local team or our call center. We will help you as best we can. Please Always leave a voicemail when you call. We get a TON of calls, so this message is very important. We do return calls with messages by next business day.

Text: Nowadays it is very common to text/SMS anyone about anything. You probably expect someone to respond promptly to your Text/SMS, however, we do not maintain an 24/7 operator for this type of message. That is not to be rude or inconvenient. We need to ensure that if you contact us for an emergency, that message gets to exactly where it needs to go. Plus, in this age of always-on, always-connected living, we do want our staff to have a good quality of life without having to answer emails or text messages at all times when they are off-duty. We will be back with you during business hours by the next business day if we receive a text/SMS message from you. We may send you a SMS from time to time during emergency weather or emergency event situations or if we are not getting a response otherwise. This is purely to ensure you get an important message no matter where you are so that you can have the info you need regarding your home and safety. Believe us when we say we use this sparingly out of respect for you.

Online: The best way to reach us for your non-emergency issues is to post a maintenance or work request through your online portal. This allows us to track your request and see that it is handled. Those people you might talk to for the emergencies? They are entering the request in the portal at the same time that they call out for someone to assist you. It's just a convenience that helps you get the message to us quickly when you just don't have time or hands free to type it. Your request is important to us. We will get back to you within 1-2 business days for any billing/leasing/customer service matter, usually same business day or next, but some days are much busier than others, for non-emergencies.

Walk-In's: We don't have a retail walk-in presence in favor of a much more scaled-down, utilitarian local presence that keeps us lean and focused on action. We will be happy to see you in your home if it ever becomes necessary. We've found that it normally is not necessary. There are no such thing as billing, payment, or leasing emergencies. If it is necessary, we're happy to make an appointment with you so that someone can be available to give you their undivided attention. We do not accept walk-ins. All office meetings or in-person meetings are by appointment only.

Social Media: In spite of our adoption of technology and our desire to be available when we can, you can expect that we won't respond promptly to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or other social media. Between phones, meeting in person, and checking email we're pretty much “contacted” out. Please direct any concerns to us by phone, email, resident portal, or mail if you so desire. Just keep in mind that postal mail is not 100% reliable. Send your important mail by Priority or any other method with a tracking number.

Respect and Dignity

It is our belief that you are entitled to respect and dignity in all dealings with us. That may not mean that we see things your way, or do what you may wish when you may wish it. It does mean that we will respect you and your privacy, along with your safety and security. If any of our staff or contractors treats you with anything less than respect, please let us know. We do expect the same from you as our customer.

Alarms

You may have inquired about getting an alarm system or you may already have one installed. No matter what, we wanted to take a moment to share our alarm policy to help you stay in compliance with your lease.

You are permitted to install an alarm system if you adhere to all of the following requirements:

The alarm is professionally installed or you do not damage the property in any way during installation or removal.
You properly register any alarm that connects to emergency services with the appropriate local agency (note this is not automatic although some alarm companies will do this for you. Check with your servicer.)
You provide us with our own access code and basic instructions for disarming and re-arming the alarm. No exceptions. Our Landlords require unfettered access to the property at all times for emergencies and regular maintenance (notice will be provided)
You notify us in writing in advance of installing an alarm system.
You post a clear warning (alarm sticker etc) on the exterior of the property (and your apartment if you live in one of our apartment residences) that an alarm is present.
You do NOT install an alarm on the main door(s) of your apartment building if applicable.

As the owner of the alarm system, you are responsible for any false alarm charges, or other applicable fees related to the alarm system, especially those arising from an unregistered alarm, or false alarms caused by failure to provide us with an access code.

Other than that, be safe!

Payments

We offer online electronic payments not only for our own convenience but for your security and peace of mind. If you mail a payment to us we are never responsible for when we receive it nor if we receive it or not. 10's of thousands of mail pieces are lost or delayed annually through no fault of the sender or recipient. For that reason we STRONGLY encourage you to use our online payment system or make a cash payment at one of hundreds of participating 7-Eleven, CVS, Ace Cash Express or other locations. Those payments using your account number go direct to our bank and into your payment ledger immediately. Contact us for more information about Electronic Cash Payments. We do not accept cash directly for any purpose.

