Tenant FAQs

At Summit Management Group, we ask that all applications be completed in full. All adults, 18 years or older, will be required to complete an application.  The application fee is $45/applicant and applications will not be processed until application fees are paid.  We run complete checks on credit, employment, rental history, criminal and evictions. The basic qualifications we are looking for are as follows:

1. Three times the income to the rental rate
2. Credit scores of 580 or better
3. Employment history illustrating steady work history
4. Rental history illustrating excellent pay history and care of previously rented property
5. Eviction/Dispossessory Search – No evictions and/or judgments
6. Criminal History – Please advise if you have been convicted of a felony or are a registered sex offender

Please understand that we are required to present all offers to rent to our owners.  When you make application, it is considered an offer to rent.  Due to the requirement to present all offers to rent, we do accept and process multiple applications at one time and meeting all of our qualifications does not guarantee that you will be approved for the rental property.

**Applicants will be automatically denied for any misleading or false information provided.**

Please contact us at 678-466-7000 ext 102 with any questions regarding our qualification process.

Yes, properties can be held for approved applicants.  After being approved for a rental property, Summit Management Group will hold the property for a maximum of 14 days upon collection of a non-refundable Holding Fee of one month’s rent.  Holding Fees are due within 48 hours of tenant approval.  A Holding Fee Agreement will be drafted to illustrate the estimated date of move in (on or before date) and that a holding fee has been collected.  Holding Fees will be applied towards your first month’s rent upon signing the lease agreement and payment of your Security Deposit and Administration Fee.  All Holding Fees are non-refundable should you decided not to move into the property for any reason unless the reasoning is due to fault of the landlord.

Please be advised that leases drafted by Summit Management Group illustrate that rent is due on the 1st of each month.  Rent is considered late after 5:00 pm on the 3rd of the month and subject to a late fee as illustrated in your lease agreement.  Please be advised that mailing your rental payment on the 3rd day of the month does not exclude you from a late fee.  If your lease was drafted prior to Summit Management Group handling management then payment and late fee terms may differ from our standard policy.  Please review your current lease agreement as those terms will be honored.

Please be advised that leases drafted by Summit Management Group illustrate that rent is due on the 1st of each month.  Rent is considered late after 5:00 pm on the 3rd of the month and subject to a late fee as illustrated in your lease agreement.  Rent can be paid via your online account via ACH or Debit/Credit Card.  Rent, in the form of money order or cashier’s check, can be mailed to our office at:

Summit Management Group, Inc.
P.O. Box 2927
Covington, GA 30015

or delivered to our physical location at:

1132 Floyd Street NE
Covington, GA  30014

Please be advised that if your lease was drafted prior to Summit Management Group then payment and late fee terms may differ from our standard policy.  Summit Management Group occasionally acquires management of properties with existing tenants and we will honor the terms of your current lease agreement.  All lease agreements will be revised at renewal to reflect the standard terms of Summit Management Group.

Summit Management Group services the areas of Rockdale, Newton, Henry, Morgan, Walton, Jasper, Gwinnett and DeKalb counties. Please check our Rental Properties section of the website for rental properties that are currently available.

No, you are not allowed to withhold rent from the landlord without an order from the court or written permission of the landlord and you are required to submit all request for repairs in writing.

In Georgia the landlord has an obligation to keep the rented premises in good repair during the tenancy unless there are specific contractual agreements to the contrary. (O.C.G.A.  § 44‑7‑13). In a residential tenancy if the landlord allows the property to fall into such a state of disrepair that it becomes unsuitable for the tenant’s purposes, the tenant becomes “constructively evicted” and owes no further contractual obligations to the landlord.  Once the tenant notifies the landlord that repairs need to be made, the landlord must inspect the property and make arrangements for the repairs.  If the tenant gives the landlord notice of a defect and the landlord fails to repair within a reasonable time, the tenant may make the repairs and deduct the cost of those repairs from rental payments.  However, a tenant may not withhold rent merely because the landlord fails to make repairs, unless there is a constructive eviction.  If the landlord’s failure to make repairs damages the tenant’s property, the tenant may recoup the amount of those damages from the rental payments.  The tenant has a duty to use ordinary and normal care and diligence to prevent injury or damage to the property.  Included is a duty to notify the landlord of any repairs needed and to make it possible for the landlord or the landlord’s agents to have access to the property to make those repairs.

