Utah County Property Management FAQs
We review credit, criminal background, verify employment and income, and check with previous landlords.
We aren’t looking for a particular credit score as much as we are looking to see that you pay your bills, that you’re not currently having financial difficulties, and that there are not people trying to collect money from you that aren’t getting paid.
Yes, if you do not qualify on your own, we might still consider your application with a co-signer. The co-signer would need to apply too and, if approved, be willing to sign the lease with you and will be responsible for all terms of the lease with you.
Typically, if there are no difficulties in approving your application, we will require the first months rent (prorated) and the security deposit, as advertised on the listing, plus $10.50 liability insurance coverage.
No. If this is something you need we will determine that the cost of living there is too high for you to afford.
$0. Because we do not charge an application fee we do require certain things before we will run your application though.
- You need to have toured the property.
- Each adult needs to have submitted a complete and individual application with a current pay stub and picture ID.
- Your preferred move in date needs to be within one week of when the property is available.
Within 24 hours, but usually the same day you submit it. If your application is incomplete, all adults have not submitted individual applications, or we are missing requested documentation, your application will be delayed and other applications can be moved ahead of yours.
Yes, but please understand that our industry has been over run with fraud when it comes to these requests. Many people think that calling their pet an emotional support animal is simply a way to get around the rules. The fact is, it is fraud and it is illegal. Because so many people do this it makes things much more difficult for those that have true medical needs. As defined by the law, these people must have a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life functions and they need their animal to help them perform those major life functions. Because so many people have been committing fraud by illegally saying they need an ESA, when in reality it’s just a pet, we have to do our due diligence before we can approve your request.
To get an animal approved you need to fit the definition of handicapped as defined by the law: “Handicap” means, with respect to a person –
(1) having a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person’s major life activities
(2) having a record of having such an impairment, or
(3) being regarded as having such an impairment, but such term does not include current, illegal use of or addiction to a controlled substance.
If you fit that definition you and your doctor need to fill out some forms that we can provide, signing your names that you fit the definition, and return them to our office to request that your animal be approved. We will then contact your Doctor to verify the information and then we will inform you if your request has been approved with your application. If you decide to apply you can request those forms by emailing info@kasteelproperty.com. Then upload the completed forms when filling out the application for the property you are interested in.
Yes, although Housing requires an inspection and they will only do their inspection when the home is vacant. So if you are interested in a place for rent but people are still living there, then it is not available yet. In that case, you will need to check back once the people living there have moved out (it’s availability date) and see if it’s still for rent.
You need to be prepared to pay the deposit when you apply. Once you fill out an application you will get an answer within 24 hours (usually the same day). If approved, you will be given a link to sign the lease and pay the deposit electronically. This needs to be done right away so we can take the home off the market and to prevent someone else from signing up for it. The rent can be paid any time before your move-in date but the deposit needs to be paid right away. If you are not ready to sign the lease and pay the deposit then please do not apply until you are.
No. The website is always current with what is currently available and with what we know is coming up. Keep an eye on the website though because it changes regularly. If it is not listed on the website, then it is not available.
No. For legal and liability reasons we can not have you move halfway in. Either you are moving in or you are not.
We do not issue keys for most of our rental homes. They have a keypad lock on the front door that you will be able to program and change the code on anytime you want. The evening before your move in date, if your rent has been paid, you will receive an email with your move in codes and information. To get this email at the scheduled time, you will need to make sure your rent is paid before the end of the day (5pm) the business day before your move in date. (For example, if you are moving in Monday morning you need to have your account balance paid by 5pm on Friday.)
The fastest and best way to get a regular, non-emergency, maintenance issue resolved is to log into your portal and follow the prompts there to report it. You can do this on our phone app or on a computer. You can also upload pictures with it if needed. Pictures are always extra helpful. If you call, email, or text in your maintenance issue you will be asked to go to your portal and submit the issue there. Please do not submit duplicate maintenance requests for the same issue or submit a maintenance request for non-maintenance issues.
Yes. We have a great system for doing that. Email the office and ask for instructions for paying with cash. You will then get an email with a barcode that you can use at any 7-11 store to pay your rent with cash. They’ll give you a receipt and, if you then log into your portal, you’ll be able to instantly see your account has been updated, showing your rent is paid. Save the barcode and use it anytime in the future.
We don’t usually know. Kasteel Property Management does not own or manage community mailboxes. They are owned and opertated by the post office. If you ask we will direct you to find out from the post office. You might want to try testing which mailbox your key works on but asking the post office might be a more sure way to find out.
