Tucson Resident FAQs

Rent is typically due on the first day of each month, although some leases may vary. Check your lease agreement and Resident Portal to confirm your due date and current balance.

We recommend paying through the Resident Portal whenever possible. Online payments are reflected and timestamped immediately, making it easy to confirm when your payment was submitted.

Cashier's checks, money orders, and bank bill payments may also be accepted. Keep in mind that these payment methods are credited when received and may still be considered late if they arrive after your rent due date.

If your rent is going to be late, please contact your property manager as soon as possible. Late fees may apply according to the terms of your lease.

Your Resident Benefits Package includes a benefit related to certain resident fees. Please review the current Resident Benefits Package for details, eligibility, limits, and exclusions.

No. Your security deposit cannot be applied toward rent or other charges during your tenancy. It is processed after move-out in accordance with your lease agreement and applicable Arizona law.

Your Resident Portal provides convenient access to your current balance, charges, and payment history.

Please contact your property manager and let us know which charge you have a question about. We'll be happy to review your account and provide additional information.

We recommend submitting maintenance requests through the Resident Portal whenever possible. Include a clear description of the problem, when you first noticed it, and photos when helpful.

The more information you provide, the easier it is for us and our vendors to diagnose the problem and get the appropriate repair scheduled.

A maintenance emergency is generally a condition that creates an immediate risk to people or could cause significant additional damage to the property if it isn't addressed promptly.

Examples may include active flooding, a major plumbing leak, sewage backup, fire, or another serious safety condition. For a life-threatening emergency, always call 911 first.

If you can safely do so, shut off the water at the affected fixture or appropriate water shutoff to help prevent additional damage. Then report the problem immediately through our emergency maintenance process.

Taking quick action can make a significant difference in limiting water damage.

Leave the property and contact the appropriate utility company or emergency services from a safe location. Once the immediate safety concern has been addressed, please notify Rentals America.

Call 911 first and make sure everyone is safely away from the danger. Once everyone is safe, notify Rentals America as soon as reasonably possible.

The property owner is generally responsible for repairs resulting from normal use and ordinary wear.

Residents are responsible for routine care of the home and may be responsible for repairs resulting from damage, misuse, negligence, or the actions of residents, occupants, guests, or pets. Residents may also be responsible when a problem becomes worse because it was not reported promptly.

If you're unsure who is responsible, submit the maintenance request. We can evaluate the issue and help determine the appropriate next step.

There is generally no resident charge when a repair is the property owner's responsibility.

A resident may be responsible for the cost when a repair or service call results from resident-caused damage, misuse, negligence, or another responsibility assigned to the resident under the lease. If you're unsure, please report the problem rather than allowing it to get worse.

Residents should generally replace the HVAC filter every 30 days, unless different instructions apply to your home.

Regular filter changes help your air-conditioning system operate efficiently, improve airflow, and can help prevent unnecessary HVAC problems—especially during Tucson's hot summer months.

Residents are responsible for following the smoke and carbon-monoxide detector requirements in their lease, including any required battery replacement and promptly reporting a detector that is not operating properly.

For everyone's safety, never disable, remove, or interfere with a smoke or carbon-monoxide detector.

Please report it promptly through the Resident Portal. Include photos and information about where you're seeing the moisture and any possible source you've noticed.

Early reporting gives us the best opportunity to identify the source, make necessary repairs, and prevent additional damage.

Please contact us before making significant repairs or hiring a contractor to work on the property. We want to make sure the repair is completed properly, authorized by the property owner when necessary, and coordinated with any applicable warranty or insurance requirements.

Submitting a maintenance request is the best place to start.

Confirm the thermostat is set to COOL and the temperature is set below the current room temperature. Check that the HVAC filter is clean and properly installed, and check whether the appropriate circuit breaker has tripped. If the system still isn't working, submit a maintenance request through the Resident Portal. During hot weather, please report a complete loss of cooling promptly.

Make sure the disposal is switched off, then check whether the reset button on the bottom of the disposal has tripped. You can also check the applicable circuit breaker. Never place your hand or an object inside the disposal. If it still doesn't operate, submit a maintenance request through the Resident Portal.