Response Time vs Resolution Time

Response Time: We would LOVE to be able to respond within minutes to every request 24/7. In fact, we are actively developing that service level. For now though we have to stick to what is reasonable given each different situation. For that reason we have summarized our response standards below. Please note that response time is the time you can expect to wait before receiving a response that we have received your concern and have begun to work on it. Not the same as resolution time which is actually taking care of your concern which can take longer depending on what it is.

Billing, payment, lease questions, general customer service: same-day (during business hours)- next business day
Regular maintenance, low priority (items that do not impact safety): same day (during business hours)-next business day
Emergency maintenance (items that impact safety, security): same day 0-3 hours

Resolution Time: We would also LOVE to be able to resolve your concern immediately, and even while on the phone with you! However, here too we must work with what is reasonable given each different situation. For that reason we have summarized our resolution standards below.

Billing, payment, lease questions, general customer service SIMPLE: 1-3 business days
Billing, payment, lease questions, general customer service COMPLEX: 3-10 business days
Regular maintenance, low priority (items that do not impact safety) SIMPLE: 1-5 business days
Regular maintenance, low priority (items that do not impact safety) COMPLEX: 3-15 business days
Emergency maintenance (items that impact safety, security) SIMPLE: Same day-1 business day depending on parts availability, weather interference, etc
Emergency maintenance (items that impact safety, security) COMPLEX: Same day-3 business days depending on parts availability, weather interference, etc

Inspections

Inspections

During the course of your tenancy there will be times that the property will be inspected. Below are some of the most common inspection types. You may not experience all inspection types. The one thing to be clear on is that we and/or the landlord will inspect the property from time to time.

What is an inspection?

The only way we, or another party such as an insurance agent or city housing inspector, can properly determine if there are any safety concerns, needed repairs, determine scope of work properly for repairs, or otherwise get an accurate picture of the property in its current condition is to perform an inspection. During an inspection we and/or another party will walk through the property, take photos and/or video, and document conditions. Some inspections may be very brief lasting less than 5 minutes, and some will be in-depth taking an hour or more. This depends heavily on the type of inspection, the time that has passed since the last inspection of the same type, and the person or organization performing the inspection and their requirements.

City/County Inspections

These are the most commonly understood inspection types. The city or county must, from time to time, inspect a property to ensure that the property is being maintained to its standards. These are typically annual inspections and are performed by a government employee or a 3rd party certified inspector. These inspections typically do not take more than 5-15 minutes depending on the size of your home and the type of their inspection that they are performing such as an annual inspection or an inspection triggered by a complaint.

Owner/Landlord Inspections

The landlord or their representative may from time to time visit the property or request that we perform an inspection and report the results to them. This type of inspection is protected and provided for in your Lease. They may be performed at any time for any reason, but you will be provided ample advance notice of the inspection.

Maintenance Inspection

We check behind our vendors on many different job types to ensure that the property was repaired to our satisfaction as well as yours and the landlord’s. We will inspect this repair as well as the adjoining areas that may be affected by or related to the issue that was reported or needed to be repaired.

Insurance/Lender/Appraiser/Agent Inspection

Many landlords use investment loans to secure their properties. The lenders that issue these loans have varying requirements for inspections. They generally want to see the property is in good condition, matches what was applied for or loaned on, etc.

Response Inspection

We will inspect a property any time a condition has been identified that may be a major lease violation (if the condition exists), a report of criminal activity, or a lack of response from a resident or many other triggers where it is prudent and required of us to ensure the property is being taken care of, is not abandoned or in danger, and that the condition reported does or does not exist. This may include safety-related conditions where we simply need to ensure everything is fine after a property-related, nearby, or other event or report. Common types of inspections falling under this category include unauthorized pet, unauthorized resident/tenant, noise, odor, trash, criminal activity, property and/or resident welfare check, eviction inspection.

