Frequently Asked Questions by Property Owners

GENERAL

Our team is here for you Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm. Email is the quickest way to reach us. Please note that our office is open by appointment only.

Contact Information:
info@hishousepm.com (General Inquiries)
970-455-9050 (General Inquiries)
1703 61st Ave Suite 101-C, Greeley, CO 80634 (By Appointment Only)

We specialize in full-service property management of single-unit properties (detached single family homes, condos, and townhouses) that generally meet the following criteria:

  • Bedrooms: Two (2) or more
  • Gross Rents: $1,800/month or higher
  • Condition: Must meet our Property Condition Standards (See FAQ below)
  • Location: Greeley/Evans (West), Berthoud, Dacono, Eaton, Firestone, Fort Collins, Fort Lupton, Frederick, Johnstown, LaSalle, Loveland, Milliken, Severance, Timnath, Wellington, and Windsor
  • Term: Long-term rentals (i.e. properties expected to be held as rentals for two (2) or more years)

We do not manage properties with deferred maintenance, multi-family units or apartment complexes, commercial real estate, college rentals, short-term/vacation rentals, mobile homes, farm & ranch properties, or homeowner associations.

Advertising and showing your home in ‘Rent-Ready’ condition is a critical step in the leasing process. We want to present our homes in a manner that 1) makes them stand out from the competing properties for rent in your area, 2) allows us to communicate with prospective residents that “what you see is what you get”, and 3) will make the move-in process smooth, resulting in happy tenants!

His House Property Management prides itself on providing safe, clean, and ‘Rent-Ready’ homes to our residents, and we are dedicated to helping you protect and maintain your investment!

Property Condition Standards:

  • Locks rekeyed (His House Property Management will order this through our preferred rekey vendor)
  • Interior professionally cleaned
  • Carpet professionally cleaned
  • All painted surfaces are clean with no mis-matched touch-up areas (neutral colors are in your best interest, as neutral colors will appeal to a broad tenant pool)
  • All bedroom windows must have blinds or curtain rods
  • No personal property of any kind (furniture, swing sets, trampolines, toiletries, shower curtains, curtains, cleaning supplies, personal items in storage rooms, etc.)
  • No lawn equipment of any kind (shovels, rakes, lawn mowers, etc.)
  • Garage floor swept
  • No exterior debris
  • Lawn is mowed and trimmed weekly
  • Landscaped (no weeds, proper coverage of mulch & rock, trees trimmed)
  • Carbon monoxide (CO) detectors are functioning properly and installed within 15 feet of each bedroom (CO detectors older than 7-years must be replaced)
  • Smoke detectors are functioning properly. One (1) smoke detector on each level of the home AND One (1) smoke detector in each bedroom (Smoke detectors older than 7-years must be replaced)
  • Sliding patio doors must have vertical blinds or a curtain rod
  • All light bulbs must be working and matching in color
  • Doors open, close, and lock (if applicable)
  • Doorstops installed on all doors (baseboard or hinge-style)
  • Bathroom caulking must be clean and free of any mildew
  • New HVAC filter(s)
  • All mechanical components are working as designed. This includes HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems, kitchen appliances, laundry appliances, sump pumps, water softeners, sprinkler systems, gas fireplaces, water filtration systems, etc.
  • Exterior window wells over 24” deep require covers
  • Wood-burning fireplace(s), if operational, shall be clean of any debris and have a fireplace screen or heat-proof glass doors installed. If non-operational, the fireplace opening on the interior of the home shall be permanently sealed with an aesthetically pleasing material.
  • All security cameras, doorbell cameras, or security systems must be uninstalled or deactivated

Our pricing is transparent and easy to understand. There are no hidden fees! Please visit our Pricing page for a detailed breakdown.

The short answer is that we do not require renter’s insurance at the recommendation of our legal counsel.