If you live in a community where a key is needed for your mailbox and the previous tenant did not leave it (usually in a kitchen drawer or on the counter), you will need to contact the post office to get a new one. Those mailboxes are owned and operated by the post office so we can not help you with it. Usually there is not a fee for getting a new key if you tell them you just moved in. If there is still a fee we can charge the previous tenants security deposit for loosing it and then give you a credit towards your rent, but only if you send us a receipt within one week of your move in date. Emailing the receipt is the best way to turn it in. Just make sure your name and address is on it with a description of what it is for.
Usually there is a program button on the motor inside the garage to remotely reset and program the outside keypad. Look up a manufacturer video on YouTube for how to program it. We do not know what the current code is so we will not be able to give it to you.
We can not change your move in date to be different than what is on the lease. I wish it was as simple as just charging some prorated rent but the liability insurance won’t start until the first day on the lease and if there was some kind of accident or problem the validity of the lease comes into question. That is why on the rental application the instructions say “Carefully select your preferred move in date in your application. It cannot be changed after a lease is signed.
We automatically enroll you into a group liability insurance policy. It’s required of all our tenants and it costs you only $10.50 per month. It provides you with extra protection incase you accidentally cause damage to the property, for example fire or flood. It is NOT a replacement for your own renters insurance. You are strongly encouraged to still get your own renters insurance to protect your own personal belongings, being displaced from the property and other common things covered by renters insurance (talk to your own insurance agent for exact coverage and details of your own policy). This additional liability coverage that we require is automatic and protects you from incidents that renters insurance does not cover. See details about it here: http://www.appfolio.com/notice-of-insurance
To request approval for an ESA or Service Animal there are some forms you and your doctor need to fill out and turn in. Please understand that the rental industry has been over run with fraud when it comes to these requests. Many people think that calling their pet an emotional support animal is simply a way to get around the rules. The fact is, it is fraud and it is illegal. Because so many people do this it makes things much more difficult for those that have true medical needs. As defined by the law, these people must have a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life functions and they need their animal to help them perform those major life functions. Because so many people have been committing fraud by illegally saying they need an ESA, when in reality it’s just a pet, we have to do our due diligence before we can approve your request.
To get an animal approved you need to fit the definition of handicapped as defined by the law: “Handicap” means, with respect to a person –
(1) having a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person’s major life activities
(2) having a record of having such an impairment, or
(3) being regarded as having such an impairment, but such term does not include current, illegal use of or addiction to a controlled substance.
If you fit that definition you and your doctor need to fill out some forms that can be provided to you, signing your names that you fit the definition. Your doctor will then be contacted by our office to verify the information and then you will be informed if your request has been approved. The animal is not allowed at the property until this process is completed and approval has been granted.
If your lease is expiring, or you are month to month, you need to email the office, or submit a notice of move out from your online portal, giving at least a 30 day notice and informing us of the exact date that will be your last day. If you do not know an exact date for your move out, then you are not able to give a proper notice to move. Please also review the Checkout Form in the tenants section of this website.
Email the office and let us know of the situation so we can give you the paperwork and instructions of how to proceed and what to expect. It is not a problem but it will be your responsibility to find someone to take over your lease. Their application will need to be approved by our office and they will need to sign a new lease once they are approved. You will also need to review the Checkout Form in the tenants section of this website.
What is written in your lease takes precedence over anything written here. On our standard lease rent is late after the 1st. You have a grace period through 5:00pm on the 5th. After the grace period there is always a late fee. The best thing you can do if you need to pay after the 5th is send an email or text to the office BEFORE THE 5TH. Let us know what date it will be paid and then follow through with your promise. Communication is key. You will still be charged a late fee but as long as you communicate beforehand, follow through with your promises – paying in a reasonable time, and pay your late fee then it’s usually not a big deal. Without communication or if you don’t follow through with your promises then we can only assume the worst and we will proceed on those assumptions. If you are going to pay by 5pm on the 5th then there is no need to notify the office.
We provide full property management services. We find the tenants, screen the tenants, enforce the lease, collect rent, do inspections, coordinate maintenance issues, handle move outs and move ins, take care of evictions – if needed. In short we take care of all the details and work so you don’t have to. You will have your own online portal to access current and past monthly statements, invoices, tax documents, and an annual summary.
Lets start with what we do not charge. Unique to us, we do not markup maintenance service calls. If we have to call out maintenance you will get a copy of their bill and you will not be charge a penny more than what they charged. With other management companies you won’t even know you are getting a markup on costs. That is why they will keep the invoice from you and won’t let you talk directly with the technician. We keep everything above board and let you see what you are paying for.
