Background
Yarmouth Management is a privately owned small business that has been specializing in renting and managing residential properties on Capitol Hill since 1981. Our staff of about 17 includes agents who show properties; application processing specialists; maintenance managers who oversee the experienced, insured contractors who care for the properties we manage; financial staff who process income and expenses and report to property owners; a computer specialist who maintains this Web site and our e-mail list; and the president who is the primary liaison with property owners.
Services and Rental Criteria
Yarmouth Management will help you find a property that suits your needs. We will provide you with information on a daily basis about properties that are available either from our website at our Rental Listings or by E-mail, will discuss your needs, and will explain the individual units so that you can understand their layout. Agents will take you to see the properties and will help you complete our simple online application. You need to see the inside of a property to complete an application either in person, virtually, or through someone you trust.
A PDF version of our application is also available.
Our one-time, non-refundable application fee is $35 for each adult who will live at the property. We need to have the $35 application fee before we can begin processing the application. You can pay in cash, with a check, or by going to PayPal, then go to “send money” and pay using the email link of Applications@yarmouthm.com. We also accept Zelle payments made to Rent@yarmouthm.com. Applications that meet our criteria for rental references, credit reports, and income are good for six months on any property that we have available. All applications received in a given business day for a particular property will be considered. They are not accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you are chosen to rent a property by the property owner, you will have 24 hours after notification to sign the lease and pay a security deposit equal to one month’s rent with a cashier’s check, money order, or bank transfer. That will hold the property for you. When you move in, you will pay a full first month’s rent, again with a cashier’s check, money order, or bank transfer.
After that, our connection with you and the property owner may or may not end. If you have rented a property that Yarmouth manages, you will pay your rent to us and will call us with maintenance requests.
If we do not manage your new residence, we won’t see you–except as a neighbor–until it is time for you to find your next home.
If you are a tenant at a Yarmouth Managed property, you can access your online tenant portal here.
Income: You must be able to prove that you can pay the rent. That usually means that your annual income should exceed forty times the monthly rent. For instance, if the rent is $1,000 a month, your annual gross income should be $40,000. If you are self-employed, retired, unemployed, or have a housing voucher, which Yarmouth Management accepts, you must provide proof of your source of rental payment. Two current pay stubs or an offer letter for a new job or other rental payment verification will speed processing.
Rental History: You must have satisfactory rental references for a minimum of two years, preferably from two landlords. If you have ever been evicted or sued for any lease violation, we will reject your application. If your rental reference was a friend, relative, or roommate, you must note this on the application as we do not consider this a valid rental reference.
Credit History: We obtain a consumer credit report on every prospective tenant when applicable. Your credit record must be satisfactory and payments up to date. Negative information, such as any outstanding collections, liens, overdue payments, and judgements against you 30 days or more for the last two years, will usually result in our declining an application.
Landlord/Tenant Court Records: Yarmouth will also check landlord/tenant court records for each applicant to confirm that no lawsuits or evictions were filed (resulting in a judgement for a prior landlord) within the past 3 years, per § 42–3541.02. DC Council Tenant screening.
Guarantors: If you have less than two years of rental history or cannot provide an acceptable rental reference, do not have credit, or have an annual income less than 40 times the monthly rent, you may also need to have a guarantee. Your guarantor will need to fill out the Guarantee Form, and then get their signature notarized. We also ask that a guarantor provide proof of income at the time of application in the form of a pay stub, offer letter, income statement, etc. It can be scanned, emailed, faxed, or brought to our office in person. The original should be sent to us by regular mail.