  • Enforcement of renter’s insurance is very challenging. If renter’s insurance is a requirement per the terms of a lease, your only recourse if a tenant were to cancel their insurance policy mid-lease would be a legal eviction. Legal evictions are extremely costly. If the tenants are otherwise excellent (i.e- they pay on time every month, are respectful, care for the property, timely report maintenance issues, etc.), would you really go through a legal eviction because of a lapsed renter’s insurance policy?
  • Tracking renter’s insurance is nearly impossible. We simply don’t have systems to accurately track who has renter’s insurance and who does not. Insurance policy periods change from policy to policy, many insurance companies fail to inform the landlord of insurance cancelations, etc.

A few considerations below:

  • At move-in, our residents are given the option to enroll in renter’s insurance conveniently through our property management software. Many of them enroll at that time!
  • Our lease was drafted by one of the best real estate law firms in Colorado, and we have excellent indemnification clauses that protect you. Have a look.

Our team will perform one (1) interior inspection of the property during the lease term. We look for deferred maintenance, lease violations, unauthorized occupants, unauthorized pets, etc. You will receive a PDF copy of the inspection report with photos and notes.

ACCOUNTING & PAYMENTS

We process ACH/Direct Deposit payments to our clients monthly on the 10th calendar day. If the 10th calendar day falls on a weekend, we’ll pay you a couple of days early (the Friday before)!

You bet you will! On or before the 10th calendar day of each month you will receive a statement outlining all income and expenses for the previous calendar month. Invoices for any maintenance or repairs will be included in the monthly packet.

For example: on June 10th, you will receive a statement for the period of May 1st– May 31st, along with an ACH/Direct Deposit payment in an amount equal to the ending balance as of May 31st.

Watch this video to give you some visual context on our Monthly Statements.

In Colorado, late fees are limited to five percent (5%) of the past due rent balance owed or $50, whichever is greater. His House Property Management is responsible for driving the collection of rents and posting legal demand notices when rent payments are delinquent. Therefore, our Company retains all late fees.

Questions about late fee laws in Colorado? Here is some light reading for you.

ADVERTISING, LEASING, & TENANT SCREENING

We call that ‘Pre-Leasing’. Pre-Leasing is a practice that involves leasing an already occupied property to a prospective tenant before the current tenant has vacated the property. Landlords who pre-lease are attempting to shorten the vacancy period in between tenants, which in turn is beneficial to the Landlord from a cash-flow perspective.

Unfortunately, there are many risks to Pre-Leasing and significant complications from a logistics perspective. At the recommendation of our Legal Counsel, His House Property Management does not pre-lease properties under our management. Below are the primary reasons behind this decision:

  • His House Property Management cannot control the cleanliness, condition, or availability of the unit when conducting showings to prospective tenants. Advertising and showing your home vacant, and in ‘Rent-Ready’ condition is a critical step in the leasing process. We want to present your home in a manner that 1) makes it stand out from the competing properties for rent in your area, 2) allows us to communicate with prospective residents that “what you see is what you get”, and 3) will make the move-in process smooth, resulting in happy tenants!
  • There is no way to guarantee a possession date to a new tenant. It’s not uncommon for existing tenants to have delays in their move-out process, and a legal eviction (60-90 days) is the only recourse to get that current tenant out if they become uncooperative. Having a signed lease in place with a new tenant without being able to deliver possession of the property to that new tenant presents a financial risk to the Landlord.
  • Move-In Condition. There is no way to guarantee that a property will be 100% move-in ready by the lease start date if we sign a lease in advance with a new tenant. It is impossible to know the amount of work necessary or the availability/schedule of contractors to perform said work.
  • Safety & Fair Housing. Meeting prospective tenants in-person for showings creates a safety risk for our Company and Staff. It also opens up opportunities for violations to local, state, and federal Fair Housing Laws.

No. Unfortunately, we do not offer a la carte services. If you would like to learn more about our Full-Service Property Management, visit our What We Do page.

Don’t get stuck with a bad tenant! We’ll help mitigate your risk of an eviction by conducting a thorough screening of all prospective tenants.

