Madison Gardens

Your Responsibilities

Daily

Use the Right Dish Soap

Do not use gel packs in the dishwasher.  We recommend compressed powder packs, liquid or powder detergents.

ALWAYS Display Your Parking Pass

1st Choice Towing has a 24/7 contract with MVH, meaning that even if you park without a pass or in a fire lane for “30 seconds, just a minute, or run in real quick,” you run the risk of being towed at YOUR expense. Guests must park in a designated, stamped “VISTOR” space. You cannot save visitor spaces with your own vehicle or you run the risk of being towed at your expense. Visitor parking spaces cannot be guaranteed and operate on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

Use a Washable Laundry Bag

Place socks, undergarments, and other small washable items in a washable laundry bag before you start your washing machine.  These have the ability to clog the drain pump, preventing your washer from properly draining.  The cost to remove the source of the clog would be a tenant charge, and appliance technician service calls begin at $80 (yikes!).

Take Out the Trash & Recycle

Be sure to take your trash to the on-site dumpster bins regularly.  If grounds finds trash being stored outside your apartment, they’ll remove it at the cost of a $50/person fine. There are trash & recycling bins conveniently placed throughout the community – check out our map to find the one closest to your building.

Change Your Air Filter

Keep your AC & heat functioning at optimum performance. You need a 24x24x1 disposable fiberglass or poly (flat) filter, NOT pleated. Locally, Rocking “R” Hardware or Airco keep the size & type air filter you need on their inventory, although they may not always have them in-stock – be sure to plan ahead.  Home improvement stores (such as Lowe’s or Home Depot) can special order an air filter at your request to them. If all else fails, order in bulk through Amazon.

Pay Your Rent: Due 1st/Month Every Month

With the exception of your first months’ rent (your lease may not begin on the 1st/month), RENT IS ALWAYS DUE ON THE 1ST MONTH.  Rent is late after the 1st.  Our grace period extends through the 5th/month at 5pm.  Late fees will be assessed at that time, which are 10% of the periodic rent due, or 10% of the outstanding balance, whichever is less. We accept check or money order payments at our onsite office year-round.  Please make payments payable to Matchbox Realty. Unfortunately we cannot accept cash or credit card payments at our office locations. We do offer online payment optionsincluding affordable automatic payment options!

Once your account is created through Matchbox Residential, you can login to your account and make an electronic payment online. For more information about online payments and setting up auto payments please see the Payment Options in Sample Forms.

Matchbox also accepts the following forms of payment:

1. Personal Check/Money Order/Cashier’s Check

2. Bank Bill Pay Check – (Monthly check payments to Matchbox set up through your bank)

Please make CHECKS PAYABLE TO MATCHBOX REALTY, write Unit Number and Account Number on memo, and mail to:

MATCHBOX REALTY, PO BOX 222312

CHANTILLY, VA 20153-2312

Water & electric must be kept ON and in your name(s) for the duration of your lease term. If you’ll be gone for the summertime or winter break, there are breakers you can shut-off in an effort to conserve energy & keep your bills low while you are away!

If, during your lease term, you shutoff utilities, the services can/will be transferred to Matchbox’s name, and our office will receive a bill – you and your roommates will each receive a $50 Utility Bill Processing Fee fine for each bill we receive, in addition to the cost of utility usage.  To avoid the possibility of a fine, please ensure you have water and electric ON and in your name(s) for the duration of your lease term! This includes Winter Break, Summer Break and extended vacations.

If you dare to shut-off your electric, let us tell you a cautionary tale… There once was a group of young ladies who shut-off their electric for the entire summer – 3 months!  Maggots made themselves a home inside the controls of the fridge.  The entire fridge needed to be replaced at a cost of $1,015!  No one lived happily ever after.

The Lease provides invaluable information on payments, keys, maintenance and much more. We get a lot of questions about what you can and cannot alter in your apartment. Below are some common bullet points that will answer many of these questions. If you have any additional questions, please contact us!

