Tenant Information and Support
| Utility Contacts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas / Electric | Atherton, Cupertino | Pacific Gas & Electric | (800) 743-5000 |
| Los Altos, Los Altos Hills | Pacific Gas & Electric | (800) 743-5000 | |
| Menlo Park | Pacific Gas & Electric | (800) 743-5000 | |
| Mountain View | Pacific Gas & Electric | (800) 743-5000 | |
| Palo Alto | City of Palo Alto Utilities | (650) 329-2161 | |
| Redwood City | Pacific Gas & Electric | (800) 743-5000 | |
| Sunnyvale | Pacific Gas & Electric | (800) 743-5000 | |
| Water | Atherton | California Water Service Company | (650) 854-5454 |
| Cupertino | San Jose Water Company | (650) 279-7900 | |
| California Water Service Company | (650) 917-0152 | ||
| Los Altos | California Water Service Company | (650) 917-0152 | |
| Los Altos Hills | Purissima Hills Water District | (650) 948-1217 | |
| Menlo Park | California Water Service Company | (650) 367-6800 | |
| Menlo Park Water Maintenance | (650) 330-6780 | ||
| Mountain View | City of Mountain View Utilities | (650) 903-6317 | |
| Palo Alto | City of Palo Alto Utilities | (650) 329-2161 | |
| Redwood City | City of Redwood City Utilities | (650) 780-7210 | |
| Sunnyvale | City of Sunnyvale Utilities | (408) 730-7400 |
|
| Garbage | Atherton | Recology | (650) 595-3900 |
| Cupertino | Recology | (408) 725-4020 | |
| Los Altos | Mission Trail Waste Systems | (650) 473-1400 | |
| Los Altos Hills | Green Waste Recovery | (650) 947-4994 | |
| Menlo Park | Recology | (650) 595-3900 | |
| Mountain View | Recology | (650) 967-3034 | |
| Palo Alto | City of Palo Alto Utilities | (650) 329-2161 | |
| Redwood City | Recology | (650) 595-3900 | |
| What's a tenant to do when... | |
|---|---|
| You notice a maintenance problem | Report it right away. Some problems worsen if left unchecked, such as dry rot and leaks. Tenants may be liable for the damage caused by unreported problems. |
| Some time has passed and no repair person has contacted me for an appointment | Please contact us so we may address the problem. |
| You have made an appointment with the repair person | Be sure to keep the appointment. If nobody is present when a repair person arrives at the appointed time, and you have not rescheduled the appointment, you will be charged for the service call. |
| The repair person failed to show up for the appointment | Please call or email us so we may address the problem. |
| The repair did not hold | Please call us immediately so that we may have the repair person or a new vendor make it right. |
| The repair is completed | Please call or email us so that we can note it accordingly. |
| Things to consider before calling the property manager to address a maintenance issue: | |
|---|---|
| Appliance/system not working | First, make sure that everything is plugged in and all switches are turned to the "ON" position. Make sure there is no timer that is set, preventing normal operation, such as on a programmable heating/air system. |
| Garbage disposal not working | "Stir" the disposal blades with the handle of a broomstick or other such item. This will often dislodge whatever is causing the unit to jam up. If this does not work, try pressing the reset button, usually found under the sink on the disposal unit. Disconnect power to the unit and then make sure no foreign object has been placed in the disposal. Things such as chicken bones, toys, bottle caps, onion skin, celery, chicken skin and more will get stuck in the blades and cause the disposal to cease working. |
| Heat/air conditioner not working | If it is an electric unit, shut off all the switches at the breaker box, wait several minutes and then turn them all back on again. |
| Are you enrolled in the Peak Corp program? Your system may be "cycled" by SMUD without your knowledge or your control. | |
| Too little heat/air | Change your heating/air conditioning filter. Clogged filters cause the system to work harder and impedes the flow of air through the ducts. |
| Electrical problems | Flip all breakers to the "OFF" position, wait a few minutes and flip them back on. |
| Range/oven | If it is a gas unit, call PG&E first. Sometimes PG&E can fix small problems, such as the pilot light, at no charge. |
| Water leaks | Call the appropriate water department first as it may sometimes be the city or county's responsibility depending on where the problem is. If not, they will tell you. If it is, they will fix it promptly. |
| Windows/screens | Windows and screens damaged during tenancy are your responsibility. If glass is broken, immediate replacement must be made with like-kind materials and quality. You may assign repairs that are your responsibility, but a professional job is expected. No deductions from rent will be permitted nor reimbursements of any kind made unless specific arrangements are made in advance. |
| The tenant should inform us when noticing: |
|---|
| Clogged gutters (this could cause water damage to the foundation of the house) |
| Dry rot visible in any area (this could progress rapidly causing major damage) |
| Mistletoe or vines choking a tree (it could kill the tree) |
| Tree limbs hanging on the roof (it may invite vermin or damage the roof) |
| Water leaks anywhere on the property (unchecked leaks could lead to extensive and expensive damage that may become the tenant's responsibility) |
| A fence in disrepair |
| Trip hazards anywhere, including walkways and driveways |
| Standing water around any area of the house |
| Grout or caulk separating, cracking or splitting |
| Chipping or peeling paint |
| Cleaning and maintenance recommendations: |
|---|
| Do not use lemon juice on granite counters. |
| Do not use water on wood floors. |
| Do not use liquid drain cleaner! Use a flange or cup plunger instead. |
| Use only approved cleaners on stainless steel appliances. |
| Squeegee shower doors to prevent water spots. |
| Make sure yard sprinklers do not spray on windows, since water spots on the windows may be difficult or impossible to remove. |
| Regularly replace the batteries in all smoke detectors. |
| Regularly replace the heating and air filters. |
| Keep the chimney clean, if you have a fireplace, and observe "no-burn" days. |
| The tenant will be held responsible for any repairs that are due to negligence or abuse: | |
|---|---|
| Amenity: | Common causes considered to be abuse and/or negligence: |
| Garbage disposal | Attempting to dispose of unacceptable items (e.g.: chicken skin, celery, egg shells, onion skins, artichokes, bones, potato peels, and much more) |
| Placing too much matter in the disposal at one time | |
| Running the disposal for too long or without enough cold water running | |
| Dishwasher | Leaving food residue on the dishes when placing them in the dishwasher |
| Running it less than once every other month, causing seals to dry out | |
| Range | Using oven cleaner on self-cleaning oven (ruins interior surface) |
| Grease accumulation on or around burners (can cause electrical fire) | |
| Food spills and overflows (can clog burner lines, ruin elements) | |
| Central heat/air | Failure to change the filter every two or three months, which can lead to emission of dangerous fumes, as well as higher heating/AC bills |
| Fireplace | Leaving the damper closed when starting a fire |
| Using lighter fluid on wood | |
| Building too large a fire for the size of the fireplace | |
| Leaving the screen/glass doors open while a fire or embers are burning | |
| Bathroom | Foreign objects dropped into toilet bowl |
| Using excessive amounts of toilet tissue at one time | |
| Flushing inappropriate matter (e.g.: cigarette butts, paper towels, etc) | |
| Grease and/or hair build-up in pipes | |
| Not using the fan or opening the window while showering, causing mildew | |
| Water splashing out of tub/shower (damages floors, ceilings, causes dry rot) | |
| Telephone wiring damage | Additional telephone jacks/wiring is NOT permitted without prior written approval. If approved, installation and removal must be done by a professional technician. |
| Closets | Over-stuffing, which can cause sliding doors to slip off track and break |
| Excessive weight hanging on the clothing rods, causing rods to fall/break | |