Application
There are several main criteria looked at when evaluating a tenant application. The criteria are focused mainly on income, credit history, and rental history. The private personal information is not shared with any third party nor is it retained by CapVest.
CapVest does not require renters insurance for tenants, but we highly encourage and recommend that tenants purchase renter’s insurance. If damage occurs to the property, the owner’s insurance policy does not include any coverage for the contents of the property and only for the structure itself. Renter’s insurance is affordable. It can be purchased easily online or from nearly any insurance agent.
Moving In
New renters may wonder what utilities are included, which utilities they are responsible for, and how to go about arranging service and paying bills. Please refer to your lease for the specific details for the property you are leasing.
Electricity: Most tenants are responsible for their unit’s electricity. This includes establishing new service prior to moving in and keeping current with monthly bills. At the time of lease execution, you will be sent Xcel forms to transfer utilities into your name upon lease start date. Xcel Energy is the most common electrical power provider for our properties. Visit their website for service transfer, start, and stop, as well as toll free numbers to call for help by phone.
Heat: Most tenants are responsible for their unit’s heat. This may be covered from your electricity provider due to electric heat or for natural gas. If you are not sure how your unit is heated, ask your property manager.
Garbage: Most tenants are responsible for their individual garbage pick up. The municipality where your unit is located will determine which garbage/recycling haulers serve your area. Your property manager can provide a list of providers for your property.
Water/Sewer: Most tenants are responsible for their individual water/sewer service. Your water and sewer service provider is the municipality where your property is located (City of Eau Claire, City of Altoona, etc.). At the time of lease execution, you will be sent water forms to transfer utilities into your name upon lease start date. If your property is located in a rural area and has a well and septic system you will not be subject to a municipal water and sewer bill, but you will be asked to sign an addendum to your lease with regard to the care of a septic system and your responsibilities as a tenant.
Internet: Tenants are responsible for their individual internet service, if they desire the service. Providers vary based upon location of the property. Some properties offer managed Wi-Fi.
Cable TV: Tenants are responsible for individual cable television service. Dish networks which require hardware to be attached to the building are not allowed in properties managed by CapVest. Some properties have specific providers and your property manager will share information with you.
Common Area Maintenance: In general, residential tenants are not charged a separate fee for common area maintenance. If one is in effect for your property, it will be outlined in your lease.
We recommend that tenants inspect their unit upon move in and move out. Use this top-down approach to inspect all aspects of your rental:
- Ceiling – Inspect light fixtures, vents, and the finish of the ceiling for cleanliness and damage
- Walls – Inspect for damage in all rooms, dust and wash walls, clean windows and window coverings, inspect all doors and windows for damage
- Fixtures – Inspect all light fixtures, switches, vents, heating/air conditioning units, appliances, cupboards, sinks, counter tops, plumbing fixtures, appliances, and any other items affixed to the unit for damage and cleanliness.
- Floors – Clean carpets and hard floors, clean floor vents, inspect for damage.
Upon move out tenants will want to be sure the property is left in the same condition it was in upon move in.
When a tenant moves into CapVest unit they will be provided with a check-in form where they can document any damages that are seen. The tenant will have 7 days from receipt of the form (provided on the date of occupancy) to review and return the form to the landlord.
Renter
Smoke and/or Carbon Monoxide Detector
Tenant Responsibility: Checking and changing batteries. Please change batteries in all of the smoke detectors in your unit when one dies. The smoke detectors in your unit work on a circuit and need to be changed at the same time.
Property Manager Responsibility: Repairing or replacing malfunctioning units
Appliances
Tenant Responsibility: Clean exterior and interior, vacuum refrigerator coils if applicable, clean oven, keep dryer lint trap and exhaust clear, leave front-load washer open to avoid mildew
Property Manager Responsibility: Everything else
Plumbing
Tenant Responsibility: Minor toilet or drain clogs and regular cleaning. Garbage disposal clogs are the responsibility of the tenant in most cases.
Property Manager Responsibility: Major drain clogs, plumbing leaks, plumbing hardware, and water heater issues.
