Tenant FAQs

Provident Property Management has a broad portfolio of homes throughout Santa Clara County and the greater Silicon Valley. The homes we manage range from apartments (studio, one bedroom and two bedrooms) to condos, duplexes, fourplexes, and single family homes (from 800 to 5000 square feet).

Please visit the “Find a Home” tab of our website to see the homes that are currently available for rent. It is very likely that we have a home for you that would perfectly match your needs.

Applications to rent are readily available from a variety of sources. There is one that can be easily downloaded in a PDF format from our website. Our showing agents always have applications handy and available for anyone viewing a property. And applications can always be picked up at our offices located in Willow Glen at 1035 Minnesota Avenue, Suite C, San Jose, CA 95125.

Each application is accompanied with easy to follow instructions and a list of the criteria being used in the evaluation.

All applicants interested in renting a home managed by Provident Property Management should apply. You may have attended an open house or showing and think that there were way too many better qualified applicants. Don’t be fooled; often, even when a lot of people show up to tour a home, few, if any, will submit an application.

Different properties and different locations appeal to different people. If you’re interested in renting one of our properties, we encourage you to submit a completed application as soon as possible.

Remember, anyone over 18 years of age who will be staying at the property needs to complete a separate application.

Provident Property Management does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, marital status, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, familial status, disability or source of income. We comply with all federal, state and local laws concerning Fair Housing.

There is a screening fee of $30 per application to cover the costs of processing the application, running a credit report, checking the criminal and eviction history of each applicant and verifying employment and references. All application fees must be received before an application will be processed.

Processing an application can take 1-3 days from the time a completed application, supporting documents, and payment are received in our office. Unfortunately, a significant part of the process depends on how easy it is to get a hold of the reference, employers and previous landlords whose contact information you’ve provided.

We are as enthusiastic about placing approved Tenants in homes as you are to be moving in. You can help the process be as efficient as possible by providing all of the requested information and by encouraging your references to return our calls in a timely manner.

Once approved, a Tenant may be able to move into their new home as early as the day they are notified. Once you’ve been approved, we will offer you a lease and request that you come to our office to sign the lease, pay the security deposit and first month’s rent. Then you should receive the keys and be ready to move into your new home.

Access to your new home cannot be issued until we’ve received a signed lease, the security deposit and one month’s rent. All funds for these initial payments need to be received in certified funds such as a cashier’s check or money order.

Rent is due on the first of each month. A LATE FEE WILL BE CHARGED when rent is not received by the close of business on the fifth of the month. The amount of the late fee is listed on your rental agreement. Our office is usually open five days per week. A mail slot is provided for after hours payments. Rent is only accepted in the form of a check or money order. Rent must be submitted in the form of one check or money order – no cash. Multiple checks or checks from different parties cannot be accepted.

Yes, all of our homes require a security deposit to assure proper care of the property and fulfillment of the terms of the rental agreement. Ordinarily the security deposit is about the same as one month’s rent although depending on the property and the tenant’s qualifications a security deposit equivalent to two month’s rent may be required.

California State law allows that a security deposit for a vacant property may be two times the amount of the monthly rent or three times the amount of monthly rent if the unit is furnished.

Please ask one of our representatives what the security deposit is on the home you are interested in.

Provident Property Management may be required to use some or all of a Tenant’s deposit for the following reasons:

• Failure to give thirty days written notice of intent to vacate the property. This required notice must be in writing. A 30-day notice form is included in the Tenant move-in packet and can be downloaded from our website.
• Failure to complete the lease term.
• Failure to leave the premises clean when vacated.
• Damage to the property, fixtures, or landscaping through negligence, misuse, or malicious conduct by the Tenant or their guests.

Upon successful completion of the lease and once a Tenant has moved out of a property using the appropriate 30-day written notice, all belongings have been removed from the property and the keys have been returned to our office, the Property Manager will complete their final inspection.

The security deposit is often held by the Broker in a Trust Account that is FDIC insured, as mandated by the California State law and the Department of Real Estate.

A security deposit is never paid in lieu of the last month’s rent and should not be referred to as such. Should the tenant decide to end their tenancy, they can submit their 30 day Notice along with their payment of the last month’s rent. That way there is never any confusion about the fact that the security deposit IS NOT the last month’s rent.

Within 21 days of move-out the Tenant will receive at their forwarding address a comprehensive accounting and/or disposition of the security deposit. California State law allows that the security deposit shall be accounted for and/or returned to the Tenant within 21 days of move out and returning of keys.

Yes, in most cases Tenants will be signing a one year lease for their new home. You are requested to read the lease or rental agreement carefully and to ask any questions you may have regarding your duties and responsibilities under the lease.

The lease or rental agreement is a legal document, binding on all parties. No party to the lease has any authority to deviate from this contract and any alteration must be mutually agreed to by all parties.

Provident Property Management looks forward to welcoming you as a tenant once your application has been accepted. We believe the best way to avoid misunderstandings is to make you aware of our obligations, responsibilities and policies. As a result, we will establish a relationship based on open communication and clear commitments.

It is our desire to treat everyone with honesty, respect and integrity. That’s what we offer you and that is what we look for in return.

The move-in cost for a tenant is typically the equivalent of two months’ rent. This includes the first month’s rent plus a security deposit.

In most cases, the tenant, upon move-in, will place all of the utilities in their own name. Some utility companies may require a deposit if they have been turned off or if there is no payment history for the tenant. Once you’ve signed your lease, contact the utility companies to get things put into your name.