  • Tenant shall not remodel or make any structural changes, alterations or additions to the premises.
  • Tenant shall not paper, paint or decorate, or install, attach, remove or exchange appliances or equipment.
  • Tenant shall not use adhesives, tape, nails or poster putty on walls, ceilings, doors, etc.
  • Tenant should use a limited number of tacks or small pushpins for hanging objects on the walls only in order to minimize damage.
  • Tenant shall be responsible for any excessive damage to walls, and any damage to doors, woodwork, appliances, ceilings or fixtures caused by nailing, taping, or affixing in any manner pictures, posters, mirrors, hangers, or other items thereto.
  • Tenants shall be responsible for any special cleaning/disinfecting needed due to any medical condition (i.e. allergies to dust, smoke, animals, etc.)
  • Tenants understand that the numbers of telephone, cable and internet lines provided to the dwelling unit are provided in an “as is” condition.
  • The current exterior & interior locks CANNOT be changed without written permission from Landlord/Agent. All lock changes must go through Matchbox and our Maintenance division. If Tenant changes the original locks without permission, Tenant will be charged for the cost of immediately removing the locks and installing the original or new lock as well as the cost of the new lock.
  • Tenants shall use removable floor coverings (i.e. throw carpets) to cover 75% of any wood or other hard surface flooring in a unit.

Input Your Correct, FULL Address for Online Orders

If you gave United States Postal ServiceUPSFedEx or any other carrier an incorrect address, tracking down your package may be a hassle!  Be sure to include your FULL address when ordering online.

Are you missing a package?  We do not accept packages/mail at the onsite office.  That being said, there are a couple different possibilities…

• If your order was shipped via USPS, they normally place the package (if it fits) inside your mailbox.  If the package does not fit, they would have left a key inside your mailbox to open the larger compartment.  Sometimes undeliverable orders are sent back to USPS’ main Harrisonburg office, which is located on Route 11 (3811 South Main Street; Harrisonburg, VA 22801).  Have you checked there?

• If your order is shipped via UPS or Fedex, they would either leave the package at your door (if no signature is required) or have one of your roommates sign for the package.  Fedex often offers residents the opportunity to pick-up shipments in the evening from their Ship Center – information on this option would’ve been left on a sticky note on your door.

• Do you have a tracking number?  If so, have you called UPS, Fedex or USPS directly to locate your order?

 

You’ll often receive emails from the Matchbox Realty Team, including your Portfolio Manager & the Assistant Portfolio Manager but also from our Accounting Department Staff, Director of Marketing, Director of IT, Front Desk Receptionist & others! OUR INTENTIONS ARE NOT TO SPAM YOU; OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR OBLIGATIONS & OUR COMMUNITY.

Examples of email notifications you may receive during your tenancy are:

• The Official Renewal Notice: We would love for you to say with us year after year, so we always offer our current residents the first priority to renew.  If you miss the deadline, you may lose your apartment.

• Community Events: Throughout the year, we’ll host a handful of community events for you & your friends.  In the past, we’ve had a grab-n-go breakfast at the bus stop, an NFL game showing on a 50 foot projector in our clubhouse & a JMU tailgate.  These events are always free & we always have d-e-l-icious food.  Win-win!

• Past Due or Auto-Pay Notifications: If you paid rent online (or if you NEED to), Accounting will keep you in the loop.

• Showing or Inspection Notices: For any non-emergency entry, we’ll provide 24+ hours’ notice.  Seasonal inspections include Winter Inspections (December) & Furniture Inspections (April).

Your lease, especially the Rules and Regulations section, outline all of your responsibilities.  All of these can be summed up by the Golden Rule: “Treat others as you want to be treated.” This includes your dwelling – treat it as if it were your own valuable piece of real estate that you want to last forever. Keep your place looking nice year round.  After all, it’s much easier to clean up once a week than once a year right before you move out.