No. If your lease provides for a definite ending/termination date, you are obligated for the entire lease term, even if you have a good reason for leaving, such as illness or job transfer. Only termination due to certain military transfers is excused. If you leave early, and the landlord is unable to re-rent your property, he may sue you for the unpaid rent and damages, and/or file a negative credit report against you.

It depends on the owner of the property and if they chose to allow pets.  Some properties may have no pet restrictions while others may be acceptable a certain type of animal and/or may have size & weight restrictions.  Before applying for a property with Summit Management Group, please confirm if there are pet restrictions. If pets are allowed, a non-refundable pet fee will be charged for allowing the pet on the premises.  This fee could range in the amounts of $250 – $1000 per pet and said pet fee does not include any additional charges should your pet damage the property or should pest treatment be required for the removal of fleas.  Be advised that if you are a tenant a bring an unauthorized pet into the premises, you will be charge a fee of $500/incident with every day the violation occurs being deemed a separate incident.

Please note that due to insurance restrictions, we do not allow pets that are listed as a vicious breed.  Some, but not all of these breeds, are as follows:

• Pit Bull Terriers
• Staffordshire Terriers
• Rottweilers
• German Shepherds
• Presa Canarios
• Chows Chows
• Doberman Pinschers
• Akitas
• Wolf-hybrids
• Mastiffs
• Cane Corsos
• Great Danes
• Alaskan Malamutes
• Siberian Huskies

Unless specifically authorized in the lease agreement, Premises shall be a smoke free zone and smoking shall not be permitted therein. This includes electronic cigarettes and vaping. Penalties are illustrated in the lease agreement to protect our owners property from unauthorized smoking. Per the lease agreement that will be signed with the Tenant and Summit Management Group, the following terms will be illustrated:  “Tenant understands that if smoking occurs inside the Premises, the Security Deposit will be at retained by Landlord, an unauthorized smoking fee will be charged in the amount of $1,000 and Tenant will have defaulted under the terms of this lease agreement and Landlord can evict and seek from Tenant any and all costs associated with smoke mitigation from the property.

No, the Tenant may not apply the security deposit toward the payment of any of Tenant’s financial obligations set forth in the lease agreement.

The holder of the Security Deposit shall have the right to  deduct from the Security Deposit:

1. the cost of repairing any damage to Premises or Property caused by Tenant, Tenant’s household or their invitees, licensees and guests, other than normal wear and tear;
2. unpaid rent, utility charges or pet fees;
3. cleaning costs if Premises is left unclean;
4. the cost to remove and dispose of any personal property;
5. late fees and any other unpaid fees, costs and charges referenced in the lease agreement.

The balance of the Security Deposit to which Tenant is entitled shall be returned to Tenant by Holder within thirty (30) days after the termination of this Agreement or the surrender of Premises by Tenant, whichever occurs last; provided that Tenant meets the following requirements:

1. the full term of the Lease has expired;
2. Tenant has given the required written notice to vacate;
3. the Premises is clean and free of dirt, trash and debris;
4. all rent, additional rent, fees and charges have been paid in full;
5. there is no damage to the Premises or the Property except for normal wear and tear or damage noted at the commencement of the Lease in the Move-In / Move-Out Inspection Form signed by Landlord and Tenant; and
6. all keys to the Premises and to recreational or other facilities, access cards, gate openers and garage openers have been returned to Landlord or Manager.

Please note that Summit Management Group make every effort possible to return the Security Deposit to our previous Tenants as quickly as possible.  Although the Holder legally has 30 Days to return the deposit, if funds are being held by Summit Management Group, Tenants will typically receive the refund within 1 week of lease termination unless there is a dispute between Tenant & Landlord.