  • Criminal Background
  • Eviction History
  • Credit Score
  • Income-to-Rent Ratio
  • Income Verification
  • Length of Employment
  • Employment Verification
  • Landlord References
  • Collection & Judgement History (Including money owed to prior landlords)
  • Sex Offender Registry Search
  • Assistance Animal Validation
  • Pet Screening

No. The leasing process, which includes screening and selecting tenants, is very complex. Landlords are strictly governed by Local, State, and Federal laws, many of which are related to Fair Housing. To keep you and His House Property Management compliant with the law, we retain full control of tenant screening and tenant selection.

MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS

Our company works with local and reputable third-party vendors for the maintenance & repair of the properties we manage. Tenants have access to an online portal where they can submit maintenance requests 24/7. When a maintenance request is received, we first direct tenants to our Maintenance Self-Help page.

If a vendor needs to be dispatched, we act quickly. His House Property Management has the authority per the terms of our Property Management Agreement to spend up to $500 on any single repair without your approval. If a non-emergency repair is expected to exceed that limit, we will request your approval.

Occasionally, we exceed the $500 limit in emergency situations (water heater replacements, flooding/water extraction, sewer line backups, HVAC repairs, appliance replacements, etc).

Did you know there are specific laws about maintaining your Colorado rental property, including timelines for making repairs to appliances and home systems? Here is some light reading for you.

If you would like to use your own vendors (handymen, electricians, plumbers, etc.) to perform work while the property is vacant, we’d be happy to accommodate that! We take an ‘all or nothing’ approach to make-ready work during vacancy periods. Either you perform all make-ready work, or His House Property Management will perform all make-ready work using our vendors.

While the property is tenant-occupied, vendors approved by His House Property Management are the only authorized vendors to perform work on the property. We have made this decision 1) for the safety and security of the tenant and 2) to limit liability to you and us.

If you have a vendor you love, send us their info! Assuming they are licensed and insured, we would be happy to add them to our preferred vendor list!

It depends on the warranty company and the nature of the maintenance issue.

Home warranties and rental properties do not work well together. A home warranty is an insurance policy, and we’ve found that it takes multiple visits to the property to band-aid issues before the proper repair is completed by the warranty company.

There are also strict timelines according to Colorado law for making repairs to appliances and home systems on rental properties (i.e. refrigerator, range/oven, water heater, A/C, furnace, plumbing). Home warranty companies are simply not responsive enough to keep you legally compliant. Read about the law and timelines.

  • Keeping the premises clean, safe, and sanitary
  • Snow & Ice Removal (if not provided by your HOA)
  • Landscaping (if not provided by your HOA).
  • Maintenance of interior drain lines (showers, bathtubs, toilets, sinks, washing machines, etc.)
  • Changing furnace filters
  • Clearing all blockages in garbage disposals
  • Re-lighting pilot lights of furnaces, boilers, water heaters, and gas fireplaces
  • Regular cleaning and proper care of all landlord-provided appliances
  • Changing refrigerator filters
  • Changing all light bulbs
  • Changing all batteries
  • Broken glass of any kind
  • Pest Control Issues
  • Lockout (Resident has locked themselves out of the house)
  • “Chirping” Smoke or CO Detectors
  • Any item that is damaged due to negligence or improper use

The owner of the property is responsible for the cost of maintaining & repairing the sprinkler system. His House Property Management will engage our irrigation vendors for the activation (April/May) and winterization (October/November) of the system. Residents are responsible for monitoring the sprinkler system to ensure it is operating properly and watering the grass sufficiently throughout the season.

PETS

Yes! 68% of all Coloradoans own a pet. You should plan on losing 68% of the entire tenant pool by not allowing pets. Our team collects a questionnaire on each pet, vaccination records, and photos to ensure the pet is a great fit for your rental property! Review our Pet Policy.

Yes! We collect the maximum pet security deposit allowable by law, which is $300 per household.

