Reminder - We've Moved!
As of July 8th, 2022 our new address is:
14050 Summit Drive #113B
Austin, TX 78728
Back to School Sales Tax Holiday
It’s almost time for schools to reopen for the fall semester. Texas offers a few sales tax holidays, and the next one is coming up August 5-7, 2022. This can help you save money on things like school supplies and clothing. View this link for details of the qualifying items and other info for the exemption available on purchases made during those days. If you have any questions about this contact the Comptroller’s office directly.
Summer Heat
It’s hot out there as we all know, and we’re setting records. Since mid-May we’ve had 45+ days of triple digit heat as of the writing of this post. That likely translates to AC issues when it comes to our role with you as a tenant. We strongly recommend that you review the recent email titled "IMPORTANT: HVAC Expectations and Tips" that was sent out in May.
Here is a link with some great info about saving money by adjusting your thermostat.
Power Issues
The intense heat is taking its toll on the power grid, and there have been conservation alerts from ERCOT indicating the grid is running low on reserve power at times.
We have received some maintenance requests stating the power is out, which is usually either a local or grid wide issue. The quick troubleshooting in this situation is to check to see if your neighbors have power. If the neighbors do not have power then contact your electricity provider to report an outage. If the neighbors do, or you only lost power in a portion of your home then check your breakers to see if they need to be reset. Also check the GFCIs when there is a partial loss of power, and make sure to check with your provider to eliminate that possibility.
More DIY maintenance videos can be found on our site.
Here are some resources that can help you stay informed during our extreme heat this summer
ERCOT Grid Info- https://www.ercot.com/gridinfo/
Power Outage Info- https://www.ready.gov/power-outages
Extreme Heat- https://www.ready.gov/heat
Emergency Kit- https://www.ready.gov/kit
General Info to various preparedness info- https://www.ready.gov/
Maintenance and Repairs
We are in the middle of our busiest time of year! Please be patient as our Vendors schedule your non-emergency repair items. We also ask that you promptly respond to all Vendor communications to avoid any possible delays in your repairs.
When a Vendor does contact you to schedule your repair, please be prepared to answer phone calls and text messages to expedite scheduling. Please do not miss scheduled appointments as that can also cause delays in the completion of your repair requests. We greatly appreciate your cooperation and patience!
Watering your Lawn & Foundation
Maintenance submissions stating doors are difficult to open or lock are good examples of the importance of watering the lawn and foundation of the home. With the severe lack of rain in our area we want to remind everyone that you must give the yard some water not only for the landscaping, but also to keep the soil around and under the foundation moist. This will prevent foundation movement, and is required by the standard lease if you live in a freestanding single or multi-family home. This can be found in section 17.A. or a nearby section for most, if not all, leases.
The City of Austin is currently in Stage 1 drought water use restrictions which allows watering one day a week. Please be mindful of your designated watering days and times. You may find more information on the site below, and keep in mind that surrounding communities have similar restrictions even if you’re not in Austin’s service area.
Please refer to your lease agreement for more information on watering your lawn and other lawn care responsibilities.
Thank you for being a resident of a Stone Oak rental property! Please don't hesitate to contact our staff if we can help with anything.
Routine Maintenance Reminders
- Maintenance Requests: We still receive a lot of maintenance requests that state something vague like "washer" or "AC" without any other info about the actual issue. We cannot act on requests like this and will require that you provide more info, so any request like this will only delay a resolution to the issue. Make sure you provide as much info as possible in your request including pics if possible.
- Maintenance Portal: Please make a list of any items you want to submit, and then list all issues together as one request including as much info as possible and attach photos if applicable. We will then evaluate whether they should be split up or not.
- Smoke and CO Alarms: As a reminder don't ever unplug and remove smoke detectors because they are beeping. Change the batteries and if that doesn't work please notify us. We find a lot of tenants unplug them and bury them in a closet or drawer instead of replacing batteries.
- A/C Filters: Make sure to check and change every month or as required by the type of filter. If any HVAC systems in your home have a reusable filter you are still required to clean them periodically, so please make sure they are kept clean.
- Toilets: "Flushable" Wipes CANNOT be flushed. Do not put anything down the drains except water, human waste, and regular toilet paper. Food, toys, feminine products, wipes, towels, wrappers, condoms, and other objects do not break apart and go down the drain. Clogs of the plumbing system may be charged back to you, so it is best to avoid this by not putting anything down any of the drains aside from water and human waste.
- Disposal Systems: This includes using the sink disposal as a garbage chute. These appliances are not meant to dispose of large quantities of food and should only be used as a last resort after all food items are scraped off dishes into a compost bin or trash can.
- Drainage: Shower, bath, and sink drains can get clogged up over time with hair and other organic matter. Do not use Draino-type products as they are extremely acidic and will do more harm than good by damaging the pipes while usually failing to fix the drainage issue. The best way to address this is to use a disposable drain snake that can be obtained from any hardware store for a couple of dollars. Please note that if we send out a vendor for this and it turns out to be this very issue you may be charged back for the cost. Here is a video on how to use those - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOb4MJ6widg
- Emergency Maintenance: this extension should not be called unless you have an issue involving Flood, Blood, or Fire. Do not call the emergency line to follow up on existing work orders or submit a new request that is not an emergency. In case of an emergency call 911 if needed and then contact us after everyone is safe. Remember that we do not monitor emails after hours, so if you submit something considered an emergency online and do not call we may not know until the next business day.
Other Maintenance Notes:
If you'd like to inquire about, or update an existing request, submit the form at stoneoakmgmt.com/maintenance or call 512-617-6766 ext-5.
Maintenance time frames continue to be extended due to the pandemic. Please allow at least 5 business days before requesting an update from our team unless it is an emergency.
For basic DIY tips and tricks to solve some issues quickly, visit our DIY rental property maintenance page.
Your Tenant Portal & Electronic Statements
The system will generate a statement even if you're moving out, so there is no need to contact us if you receive this and are moving. All charges, including any prorated rent, will be adjusted as needed when the deposit is processed.
If you are not using the portal app that keeps you logged in please take a look at the linked flyer for more info. This can eliminate forgotten passwords, and help with easy updates/access to maintenance requests and all other account details.
AppFolio Tenant Portal Information