How to Prepare for an Inspection

Scheduling and being present, or not

We understand that inspections can be an inconvenience for you in many ways. We try to schedule simultaneous inspections at a property but due to the many other parties involved it is not always possible to inspect only on the same day as another inspector etc. For this and many other reasons related to our convenience and schedule as well as yours, you do not generally need to be present for any inspections. We do ask though that an adult be present any time a minor will be in your home during an inspection. We also ask that you cage or restrain any pets or animals, especially dogs, that may be aggressive or protective during a visit by a “stranger” (to the animal). You are always welcome to accompany any inspector so long as you do not interfere with their inspection.

Cleaning/Tidying Up

We do ask that you generally tidy up and put away private items that you do not wish to have photographed, videoed or seen. Our inspection pictures are not posted publicly but they will be shared with the landlord and any other related professional such as an insurance agent etc depending on the inspection type. Good housekeeping is a part of your lease so when it is not a major inconvenience it is a good idea to clean in advance of an inspection. These are not “white glove” inspections but it is easy to see when a place is regularly cleaned and kept up and when it is not. We encourage you to err on the side of cleanliness when possible. Keep in mind that certain things are daily requirements to keep your home pest free such as doing the dishes and taking out the trash. No one will fault you for a toilet that wasn’t cleaned this week.

Preparing other members of the household

It is important that you notify any other members of your household to expect visitors. This is primarily for minors. We do not typically communicate with any minor residents at any time so it is up to you to ensure they expect an inspection.

What Areas Will We Be Inspecting

Generally all areas will be inspected including all rooms, bedrooms, basement, yard, bathrooms etc. These may not be related to a specific issue, but we normally will take at least a brief moment to check all parts of a property so we can give a complete report to the landlord, even if it is only a verbal report. Please be prepared for us to visit all parts of the property during most inspections.

Fragile/Expensive/Rare Items

During the course of an inspection it is very rare that we would have cause to touch any of your belongings, unless they are in the way of a specific area to be inspected or generally blocking or close to a path through your home/property where they could be bumped or brushed when we walk by or enter an area. We advise that you move these items to out-of-the-way locations and/or have someone you trust present to move them if they need to be moved away and then moved back after we leave the premises. Remember that you must have renter’s insurance covering your own belongings if you wish to be reimbursed for any accidental damage. Our team is careful but accidents do happen.

Cost of Inspection

Except for one type of inspection, none of these inspections will cost you anything out of pocket. The one exception is the Response Inspection. In your lease if we perform an inspection and we find a reported lease violation is present, or if an action triggers an inspection such as an eviction, your lease outlines the amount you will be charged for the inspection. To be clear if a neighbor reports a prohibited bonfire, for example, and we inspect and find no evidence of a bonfire, there is no charge. But if we inspect and do find evidence of the bonfire, the charges will be posted to your account. Other inspections such as eviction inspections are charged regardless as the legal action triggers the inspection and not a report of a possible condition. The best way to avoid these charges is to read your lease and seek permission for any activities, such as getting a pet or animal, that are in disagreement with your lease.

Inspection Scheduling/Rescheduling Inspections

Due to the fact that you do not need to be present during most of our inspections and the sometimes multiple parties and situations involved, we may not always be able to reschedule an inspection. If you contact us we will do our best to accommodate a reasonable request when we can. Requests to schedule inspections after hours, on weekends, or holidays generally will not be possible. From time to time an owner may wish to visit their property on a weekend. In these cases we may or may not be present, but the owner has the right to do so with advance notice. If your landlord notifies you (or we do) of a weekend inspection that causes you some inconvenience, please contact us and we will see if an alternative time can be arranged. We cannot guarantee the landlord will accommodate your request.

Window Air Conditioners

See Our Maintenance Section for more information.

Pets and Animals

See this link for more information on getting a pet or animal.

