Updated: 12.14.20
MiddleTown Property Group COVID-19 Update
We know that COVID-19 is creating a time full of uncertainty and challenges. It is important for us at MiddleTown to continue to operate many critical functions that are necessary for our tenants to enjoy their homes. We are committed that all our tenants are minimally impacted while we take appropriate steps in accordance with the CDC. Due to the most recent Emergency Declaration of Delaware County, we have reduced our operations in accordance to its guidelines. We will still be available for our tenants and future tenants by phone and email. We will continue to monitor the situation and react accordingly. MiddleTown Property Group is providing the following guidelines. If you have additional questions, please reach out to your appropriate property manager.
Office Hours
Our office is currently open by appointment only.. We will continue to minimize the amount of people in the office based off of CDC and Governor requirements. Please continue to prioritize calling the office over coming in, if you need assistance: 765-289-7618.
Paying Rent
We advise tenants to utilize the online portal to make online payments, which can be found at the following link:
https://middletownpg.appfolio.com/connect/users/sign_in
We will continue to take payments by mail or at the office drop box.
If you have been financially impacted by COVID-19, please contact your property manager.
Maintenance Request
We are currently only servicing emergency maintenance requests. We will still accept other maintenance requests, however we will put them on hold and schedule them at a later time.
An emergency maintenance request is defined as anything that will cause safety issues to the tenants, property damage, or make the property uninhabitable.
Examples of emergency maintenance is below:
1. No heat and the outdoor temperature is below 50 degrees
2. Water leak causing damage
3. Fire (please call 911 first!)
4. Utility outages
5. No air conditioning if temperature is above 90 degrees and your unit was furnished with an AC unit.
6. Gas leak or smell
7. Entry door will not open or shut
8. Clogged toilets (must be all toilets if you have more than 1)
9. No hot water
10. The following appliances are not working:
Refrigerator
Oven
Microwave (if provided)
Washer
Dryer
11. Any situation endangering the health or safety of the resident or others.
We have added additional steps for our maintenance techs when on sites, including additional disinfection between maintenance requests. We request that all tenants notify us if they put in a maintenance request and have COVID-19 like symptoms. The property manager will reach out to determine the urgency of the maintenance request. If it’s not urgent, we will schedule the work for a later time. If it is an emergency, we will schedule a time when the tenant is not home and will take appropriate measures as outlined by the CDC.
Home Showings
It is critical that we are able to continue to show homes for those that have immediate housing needs. However, we will do so with many precautions with our tenants and team members’ health and safety as a priority.
1. Will be prioritizing touring vacant units.
2. Will continue to collect more videos and photos to help reduce tours.
3. Asking all individuals touring that they are free from COVID-19 like symptoms, nor have been in contact with anyone with the disease. We require that all individuals touring including staff wear a mask.
4. Ask all units notified of scheduled tours, if tenants have COVID-19 like symptoms (or been in contact with an infected person), to notify the leasing team and we will cancel the physical tour.
5. Leasing associates will conduct video phone tours when possible to minimize amount of people in the unit when possible.
Team Members
Any MiddleTown Property Group team members that have COVID-19 like symptoms or have been in contact with an infected person are not permitted to work and will be requested to follow CDC guidelines. Anybody that was in contact with that team member will be monitored accordingly. All team members that are physically reporting to work have increased the amount of hand washing, and disinfection of their workspace.
Can I get out of my lease?
While we understand that is a very frustrating and eventful time, the responsibility of the Leaseholder remains in place. The current events do not prevent tenants from staying in their homes. If a decision is made by the tenants to not stay in their homes, that is a choice a tenant has made. A tenant choice does not release a contractual obligation. We will continue to monitor the situation in adherence to government guidelines as the situation evolves.
If tenants do plan to vacate the property during a significant amount of time, we would like to advise the following.
1. Set your temperature to at least 60 degrees for heat, to prevent freezing of pipes.
2. When it gets warmer, we do advise to keep some air circulation in the unit.
3. Check on your unit periodically.
4. Do not shut off your utilities, tenants are responsible to keep utilities on and in their name as according to the lease terms.
5. Let your property manager know, we will try to do periodical inspections to make sure all systems are in good condition, and there are no emergency maintenance items going unnoticed.
The crisis is impacting me economically.
We are sensitive to the fact that this event could impact personal financial situations. We’re still obligated to collect rent payments, as we have many expenses that we must continue to pay to make sure tenants are not impacted at their home. This includes mortgages, utilities, insurance, maintenance, landscaping, and our own team members. We ask all tenants to continue to make their rent payments as obligated, so that we can continue to provide you with uninterrupted services. If you’re having severe difficulty, please reach out to your property manager to discuss, and review the section below. MiddleTown Property Group will continue to monitor this situation and adhere to any government guidelines.
Resources Available to Tenants that Need Financial Help
If you have been affected economically by COVID-19, there are several resources that may help. Assistance for COVID-19 is constantly changing, based on government response. Please stay informed of your options. We will attempt to provide as much update as well.
File for Unemployment Benefits
https://www.in.gov/dwd/2362.htm
Ball State University Emergency Aid program
https://www.bsu.edu/about/administrativeoffices/student-conduct/studentemergencyaid
Center Township (Muncie) Poor Relief Program
https://www.centertownshiptrustee.com/departments/poor-relief/
Federal Programs including Food Stamps
https://fssabenefits.in.gov/bp/#/
Please review all options available to you by any personal banking and credit relationship you currently have. Many companies are offering assistance or programs during this time that can be of great assistance.
I think I have COVID-19, or I did get the COVID-19 virus.
Please follow the CDC and local Health Department guidelines, including immediate quarantine. We ask that you notify us as soon as you’re able to do so. This will allow us to take appropriate steps and minimize exposure. We will continue to monitor government guidelines and adhere to any relief programs that may be implemented for those that contract the virus.
Future Updates
MiddleTown Property Group will continue to monitor the situation and act accordingly. We will continue to provide updates regarding our operations and guidelines to our tenants. You will get the most up to date information on this page, or at this link below:
www.middletownpg.com/covid19
We will continue to notify our tenants through email, texting, and social media when we are able to do so. If at any time you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office at 765-289-7617.
We ask everyone in this time to stay informed, and to take the recommendations of the CDC.
Sincerely,
Matt Abner
President & CEO
Middletown Property Group, LLC.
765-289-7617