Please always refer first to your lease for any and all questions.
Maintenance or repair needs should be reported promptly through the use of Tenant’s AppFolio Portal. (Please see Using AppFolio). Residents are asked to assist and cooperate with the Housing Office in the care and maintenance of all the premises.
Emergency Maintenance
A maintenance emergency is a building-related issue that, if not repaired immediately, could cause injury, threaten a resident’s health, or cause serious property damage. In the event of a maintenance emergency, the resident must call the DTS Housing emergency number: 214-887-5213. In the case that the call is not picked up, always leave a detailed voice message. The Apartment Manager may be resolving another emergency and will return the call within 30 minutes.
Routine Maintenance
Routine maintenance is any process that is needed throughout the building for the purpose of maintaining equipment, to solve a systems problem, or to provide routine services like exterminator service. In this case, a notice will be e-mailed to all residents through at least 24 hours in advance of the work. If a contractor is involved in the work, a Facilities and Plant Operations Department maintenance worker will supervise the entry and exit of the contractor from the apartment and will remain in the area throughout the work.
AIR FILTERS: Air conditioning/heater filters will be replaced every three months by the Facilities and Plant Operations Department and an outside contractor. Residents will be given prior notification of when this is to take place.
LIGHT BULBS: The Seminary replaces the light bulbs in each apartment before new tenants move in. The Tenant is responsible to replace any incandescent bulbs (bedroom and bathroom mirror lights). The replacements must be of the same wattage and type as those currently in the fixture. Tenant should submit a maintenance request through Tenant’s AppFolio Portal for fluorescent tubes (the overhead kitchen, closet and bathroom exhaust/fan light), oven lights, or refrigerator lights.
Right of Entry
There will be occasions during a resident’s stay when the apartment may need to be accessed, whether for maintenance, routine inspections, emergency circumstance, etc. The entry protocols are as follows:
On every occasion Landlord or agent(s) must enter an apartment while the resident is out, Landlord or agent(s) is required to lock the apartment when leaving, even if the door was unlocked upon arrival.
A notice of entry will be left affixed to the apartment door notifying resident of work performed or completed.
No routine service will be performed before 8:00am or after 5:30 pm on weekdays, or on Saturday. No routine service will be performed on Sunday or on any official Seminary holiday.
In cases of emergency, the Landlord may enter at any time or day to address the emergency.
Residents may not use the bolt lock to prevent entry, particularly in cases of emergency.
The Facilities and Plant Operations Department, Housing Office, and/or its contracted agent will follow a “knock and announce” process. That is, the maintenance worker will knock on the front door loudly and will wait 20 – 30 seconds for a response. They will then knock a second time, waiting about 15 more seconds. If after the second knock there is no response, they will let themselves into the apartment. As the maintenance worker opens the front door, they will announce their presence loudly. Please remember that in an emergency, the maintenance worker may not be refused entry.
Outside of maintenance, additional examples of instances where Landlord or agent(s) may need entry to the apartment:
Assessing and/or repairing damage
Making requested repairs or replacements
Doing preventive maintenance (testing or replacing smoke-detector batteries, changing air filters, etc.)
Pest control
Removing, re-keying, or repairing access devices
Removing unauthorized animals
Routine inspections by Housing Staff
Inspection for possible damages of an apartment that has been unoccupied by the resident for more than 10 calendar days
Showing the apartment to prospective Tenants after completed Notice of Vacate has been received by DTS Campus Housing
Showing apartment to government inspectors, fire marshals, lenders, appraisers, contractors or insurance agents
Performing necessary maintenance for the purpose of reletting an apartment to a new Tenant
