Tenant Frequently Asked Questions

The most efficient way to contact us is through your Tenant Portal. Even in the middle of the night, we get notifications when a message is sent, and are able to respond promptly.

All tenants must fulfill these requirements:

• Clean criminal record with no felonies
• No previous eviction or poor rental history
• Income of at least three times the monthly rental amount

We’ll also do a credit check before approving your application.

It’s possible, but it varies from property to property. Feel free to ask!

Yes, we charge $35 per adult. This covers the administrative costs, as well as the cost of ordering credit checks. All tenants 18 years and older must be included on the application, including dependents.

Yes. Beyond your application fee, which is due upon application, you are required to pay your first month’s rent and security deposit prior to your move-in date.

We’ll set a move-in date and time, and meet you at the property. We will then walk through the property together to do an inspection, taking photos of all the ceilings, floors, walls etc. You will receive a digital copy of these images along with our Move-in Inspection Report. You’ll also receive a move-in packet within a few days.

If everything on your application checks out, you could hypothetically sign your lease today, pay your first month’s rent and security deposit online, and move in to your new home tomorrow!

Checks or money orders can be mailed or dropped off at our office in Mendota Heights, but we recommend that you set electronic payments via your Tenant Portal. It’s quick, easy and secure. The automatic payment system does require a checking account.

We accept credit cards for your tenant application fee, but do not accept credit cards for monthly rent payments at this time.

Rent is due on the first of the month, with a four-day grace period. Any rent collected as of the sixth of the month will be considered late.

If we have not received your rent by the morning of the sixth, we will assess an 8% late fee, which you will be required to pay in addition to your full month’s rent.

If you receive a notice or message stating that you have not paid your rent in full, you must contact us immediately. If the issue goes unresolved, we will have to begin the eviction process.

If your check bounces, you will be required to pay an additional $35 bank processing fee.

Tenants are expected to purchase and replace their own light bulbs, furnace filters, driveway/walkway salt and other consumables under $50. If you are renting a single-family home, you are also responsible for lawn maintenance and upkeep (though we offer lawn care/snow removal services for an additional fee).

You’ll receive more information concerning tenant responsibilities in your welcome packet.

We do! We offer year-round lawn care/snow removal services for an additional fee.

Once you submit a maintenance request, we’ll contact you right away to make sure we understand the issue. If it’s an emergency, we’ll send someone over right away; if not, we should be able to take care of the issue within 24 or 48 hours (we’ll provide you with a time window).

No. You do not need to be present for repair or maintenance calls. We will contact you ahead of time to let you know when we will arrive and gain your permission to access your unit.

Your welcome packet, which you should receive within a day or two of move-in, will contain all contact information for your utilities, as well as who to contact in our office if you need assistance. This information will then become available in your Tenant Portal.

If the rental property is a single family home, chances are you’ll be responsible for utility payments. To learn which utilities you are responsible for, you can check your lease here or feel free to ask one of our team members.

Subleasing is not allowed. If you choose to leave your lease early, you will be required to continue paying rent for two months and pay an additional two month’s rent as a penalty fee.

Minnesota law requires that your lease be honored. So if the property is sold, you would continue paying rent as usual until the end of your lease.

Guests are allowed for up to two weeks. After that time, any guests over the age of 18 must leave or submit a tenant application. Keep in mind that any damage to the home is considered the responsibility of the tenants, not their guests!

Any adult wishing to be added to the lease must submit a tenant application and be approved. We’ll then add them to the lease via a lease addendum. No extra security deposit is required.

If one tenant wishes to leave, they may do so via a lease addendum. However, no part of the security deposit will be returned until all tenants on the lease have moved out of the property.

Whether or not pets are allowed is up to the owner of the property. If you are allowed to have a pet, you must pay an additional $300 damage deposit per pet, and your rent will be increased by $20/month per pet.

We do not allow smoking in any MSP Home Rental properties. Smoking outside is allowed, but butts and ash must be placed in a proper container.

Your Tenant Portal contains a digital copy of all documents and correspondences, including your lease agreement.

We perform in-depth move-in and move-out inspections, as well as additional inspections every six months. If we’re entering your home on a repair or maintenance call and have not done an inspection for a couple of months, we will generally do an inspection at that time out of courtesy for you. Depending on the city where you live, additional inspections may be required.

You will always receive a copy of the inspection report, along with any photos taken during the inspection, in your Tenant Portal.

Our lease agreements state that a 60-day notice is required from either the tenant or management if the lease will not be renewed. We will usually contact you 90 days prior to your lease ending to discuss your plans moving forward.

We don’t charge for standard “wear and tear,” so tenants who do their best to clean and take care of the property can expect a full return of their deposit. We’ll send you an itemization document within 21 days of the end of your lease that details any charges and shows how much of your deposit will be returned.

Absolutely! Whether you’re looking to rent or buy, we’d love to help you find your next home. Just send us a message via your Tenant Portal and let us know what you’re looking for!