TRASH And RECYCLING

One of the number one concerns we encounter is handling of trash and recycling, and its impact on pests in your home. It is absolutely crucial that you handle and store your trash correctly to:

Minimize pests
Maintain a tidy and desirable neighborhood
Avoid City Citations (you are responsible if your home is cited for improper trash handling)

Storing and Putting out Trash and Recycling

Trash must be stored in plastic or metal containers with tight fitting lids. These containers may or may not have lids attached to them.
Trash and recycling must be put out for collection no earlier than the evening before your scheduled collection day.
Trash should never be stored outside your apartment or home without being placed inside the designated container. This includes the hallway, front or back porch, yard, etc.
Trash nor recycling should never accumulate inside your home in excess of what fits inside your inside trash can (you must also have a designated trash container with a lid).
Contact your local solid waste authority for more information about your designated collection day.

Disposing of Bulk Trash

Bulk Trash is trash such as furniture, appliances, electronics, faux Christmas trees, or other large or bulky items that do not accumulate on a day to day basis and/or do not fit neatly inside of a standard trash can AND/OR cannot be easily removed by hand by the collection service. If you need help carrying or moving it, it's bulk trash. Bulk trash can also be a large amount of trash such as moving boxes, boxes from a recent large purchase, or other large amounts of trash that exceed 96 gallons in total collection.

Boxes should be broken down, stored, and put out weekly with recycling.
Call your local solid waste authority for bulk collection instructions and times. The days of curbside collection of bulk trash without advanced work order are over in the Baltimore area.

Trash and Recycling Receptacles and Courtesy

If you reside in one of our apartment homes/communities, your trash cans are provided.

If you reside in a single family/row-home we have provided one can for trash. It is up to you to replace it if it becomes lost or damaged beyond use including the lid. ALWAYS LABEL YOUR TRASH AND RECYCLING CONTAINERS CLEARLY
If you share trash cans or recycling cans/bins/totes with others please be courteous to your neighbors:
- Break down your boxes and do not put them in the bins. Store them inside your home until collection day (or evening before) and put them out in an organized and tidy way so that they are not immediately strewn about due to wind etc. We usually break down our boxes and put them inside one box that is not broken down to hold them and/or we place them between the recycling cans so that they are supported there.
- Do not put cardboard boxes in the trash cans (they take up A LOT of space)
- Do not put bulk trash in the cans/bins. Arrange for your own collection or disposal.

Junk Mail

Please dispose of junk mail in your recycling. Please do not leave it in the hallways or vestibules, or inside your mailbox. If you don't want it, it is your trash. Please dispose of it properly.

The "just one piece" philosophy

Throughout your day or even just outside your home you are likely to encounter at least one piece of litter or wind-blown trash. Take a moment, pick that one piece up and throw it away in the nearest receptacle or with your own trash. Many hands make light work. This is the easiest and simplest way to take some ownership in your neighborhood. You may walk past many more than one piece of litter per day or even on your way down one block. Just pick up one piece (that you would have walked past) and make that tiny difference.

Report Careless Neighbors

If a nearby home or resident/neighbor is not caring for its trash and disposing of it in a way that affects your health or safety, or is just disgusting etc, call 311 or report the matter here https://balt311.baltimorecity.gov/citizen/servicetypes

If you are concerned about retaliation, simply report the matter anonymously. You and your neighbors are responsible for the stewardship of your neighborhood. Take ownership and help enforce basic codes supporting local health and safety.

Baltimore City Department of Public Works: 410-396-5398 https://publicworks.baltimorecity.gov

UNDERSTANDING CHARGES ON YOUR RESIDENT PORTAL

You will likely find paying your first monthly rent simple and straightforward. As our relationship matures, and even as early as month 2, you will likely encounter a balance on your account that differs from what you are expecting. Please note, the large "Your Current Balance" information is not a charge. Rather it is the total balance including all charges and payments to date. To view charges, you need to view your full account ledger.