Check nearby GFCI outlets to see whether one has tripped and press RESET if appropriate. You can also check the applicable circuit breaker. If the outlet or device still doesn't work, submit a maintenance request. If you notice burning, sparking, unusual heat, or another electrical safety concern, stop using the affected area and report the issue promptly.

First check whether the outage also affects neighboring homes or has been reported by your electric utility. If the outage appears limited to your home, check the circuit breakers. If power is still unavailable, submit a maintenance request through the Resident Portal.

If the toilet is overflowing, turn off the water supply valve behind the toilet if you can safely do so. A simple toilet clog may be cleared with a plunger. If the clog doesn't clear, water is backing up elsewhere, or you suspect a larger plumbing problem, submit a maintenance request promptly.

Confirm the garage-door opener has power and check the remote batteries. Make sure nothing is blocking or interfering with the safety sensors near the bottom of the door. If the door is damaged, off its track, or otherwise unsafe, don't attempt to repair it yourself. Submit a maintenance request through the Resident Portal.

A chirping smoke detector often indicates a low battery. If your lease assigns battery replacement to the resident, replace the battery with the correct type and test the detector afterward. If the chirping continues, the detector does not test properly, or you are unsure what is causing the problem, submit a maintenance request. Never disable or remove a smoke or carbon-monoxide detector.

Residents are typically responsible for the utilities serving their home, but responsibilities can vary by property.

Your lease identifies which utilities you are responsible for and any exceptions that apply. Resident-required utilities should remain active throughout your tenancy.

Residents are typically responsible for routine landscaping unless the lease states otherwise.

This generally includes regular watering, weed and debris removal, and trimming bushes and other routine yard care. Review your lease for the specific landscaping responsibilities that apply to your home.

If you notice an irrigation problem or another condition that may require repair rather than routine maintenance, please let your property manager know.

Possibly. We understand that residents sometimes want to personalize or improve their home.

Please contact your property manager before painting, installing fixtures, or making alterations. We'll let you know whether the change can be approved and whether there are any conditions that need to be followed.

Please contact your property manager before installing equipment or making modifications to the property.

Depending on the type of installation, written approval and specific installation or restoration requirements may apply. We're happy to help you determine what's permitted before you get started.

Please contact your property manager before changing, replacing, or adding locks. This helps ensure that required access is maintained and that any changes comply with your lease.

If you have a security concern or believe a lock should be changed, let us know so we can help determine the best solution.

Contact your property manager if you lose a key or are locked out. Depending on the circumstances, there may be a cost for locksmith services or replacement keys, remotes, or other access devices.

Your Resident Benefits Package includes a benefit related to accidental lockouts. Please review the current Resident Benefits Package for current details, eligibility, limits, and exclusions.

No. Smoking and vaping are prohibited at Rentals America-managed properties as provided in our lease agreement.

Please review your lease for the complete smoking and vaping requirements.

For ordinary neighbor concerns, a polite conversation may sometimes resolve the issue when you feel comfortable doing so.

If the concern involves another Rentals America-managed resident or is affecting the property, please contact your property manager. Threats, suspected criminal activity, or situations requiring immediate intervention should be reported to the appropriate authorities.

Possibly. Please contact your property manager before bringing a new pet into the home.

Pet policies vary by property and may include owner approval, breed or other restrictions, pet screening, deposits, pet rent, or other requirements. We'll be happy to let you know what applies to your property.

Please check with your property manager before keeping someone else's animal at the property, even temporarily.

Pet and animal restrictions in your lease may apply to visiting animals as well as animals owned by residents.

Please contact Rentals America if you need to request a reasonable accommodation involving an assistance animal.

Assistance-animal requests are handled in accordance with applicable fair-housing requirements and are evaluated separately from ordinary pet requests.

Possibly, but please contact your property manager before someone moves into the home.

Adding an occupant requires approval, and an adult occupant will generally need to complete the applicable application and screening process.

Yes, residents may have guests, subject to the guest and occupancy limitations in your lease.

If someone will be staying for an extended period or effectively moving into the property, please contact your property manager. The person may need to apply and be approved as an occupant.

Yes. Rentals America conducts periodic property inspections to help identify maintenance concerns and make sure the home remains in good condition.