Heating & Air Conditioning
Tenant Responsibility: Changing air filters monthly or quarterly, if applicable, replacing thermostat batteries (if applicable), and keeping air vents clean and free from obstruction. Our team has created video instructions on how to do this in the communities we manage. Visit your community page from the “For Renters” menu above to find additional information. For units with fireplaces Turn on your fireplace monthly to ensure its proper operation, whether this is by switch or switches on the wall or by remote, depending upon the property. If you have two switches one is for the gas and the other is for ignition. Please make sure the gas is always off when the fireplace is not in use and keep in mind that the ignition may need to be switched more than once to ignite. Clean your fireplace regularly with soap and water. Keep flammable items as well as items that hold water away from the fireplace. This includes items made of paper and cardboard as well as glasses of water and fishbowls/tanks. Report gas leaks/smells IMMEDIATELY to the emergency maintenance line. Report non-operational fireplaces via maintenance request in AppFolio or by phone call to our office.
Property Manager Responsibility: Everything else
Fireplaces
Tenant Responsibility: Turn on your fireplace monthly to ensure its proper operation, whether this is by switch or switches on the wall or by remote, depending upon the property. If you have two switches one is for the gas and the other is for ignition. Please make sure the gas is always off when the fireplace is not in use and keep in mind that the ignition may need to be switched more than once to ignite. Clean your fireplace regularly with soap and water. Keep flammable items as well as items that hold water away from the fireplace. This includes items made of paper and cardboard as well as glasses of water and fishbowls/tanks. Report gas leaks/smells IMMEDIATELY to the emergency maintenance line. Report non-operational fireplaces via maintenance request in AppFolio or by phone call to our office.
Property Manager Responsibility: Repair fireplaces that are non-operational.
Light Fixtures
Tenant Responsibility: Changing light bulbs
Property Manager Responsibility: Repairing or replacing malfunctioning units
Other Interior Items
Tenant Responsibility: Regular cleaning, small hardware
Property Manager Responsibility: Structural issues
Pest Control
Tenant Responsibility: Regular pest control for common pests such as ants, spiders, and small rodents
Property Manager Responsibility: Large rodents, bee hives/wasp nests, birds, or common area pests.
Your specific lease will outline how to pay your rent. Rent can be paid by mail or in person at the Eau Claire Realty office (3420 Mall Drive, Suite 4, Eau Claire, WI 54701), dropped at the lock box outside the Eau Claire Realty office door, or paid online through the Appfolio tenant portal. No cash will be accepted. Rent is due the first of the month for the month (January’s rent is due January 1). Review your lease for fees associated with late rent payments.
A maintenance emergency is one that is dangerous, threatens the habitability of the home, or could cause damage to the property. If you have a maintenance emergency please call our emergency line at 715-797-6071.
- Fire Call 911 immediately then contact us
- Gas Leak If you small gas, please exit the home and immediately call the fire department. Once the home is safe please contact us.
- Lack of Heat (only if it poses a documented health risk)
- Lack of Air Conditioning (only if it poses a documented health risk)
- Heavy Structural Damage (roof, foundation, or walls)
- Plumbing (flooding or breakdown of fixtures)
In case of power outage, contact your electrical service provider about the outage. If the outage is not due to the service provider, contact the property manager.
If you lock yourself out of your rental property you may call a locksmith at your expense or call the landlord and there will be a $150 service charge due at the time you are let in.
Our maintenance team will be in contact within seven (7) days to update you on the status of your maintenance request. Non-essential services will be repaired as soon as possible during normal business hours. You will be notified through AppFolio when a technician or service provider has scheduled to complete your request.
How to Arm your security System:
- Go to the security panel on the wall.
- You can select two options: Alarm Stay or Alarm Away.
- Once you have clicked on one of the options and enter your door code your security system will be armed.
- You then have 60 seconds to exit your unit without setting the alarm off unless you have selected Alarm Stay then you will not need to exit your unit.
Alarm Stay
- Alarm Stay is what you would set when you are going to be staying in your unit for the day, going to bed for the night or if you have pets in your unit.
- This Alarm will arm the door and window-break sensors but not the motion detector.
Alarm Away
- Alarm Away is what you would set when you are going to be gone from your unit completely because this activates the motion detector in your unit along with the door and window-break sensors.
- If you have a pet we suggest that you do not use this option because your pet will set off the motion detector.
Alarm.com app
Download the Alarm.com app onto your phone. Enter your information for set up. Now you should be able to access your security system and other apartment smart features like door locking, temperature control, etc. through your phone.
Moving Out
Still have questions? Send us an email and we’ll be happy to get you the info you need!
