Frequently Asked Questions

Rental Process Questions:

1. What should I do if I want to view a house?

If you have a house or several houses you'd like to view, please call or text Mark at (740) 473-6868, or email Mark by clicking here, to set up an appointment to do so.

We can also schedule a digital viewing of houses should you not wish to or be able to view them in person! Text (740-473-6868), call or email Mark to request the viewing (note that some of our houses have videos already posted on their page for your convenience).

2. Where can I get an application? Is there an application fee?

Rental applications can be downloaded here. Each prospsective tenant should fill out their own, and return them to Mark. You can email them, or mail them. Please call or text Mark (740-473-6868) if you have any questions or run into problems.

3. When is the deposit due? What is the rental process?

Deposits are due upon the signing of the lease. Deposits are $400 per person.

Our rental process (scheduling showing, lease signing, deposits paid, etc) can be found by clicking here.

Moving Into and Living in My House

4. What do I do if I need a parking place?

Please reply to the email you received from Mark in the spring prior to your move-in date to reserve a space. The cost of the parking space (as of 2020-21) is $175/year/parking space for our tenants; spaces may be available for others at a different cost. The best way to submit parking payments is to send them with your initial rent payment. If you wish to obtain a parking permit after that point, they will be available only on a first come, first served basis. In addition, there is no guarantee that you can get a parking tag on the exact day you need it if you do not pay for it in advance, prior to moving in.

5. Who should I contact to get my utilities set up correctly before I move in to my new house?

This depends on the type of utilities required for your inividual house. You will receive a detailed email prior to moving in with information specific to your house.

For most houses, both electric and gas service will be required. For some houses though, only electric is needed. Again, you'll have an email prior to moving in with specific information for your house.

For electric, you'll need to contact AEP (American Electric Power).

For gas service, you'll need to contact Columbia Gas.

Water, sewer and trash service is done through the City of Athens. This service is billed to "resident" at each address, and does not need to be set up; it will automatically be put in place by the city.

If you would like cable or internet service, you will need to contact local providers to have service set up. I encourage you to call early to ensure that your service date can begin when you wish for it to; the move in periods can often be quite busy for these services, and delays would not be uncommon.

6. Who should I contact if I have a maintenance request?

Please contact Mark at 740.473.6868, or by email. If it is an emergency or something that needs quick attention, please be sure to call rather than emailing.

7. Can I have pets in my house? Can friends stop by with a pet to visit?

As noted in our leases, pets are prohibited on premises. This means that pets are not allowed, in the house or on the grounds, and includes both tenants and visitors.

8. Can I paint my bedroom?

Sorry, but painting the walls is not permitted by the terms of the lease.

9. Can I put up pictures and/or decorations to personalize my space?

According to the lease, damage to the walls is not permitted. Please be particularly sure to NOT use double sided tape or other materials that might have a strong adhesive capable of pulling the face off the drywall or damaging the plaster. In addition, no nails or other fixtures are allowed to be placed onto the walls. Contact Mark for specific information about what is permissable.

Move Out Questions

10. What should I do to prepare for move out? How can I maximize the amount of my deposit that will be returned?

The simple answer is to make sure that the house is cleaned prior to moving out, and that there is no damage done to the property. For in-depth explanation of what is looked for upon move-out, you will receive an email from Mark with specific instructions from Mark roughly a month prior to your move out date.

11. When should I expect my security deposit to be returned?

As stated in the lease, the security deposit will be refunded within 30 days from the end of the lease date. We must wait for the last water bill to be received from the city to ensure that the cost of trash haul-away is deducted from the deposit, so we are unable to send them right away.

12. I got my deposit back and there was $14 deducted for water, trash and sewage; what was the reason for that?

The way that the City of Athens has decided to bill housing is different than most bills. The bills are sent to "Resident," as opposed to a bill specifically in your own name. Thus, there is no cancellation of service for water, and no final bill that is sent on to any person who lived in the house. Assume you graduate on May 1, and move out after leaving a large load of trash at the curb; on May 5th, the City of Athens assesses your water usage, and adds in the cost of hauling away the trash. That bill will be sent to the new residents or the address of the house around May 15, despite the fact that the group moving in wasn't responsible for incurring any of those charges (the water or the trash pick-up). So, we deduct the final water bill's cost from the deposits of the previous tenants, and then send out any refund that is due after any repairs and/or charges that were incurred. This is the same for each group, so your situation was the same as you moved in, just as it is as you move out.

13. Will I actually get my deposit back? I've heard nightmare stories from many friends about not getting any/much of the deposit back upon moving out...

Our business model is built upon honesty; we take seriously the obligations we have to our renters, and sincerely hope that the residents of Foster Place enjoy their living experience and refer our houses and apartments to friends. That said, we will not "nickel and dime" residents over any undue costs.