Monthly management fees: 8% of the rent plus $9.50 a month for an attorney retainer fee. The attorney fee covers the cost of an eviction and court costs, if needed. It also covers the cost of legal advice regarding situations that may arise with a tenant and the lease.
Periodic fees: These include those listed below. If you are signing up 10 or more units jump to the Bulk Discount at the bottom of this section.
Kasteel Keypad Lock: $150 one time installation, per unit then never pay for re-keying again. It’s a specific keypad lock that is integrated with our system for showings and keyless access for tenants. If tenants already live in the home or you’ve already put on new locks then this will happen over time when tenants move out.
Sign Up Fee, Includes Professional Photos: $275, includes professional photos, plus $250 for each additional unit. Quality visuals make a big difference when advertising your property. If your unit(s) are currently occupied, pictures will be taken during the next vacancy time.
Owner Reserve (waived if you have multiple units): $300, this is your money that we hold in a trust account and is reflected on your monthly statement. It is used to cover any periodic expense that might come up, like maintenance. We will then replenish that fund with the next months rent.
Leasing fee: 12% of the rent. Charged each time we need to find a new tenant because someone moves (typically once every 1-3 years). This includes the costs of advertising with online pay sites.
Screening fees: $38 per person, only for applications that are fully processed but they do not sign up (typically there are 0-3 screening fees during the course of filling a vacancy). This is different than most management companies do it. Having your best interest in mind is what drove us to do screening fees this way rather than charging them to applicants. When charging the applicant it actually causes them to first consider other places or makes them delay submitting their application. Thinking through this, we realized that every day your place sits empty costs you more money than a screening fee is even worth. This fee structure actually saves you money because we get your vacancy filled faster. Now, this does not mean you get charged for every application that comes in. We want to keep this as low as possible. If someone’s application is approved and they sign up then there is no application fee. It’s only for those that get to the final stages of the application process and then they are denied for credit and/or background or, if approved, they change their mind and don’t sign a lease. To prevent unnecessary screening fees, we first run them through a pre-screening that can weed out those that couldn’t be approved anyway. The pre-screening checks are: tenants must have toured the property, each adult must have submitted an individual application with a current pay stub and picture ID, applications need to be filled out properly with no disqualifying factors listed, applications are screened through our attorneys database – comprised of evictions and collections from hundreds of property managers over several decades. Only after passing all those pre-screenings, we do a credit and background check with the potential of a screening fee.
Bulk discount: If you are signing up 10 or more units we greatly simplify and reduce the fees. For the 8% management fee all the same services and resources are included but the Attorney Retainer fee and all the periodic fees listed above are waived.
The property owner is responsible for the property’s bills and payments.
In addition to a professional For Rent sign at the property and being listed on our website, it will be posted to dozens of online classified websites and refreshed weekly. Once we have the ad written and the pictures uploaded, our top of the line software is capable of sending the ads out to all the big websites with the simple click of a button. Anyone looking will easily be able to find your property for rent.
Usually 2-3 weeks, sometimes less. Vacancies are a major focus for us because we understand a vacancy can be a property owners biggest expense. Because we jump right on it, we often succeed at getting new tenants lined up to move in before the old tenants have even moved out.
When deciding what to charge for rent we will gladly help by giving professional advice, but ultimately the property owner is the boss. Once it’s listed we will monitor how it’s going and give you feed back and suggestions if a change is needed. Reviewing other ads for similar homes nearby is a great way to get an idea of what price range you can expect.
If the lawn is clearly divided for each unit, then it is typically the tenants responsibility to mow, weed and fertilize as needed. There is no required care regiment that they need to do though. It just comes down to, if the lawn looks good, then they are doing a good job. If the yard is pretty complicated, with a lot of shrubbery, flower beds, gardens, and such, then we should consider having a yard care service take care of it and have it included with the rent.
Typically, for a rental, the simpler the yard is, the better.
If the yard is more of a community area and not easily divided for each unit, like a 4-plex might have, then the owner is responsible for the cost of maintaining it.
If it’s a single family residence or unit that has its own individual meters and billing, then it can be the tenants responsibility. For any utilities that have one meter for multiple units it’s typically the property owners responsibility or paid by an HOA.
Ultimately, that bill is the property owners responsibility and if it doesn’t get paid, the HOA comes after the owner not the tenant. It’s not wise to leave that responsibility in the tenants’ hands. In turn we always charge as much for rent as we can to help cover these type of expenses for the property owner.
Yes. Most places we manage do not allow pets and that is always what we recommend.
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