| Tenant FAQ |
| When is rent due? Rent is due on the first of every month. We do give tenants a seven-day grace period. If the first day of the month falls on a weekend, rent is considered on-time on the first business day of the month. If you foresee a problem in remitting your rent on time, please contact the office to make payment arrangements. |
| How and where do I pay my rent? Rent can be paid with a check or a money order. We do not accept cash, credit or debit cards. Tenants can either pay their rent in person during office hours, leave it in the drop box in the office door, or mail it. To mail your rent, address it to: H.H. Sawyer Realty P.O. Box 7225 Portland, ME 04112 |
| How do I report a maintenance problem? Maintenance problems must be reported to the office. During office hours, call us at 772-6579. For an after hours emergency, call 772-6579 and choose Option 1 to page maintenance. In your message, be sure to provide your address and telephone number. If you have a minor repair that does not require immediate attention, leave a message for the office manager. When you report a maintenance problem, you are giving our maintenance staff permission to enter your apartment to make a repair. In the event of a fire or other life threatening matter, call 911 before contacting our office. |
| I locked myself out of my apartment. What now? Between 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, call the office. Maintenance will meet you at your building to let you in. There is a $25 fee during these hours, payable to the office. After hours, you must page maintenance through our office voicemail. There is a $35 fee after hours, payable directly to the maintenance personnel who responds to your call. |
| How do I renew my lease? If we can offer you a lease renewal, we will leave you a notice at least 45 days before your lease expires to let you know if there will be any rent changes. After you receive this notice, you can contact the office to let us know how long you would like to renew. The minimum renewal period for residential units is two months, the maximum for residential units is one year. You must sign a new lease. We do not allow tenants to go month to month. |
| What do I do if I do not want to renew my lease? If you plan on moving out at the end of your lease, you MUST give a 30-day notice in writing to the office. This notice must be received by the first day of the month and state that you plan on moving out by the last day of that month. If we do not receive the notice by the first day of the month, it is not a proper 30-day notice! |
| Can I have pets in the apartment? We allow up to two indoor cats without any extra deposit or fees. We cannot allow dogs in the buildings, even on a visiting basis. All other pets are determined on a case by case basis. |
| How do I get my security deposit back? If you have given a proper 30-day notice to vacate at the end of your lease term, left your apartment clean, empty and undamaged, and have no outstanding charges, your full deposit will be returned to you within 30 days, often much sooner. Please be sure to provide the office with a forwarding address for your security deposit to expedite the process. |
| How do I contact the utility companies? To contact Central Maine Power regarding electricity, call 1-800-750-4000. To contact Unitil regarding gas, call 1-866-933-3821. |
| Where can I go for help paying rent and utilities? Please check with the following organizations for assistance: Maine State Housing City of Portland General Assistance People's Regional Opportunity Program (PROP) Other financial resources can be found on the Maine Benefits Checklist by Pine Tree Legal. |
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