These inspections are typically fairly quick, and our inspectors make every effort to coordinate scheduling around your availability.

Inspections can benefit residents as well as owners by identifying maintenance issues that might otherwise go unnoticed.

In most cases, we try to schedule inspections and maintenance for a time when you can be home.

Although the lease and applicable law may allow authorized access when a resident isn't present, our preference is to coordinate with you whenever practical. This helps make the visit easier and allows you to point out any concerns directly.

Yes, under circumstances permitted by your lease and applicable Arizona law.

Entry may be needed for inspections, repairs, maintenance, showings, or emergencies. Required notice will be provided when applicable, and we make reasonable efforts to coordinate access with residents whenever practical.

If your home is located in an HOA, residents are required to follow the community's applicable rules and restrictions.

The property owner generally pays regular HOA assessments. Residents may be responsible for fines or charges resulting from violations caused by residents, occupants, guests, or pets, as provided in the lease.

Please address the issue promptly and forward the notice to your property manager so we're aware of it.

If you have questions about the violation or aren't sure what needs to be corrected, let us know. We're happy to help clarify the issue. Prompt attention can also help prevent additional HOA fines or charges.

Renewal terms ultimately depend on the property owner's decision, but we typically begin renewal conversations about 60 days before your lease expires.

Your property manager will contact the owner, review the available options, and share the renewal terms with you once they are available.

In most cases, if a new lease renewal has not been signed, the lease will convert to a month-to-month tenancy at the end of the existing lease term.

Your specific lease controls, so please review it for the terms that apply to your tenancy.

Yes. The property owner may adjust the rental rate when a lease is renewed.

Renewal rates can be influenced by current rental-market conditions, property expenses, the owner's plans for the property, and other factors. Your property manager will provide the proposed terms when your renewal is offered.

Possibly. Adding or removing a resident or leaseholder requires approval.

Please contact your property manager before making a household change. An adult being added will generally need to complete the applicable application and approval process.

We understand that circumstances can change. If you need to move before your lease expires, please contact your property manager as early as possible.

Your lease explains your obligations and any early-termination provisions that may apply. Your property manager can review your situation with you and explain the available options.

Yes. A minimum 30-day written notice is typically required even if you plan to move when your lease term expires.

An important point is that the notice generally applies to the rental period rather than simply counting 30 calendar days forward. For example, notice provided on September 15 would typically result in an October 31 move-out date - not October 15.

Please review your lease for the notice requirements that apply to you.

You can provide written notice through the Resident Portal or contact your property manager directly in writing.

Please include your intended move-out date. Your property manager can then provide the move-out instructions and next steps.

We want to help make your move-out as smooth as possible.

Before returning possession, remove all personal belongings and trash, thoroughly clean the home, complete any resident-required maintenance, and follow the move-out instructions provided by Rentals America.

Carpets should be professionally cleaned after you have vacated the home and before possession is returned, as required by your lease and move-out instructions.

Be sure to return all keys, remotes, garage-door openers, and other access devices as instructed.

Your property manager will provide instructions for returning your keys and other access devices.

Please make sure all keys, garage-door remotes, mailbox keys, access cards, and other devices provided during your tenancy are returned as instructed.

Please remove all personal belongings before returning possession of the property.

Items left behind may be removed, stored, or disposed of as permitted by your lease and applicable Arizona law, and applicable costs may be charged to the resident.

Yes. Security deposits are refundable, subject to deductions permitted by your lease and applicable Arizona law.

Possible deductions may include unpaid amounts, cleaning beyond what is required to return the home in the appropriate condition, resident-caused damage beyond normal wear and tear, or other allowable charges.

Following the move-out instructions carefully is the best way to help make the security-deposit process go smoothly.

Normal wear and tear generally means deterioration that occurs through ordinary use of a home over time.

Damage caused by misuse, negligence, accidents, pets, occupants, or guests is different from normal wear and tear and may result in a resident charge.

The property's documented move-in condition is also used when evaluating its condition after move-out.

In Arizona, security deposits and any applicable itemized deductions are generally processed within 14 business days, subject to the requirements of Arizona law and your lease.

Please make sure Rentals America has your current forwarding information and follow the move-out instructions provided by your property manager.