It is important that you know how to view your full account ledger for other reasons. This knowledge will help in the following ways:

see any recent charges to your account in an itemized format
spot erroneous charges that may not apply to you or may be duplicates
If in a multi-tenant lease, will help you see who has paid what, and when
avoid late fees for non-payment of utilities or other charges
Most importantly, help you figure out that balance difference!

Click or copy and paste the URL below for a thorough Resident Portal overview video.

https://www.appfolio.com/help/online-portal

For a shortcut to view your full account ledger only, see below:

Login to your portal account
Click on the "Payments" tab
Click on the "View Full Account Ledger" button

What to check if the balance on your portal appears too high

One of our most common questions, especially from new residents, is about why the balance on their portal is high, even though they just paid rent. Another way this question is asked is why do I have a balance at all if I paid my rent and all utilities for the month? This video will help answer that question. Here's a spoiler for you:

The portal displays your current balance including next month's rent. We agree this can be a little jarring, especially after you've just paid your rent and utilities for the current month. Check out the video for more information and tips on this concern.

Click here for the video!

Add or Remove Resident To/From Existing Lease: Considerations and Process

During the course of living in your home you may find cause for one party to the lease to move out and/or another party to move in. Common examples are one housemate seeking a job in another area, not getting along, graduation, saving money by adding an extra roommate to help pay the bills etc. Regardless of the reason, this is a common activity. Below are the general process and some considerations for you to review when this issue arises for you and before you take action.

Considerations:

Subletting is not permitted. This is not just in the landlord’s interest but also yours. An unauthorized sublessee may put you in a very precarious legal or financial situation if they choose not to pay, damage the property, or otherwise violate the lease in a material way.
Airbnb or other pay-to-stay arrangements or even arrangements without pay are prohibited.
All residents must be pre-approved by Management/The Landlord. No exceptions.
Certain lease changes cannot be initiated without the consent of all parties. These include adding a pet, moving a party out and a handful of others. These cannot be standardized here but are considered on a case-by-case basis.
A fee applies. The fee for a lease change is outlined in your lease. In some of our older leases there is no consideration for a lease change and no fee is proposed there. In those cases the fee is $275.00. No one likes fees and we understand that. This fee compensates the landlord for the additional administrative work we must do to process an application and document the lease change properly etc, which are normally compensated through a placement commission. We are sometimes presented with the argument that if the lease does not contain a fee, we cannot charge one. This is not accurate. Leases that have this language simply do a better job of preparing residents for potential charges resulting from a lease change. It is more accurate to say that the landlord is not required to approve any specific lease changes and that this procedure is an accommodation that allows what could normally be in violation of the lease to become a more appropriate fit for residents on and exiting from the lease by following the proper procedures to do so. A fee applies for that accommodation. Another argument that we see often is that we cannot charge the fee because we did not disclose it other than within the lease itself such as when having a discussion with the resident about this process. That is also inaccurate. Please review the above regarding accommodation.
Adding or removing a tenant/from a lease does not change any other part of the lease, except in certain circumstances. Some examples of where the lease may be changed otherwise including additional rent are where you already have the maximum number of residents on the lease and are proposing another resident be added. Adding a pet is also a material change that may involve additional monthly cost or other changes. These issues are considered on a case-by-case basis and cannot be standardized here.
We/the landlord are not likely to approve a lease change that results in one or more tenants remaining on the lease that would not otherwise qualify for the lease without the exiting party. This is a situation we see most often with couples splitting up or leases with several parties where most are planning to move early but not all. This is overcome when an incoming party is presented who makes up for the unmet income or other requirements. In these cases parties to a lease may not be released from it unless and until a suitable “replacement tenant” is approved for move-in.
We generally will not approve a move out or lease exit by one or more parties if we are not informed about this intent in writing 60 days or more in advance. This is so that we may properly inform the remaining housemates of the possible lease change so that they can plan accordingly.

