CAMBRIDGE REAL ESTATE SERVICES
Please send petty cash in at least once per month, and/or if you are down to ½ of your petty cash balance. This will avoid those strapped for cash moments that managers find themselves in sometimes. Also, please be sure to enter and code the items in it with your BCL as if it’s just another invoice.
For more information on petty cash, please click this link.
Effective May 1st, 2013 Cambridge will be reimbursing mileage for work related travel at 56.5 cents per mile, which is the IRS Standard Mileage Rate for 2013 and an increase from the old rate of 51 cents per mile.
This change is reflected on the Mileage Record found on eforms #C021 so be sure to print off the updated form for any mileage recorded on or after May 1st.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and let us know if you have any questions.
In addition to the vast array of forms available to each of you on Eforms, we also utilize hard-copy, pre-printed forms to document maintenance requests, move out inspections, guest cards, to name just a few. Continue reading “Pre-Printed Form Ordering – Cost Saving Tip”
Please take a moment to review your answering machine message that any incoming callers may hear. The following components must be included in the message:
Make sure to record this message slowly and clearly so callers get all the information they need. If you are unsure what to say , here is a basic script for your reference:
“You have reached the Happy Valley Apartments! If you are a current resident and you are experiencing a life threating emergency please hang up and dial 911. For other after hours maintenance emergencies please page our 24 hour response number at 800-555-1234. For after hours management emergencies please page 800-555-7755. If you are calling to learn more about our wonderful one and two bedroom apartment homes, please leave us your name and telephone number so we can call you back promptly! Our office is open weekdays from 9am until 6pm and on weekends from 11am until 5pm. We look forward to speaking with you and thank you again for calling Happy Valley Apartments!”
Click here for more information about answering machine scripts
We would like to introduce you to our new Mentor Program. Sixteen of your fellow co-workers have been nominated by Portfolio Supervisors and Site Employee Resource Center staff for their superb skill set in order to train new employees and also provide additional mentoring to current employees.
We are hoping that this will strengthen the transition period and create room for improvement within the diverse tasks that incorporate your career. If you would like to learn more about the program contact Human Resources or your Supervisor.
Quick reminder that phone book season is upon us. Due to easy access to technology, most households in our communities will opt for internet or smartphone access when looking up phone numbers and addresses. Therefore, phone books are likely to be disregarded by residents and left outside their door. Site staff will then have the task of going through the property to gather these phone books and take to the recycling center.
To avoid this responsibility, we encourage managers to have the phone book distributors just leave a small quantity of phone books at the management office. If residents would like a phone book, make sure to provide one promptly so their needs are met.
Below is a reminder about the legal three day notice period in the State of Idaho. Please make sure you review your policies to ensure your property complies with the procedure outlined below.
NOTE: If Day 1,2,or 3 happens to fall on a weekend, it cannot be counted as one of the three days.
For example: If the 9th falls on a Friday:
If you have any questions, please contact your property supervisor.
In an effort to better control turnover at your properties — and the related turnover expenses including but not limited to lost income, maintenance time, move out bills to generate, apartments to market, management time, ads to post, applications to screen, paperwork to complete, apartments to show, vendors to schedule, locks to change, replacements to coordinate) , here is some information to consider regarding lease renewals.
An apartment was recently rented. We’d like to get the new resident to stay for a longer period of time and we would like the apartment to stay occupied and producing revenue. Providing exceptional service each and every day to the resident pays dividends in terms of improving your chances of securing a lease renewal in the future.
In addition to completing yearly recertification paperwork (affordable housing), an important part of the anniversary of each tenancy involves securing signatures on new leases when the old lease expires.
The goal for each property is to have no more than 10%-15% of households on a month-to-month rental agreement (including any and all expired leases) at any given time. The remaining households should be on leases where the expirations are spread out over the year. For example:
If you are wondering how lease expiration dates and month-to-month concentrations at your property look at any given time, print an AMSI report and take a look:
The length of leases that you are required to offer can be based on program restrictions. For Tax Credit properties only, a minimum lease term is generally 6 full calendar months. If your property has HOME, USDA / Rural Development, or HUD support, 12 month leases are very likely required.
How can you succeed in encouraging households to sign a lease? Here are a few ideas that have come in from your peers:
Questions are always welcome, and your attention to details such as this can make the difference between strong management and exceptional management of your community.
Important message from the Bittner & Hahs’ Legal Team:
We change to daylight savings time at 2:00 am on March 10. This falls in the middle of most 72 hour notices. Tenant attorneys have argued in past years that springing forward an hour makes any notice served on the 8th, that expires on the 11th, last only 71 hours, and invalid. While we strongly disagree with this position, we know of no court that has ruled on the issue. Since most of you do not want to be the test case, we recommend that:
(a) If you hand deliver the notice, add at least an extra hour to the expiration time.
(b) If you post & mail or mail only, add an extra day to the termination date.
Taking these steps ensures that your notice is at least 72 hours long.
We appreciate your attention to this matter and if you have questions, please contact your supervisor.
Don’t forget to turn your clocks forward an hour this Sunday, March 10th at 2:00am
During the coming week, all sites should be focused on adjusting to their so-called “Daylight Savings Time” business hours. This means removing the “Standard Time” office hours sign and replacing it with the “Daylight Savings Times”.
Also, the change from “Standard” to “Daylight Savings” time reminds us of a number of seasonal tasks.
We appreciate your efforts to get in step with the changing of the season. May summer soon arrive!