  • Example #1: If a tenant has one (1) household pet, the security deposit may be increased by $300.
  • Example #2: If a tenant has two (2) household pets, the security deposit may still only be increased by $300.

Questions about pet laws in Colorado? Here is some light reading for you.

Yes! We collect the maximum monthly rent allowable by law, which is $35 per month per household.

  • Example #1: If a tenant has one (1) household pet, the total monthly pet rent is $35.
  • Example #2: If a tenant has two (2) household pets, the total monthly pet rent is still $35.

Questions about pet laws in Colorado? Here is some light reading for you.

Our team likely approved a “Reasonable Accommodation” to a person with a disability. Assistance Animals (which include service animals and emotional support animals) are not considered pets by law.

The Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) are jointly responsible for enforcing the federal Fair Housing Act (the “Act”), which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. One type of disability discrimination prohibited by the Act is the refusal to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, or services when such accommodations may be necessary to afford a person with a disability the equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling.

His House Property Management is committed to compliance with all federal, state, and local fair housing laws. His House Property Management will not discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, disability, or any other specific classes protected by applicable laws.

SECURITY DEPOSITS

Absolutely! Security deposits are one way to mitigate your inherent risks of being a landlord. At a minimum, the security deposit will equal the monthly rental rate. The maximum security deposit allowed by Colorado law is two times (2x) the amount of the monthly rental rate.

The security deposit is held by His House Property Management in our trust account for the entirety of the tenancy.

At the end of the lease term, His House will complete the security deposit disposition on your behalf.

A landlord may charge a tenant for damage that is beyond “normal wear and tear”.

The legal definition of “normal wear and tear” as stated in the Colorado Real Estate Commission manual and defined in Section 38-12-102, C.R.S is as follows: “Normal wear and tear means that deterioration which occurs, based upon the use for which the rental unit is intended, without negligence, carelessness, accident, or abuse of the premises or equipment or chattels by the tenant or members of his household, or their invitees or guests.”

Examples of normal wear and tear:

  • Paint imperfections, such as nail holes, faded paint, scuffed paint & walls
  • Traffic patterns on carpet
  • Sun faded window blinds
  • Loose plumbing fixtures (toilet, faucets)
  • Loose doorknobs
  • Non-functioning light fixtures due to electrical failure
  • Non-functioning smoke or CO detectors
  • Lawns that have not been mowed

Examples of damage:

  • Excessive wear to paint that requires room-by -room or whole-house painting
  • Tears, holes, or burns in carpet
  • Stains on carpet that cannot be removed by professional cleaning
  • Urine stains or odor
  • Stains or odor related to cigarettes or marijuana
  • Broken blinds, missing components to blinds
  • Holes in screens or bent screen frames
  • Broken plumbing fixtures (missing handles, broken toilets, broken toilet seats)
  • Excessive number of burnt-out light bulbs
  • Electrical fixtures with missing or broken glass/globes
  • Clogged interior drain lines
  • Landscaping that is damaged by pets (dead areas, urine spots, holes, pet waste)
  • Landscaping with excessive weeds or dead grass

UTILITIES, HOAs, and METRO DISTRICTS

Most of our properties are single-family units, and the resident is responsible for paying for all utilities (natural gas, electricity, water, sewer, trash, cable, internet, etc.).

Some condos and townhomes may include utilities & amenities in the HOA dues, such as water, sewer, trash, snow removal, and landscaping. HOA dues are paid by the landlord, so the resident receives benefit for any utilities or amenities included in those HOA dues.

The Owner/Investor is responsible for paying HOA dues and Metro District Fees. Residents receive the benefit of any utilities or amenities included in the HOA or Metro District fees.

Please email notices and violations to info@hishousepm.com. Notices regarding neighborhood events, garage sales, reminders about rules & regulations etc. will be forwarded directly to the tenant. His House Property Management will handle any HOA Violations from start to finish on your behalf and will notify you and the HOA once the tenant complies.