Process:

Contact us in writing: Once you decide that you wish to add or remove someone from the lease, whether yourself or another, contact us no less than 60 days in advance of your intended exit date if that applies. If you desire to exit a lease but do not have someone interested in being added to your lease, you should contact us so we can determine if your remaining housemates are able to support the lease on their own.
Any person proposed to be added to the lease should apply for residence like any other tenant including paying the application fee. Application fees and links are subject to change. Please contact us for the application link and current fee. This process can take 5-7 business days or more and depends heavily on employer verifications and landlord references. We recommend starting the application no less than 2 weeks before a person wishes to move in.
Once approved the proposed resident will be provided with the current lease to review and an addendum to sign to be added to that existing lease. The proposed resident cannot move in until we have reviewed their signed addendum and countersigned it.
If there are any gaps between when a party is exiting a lease and when the next party intends to move in, all existing parties are responsible for paying the full rent and utilities during that gap. We do not rent rooms.

We have done our best to make the information on this process as comprehensive as possible. There are always situations that may seem unclear as to how a policy or procedure would be applied. Please reach out to us in writing before making plans to exit a lease or add a new resident to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Making Changes To Your Home

You may wish to alter your home in some way to better suit your needs or tastes. This is perfectly understandable and we will do our best to accommodate your request. It is crucial that you contact us to request any changes. Some changes may be very easy to permit, and others may be very costly to you if you proceed without permission.

Painting

This is our most common request. Painting may be permissible if we approve the paint color in advance as well as the surface to be painted. Under no circumstances should you anticipate being permitted to paint any surfaces that are not already painted such as wood trim or other surfaces. This is one of those items that is very expensive to repair if you paint a surface that the owner does not wish to be painted.

Once the paint color is approved in writing, and the painting is generally approved in writing, you must paint in a professional manner without drips, over-spray, or specs of paint left on floors, other surfaces etc. Basically in order to avoid being charged for repainting later, you must do a good enough job that the owner is not required to fix any of your painting work. If your account is current with us, you may pay one of our painters to do the job for you, or hire your own professional painter.

Light Fixtures

Light fixtures may be changed with owner written permission. This can be obtained by providing a picture of the existing fixture, and the proposed fixture. The owner will approve or decline the new fixture in principle. Then you must hire a licensed, insured electrician to install the new light fixture. You may ask our maintenance team to do this for you. You will need to pay for the installation regardless of which professional you choose. You will then need to provide us the name, license number, insurance information and contact information for the outside professional who will do the installation. Assuming everything is above-board, we will then approve the installation.

Shelves

Assuming you are not making any major modifications such as removing or altering trim etc shelves do not require permission. You should note that any damage caused by inadequate or improper installation will be charged to you so be sure you know what you’re doing, or hire the correct professional to assist you.

Curtains and Blinds

See Shelves information above.

Appliances

Assuming an appliance is not undergoing repairs or replacement already and you simply want to upgrade the utility or look of your appliances, you can generally expect to be responsible for paying for appliance replacement. The appliance must be approved by the owner even if the owner will not be paying for the appliance. You must leave the approved appliance behind in your home if/when you move out unless agreed otherwise in writing. It is not uncommon for an owner to “buy” an appliance from an outgoing resident. This will depend heavily on the condition of the home and appliance at the time of move-out, your account balance, and other factors. Generally the amount credited to an outgoing resident for a replacement appliance will be based on it being a used appliance. If the owner does not approve the new appliance, you must ensure the old appliance(s) is/are returned in good condition to the home when you move or leave the unapproved appliances in good condition in the home. You will be charged for missing appliances whether your proposed appliances were approved or not unless specifically agreed otherwise in writing. In general it is best to request a new style/different size, or more feature rich appliance when an appliance is being replaced already due to age or being broken. Long-term residents with an excellent rental history with us who sign long-term rental extensions may be eligible for an appliance upgrade without cost to the resident. Terms and conditions apply so contact us if you think you might qualify. Long term for this situation requires a 5+ year history with us and a 2+ year extension.