We rented with them from August 2021 to July 2022.
Pros:
-Application Process: Rentwerx approved the most-qualified applicant, and not the first person to apply. This came in handy last year when so many people from out of state were applying for homes without even looking at them. We struggled for so long to find a place because everything kept getting snatched right away.
-Security Deposit: Convenient program for waiving the deposit in lieu of a monthly fee.
-Privacy: Rentwerx always respected our privacy, never showed up unannounced, never intrusive, and always gave a clear and timely notice of when maintenance would come.
-Maintenance: Maintenance would always take care of issues in a timely fashion. We even had a water pipe burst many times and they would send someone immediately. They would also check in to make sure our maintenance issues were taken care of.
-Friendly: The staff were kind and helpful. They may not always answer the phone the first time, but they got back to us in a timely fashion.
Cons:
-Owner: In our experience, Rentwerx wasn't the issue- it was the owner. The houses are mostly owned by private landlords, therefore they have the final say on any "non-essential" repairs. Things like a broken doorbell, garage door openers, etc were things the owner declined to fix. Rentwerx would always reach out to the owner on things like this, but were often denied.
-Lease Renewal: Although Rentwerx was very communicative in most schedulings, they really dropped the ball on communication in one situation, when it came to our lease renewal. They sent us the renewal instructions, we set up a renewal inspection, deep-cleaned the entire house so we could pass the inspection with flying colors. An hour after the inspectors were supposed to show, we called the office and were notified that the owner had just backed out of renewing and would instead sell the house. We took time off work and boarded our pets just so they could inspect it properly, but it was a waste of time because the owner flaked out at the last minute. The owner is required to only give a 30 day's notice of nonrenewal, so beware of that. 30 days is not enough time to comfortably find a new place if it comes to it.
Other things to know:
-Not a con, but a gentle warning: Beware of the Flex Deposit Program if you do not have savings: If you choose to pay the fee in lieu of a deposit, be warned that any damages or move out charges will be automatically charged to your bank account with less than a 24-hour notice. THIS IS ON THE LEASE AND WE WERE AWARE THAT WE WOULD BE CHARGED. I was not expecting to be charged instantly. We moved out the end of July. We got an email last night 8/29 with a statement of charges for over $500, and the money was taken out of my account that same night. We thankfully are able to cover the costs, but if we had no savings, it would have really messed us up. Save your money even if you don't have a deposit.
Overall, it was very pleasant to rent with Rentwerx in San Antonio. Nora and Alex were very helpful and timely, as were the other employees that I didn't get the names of. They were even willing to accommodate us if we were to apply for a home with them. We ended up applying for a home with First Key because of location. If it comes to it, I would 100% consider to rent with them again. I know there are alot of negative reviews, but I wanted to put my experience out there as unbiased as possible. read more