General Policy FAQs

Where do I mail my rent?

Westside Property Management

PO Box 320667

Los Gatos, CA 95032

When is my rent late?

Some leases will vary, but our standard policy is rent must be received by the 3rd of the month. We recommend that you mail your rent check before the 1st to avoid late fees.

Do you take credit cards or ACH?

Yes. Log in to your tenant portal for information on how to pay with a credit card or wire transfer to our bank account.

How do I know you received my check?

Log in to your tenant portal to verify if your check has been logged in. If we have not received your check we will first email or call you. If you do not respond we will file a 3-day notice.

What if there is an emergency?

Whom do I call?What we constitute an emergency is a fire, flood, gas leak, domestic issue, etc. Your first phone call should be to the appropriate civil authority or service provider. If there is smoke or fire, call 911. PG&E should be called for any potentially hazardous gas situation at (800) 743-5000. They provide 24-hour service for emergencies. Any domestic dispute, disruption, or safety concern should be brought to the attention of the police, either by calling 911 or the local police non-emergency number (provided in the first few pages of your local phone book).

Urgent problems can be called in to our service office at (408) 354-4700. Use the menu for Westside Property Management. This number provides a 24-hour voicemail for emergency messages. If you are ever in the situation where you need to call the police, fire, or PG&E, we need to be notified as a secondary point of reference.

If you have a burst sprinkler in the yard shooting water at 9 pm at night, you will need to turn off the water to that sprinkler. If you are not mechanically inclined, the closest available help would likely be a neighbor. We recommend that all renters make some contact with their neighbors and get to know someone close by. Most urgent problems can be addressed within 24 hours. We do have after-hours staff though their availability is limited, and we cannot guarantee someone can be on site to immediately assist you.

If you have an emergency, have already reported it through our emergency voice mail, and need to speak to a live person, call (408) 685-8050. Please do not use this number unless you have first been unable to reach the service office.

What is a 3-day notice?

A 3-day notice is filed when we have not received your rent check in a timely manner. Usually we will first attempt to contact you by email before filing a 3-day notice. When the notice is filed, the tenant has three days to deliver the stated rent in the form of a money order or cashier’s check. If rent is not received, an eviction may commence on day four.

My apartment was broken into. Will the owner pay for the damage?

Depending on the circumstances, usually the owner will repair damages to the building itself (ie., broken window, etc.). However, if any of your personal items are damaged or stolen, that would not be the responsibility of the owner. This is why we recommend to all renters they purchase renter’s insurance. This will cover damage to personal property inside the unit. Cost of renter’s insurance varies, but is very reasonable (ie., $15/month).

My ex punched a hole in the wall. How do I make them fix it?

Any renter is responsible for intentional damage. Regardless who caused the hole, it is ultimately the renter’s responsibility to repair. We can put you in touch with a qualified professional who can repair the damage at a reasonable cost.

Can I clean my unit when I move out so I get all my security deposit back?

We encourage renters who wish to do their own cleaning services to be as thorough as possible. However, when keys are transferred to our possession, about 50% of renter-cleaned properties are not cleaned to professional standards and require additional work. Most people do not have professional cleaning skills and it’s very likely they will miss things that professional cleaners look for. Most often the missed things we note are inside kitchen drawers and cabinets, bathroom medicine cabinet or vanity, window tracks, spider webs, light fixtures, toilets, mirrors, refrigerators and ovens. Also note, if your carpet was steam-cleaned before you moved in (which is our policy), a hand-held steam cleaner or carpet shampooer does not yield professional results. A sanitizing cleaning job should be done, and a truck-mounted system is recommended.

Can I use my security deposit for last month’s rent?

No. Your lease prohibits this. Your last month’s rent (pro-rated if appropriate) must be sent in no later than the date specified on your lease. For most renters, this is the first of the month. If you do not pay rent on time, a 3-day notice will be filed.

My roommate is moving out and wants their half of the security deposit back. How can I get this from you?

Roommates are all equally responsible for the lease, but in the case of a security deposit, the occupancy is treated as a single entity. Unless all roommates move out of the property, the security deposit will remain in its entirety in the broker’s trust account (or in the possession of the property owner). Roommates are encouraged to establish an internal agreement between the parties wherein each pays an equal share of rent, utilities, and security deposit and one roommate acts as the payor and submits one check on behalf of themselves and the roommates. This payor would then be responsible to handle the exit of one roommate and refund the appropriate portion of the roommate’s security deposit directly to the roommate.