Tenant FAQs

For the most part, all of the properties listed on our website are available to rent.  However we do not remove listings from our website until the lease is signed. So it is possible that we have approved rental applications on a property, but because we have not signed the lease and have not collected all funds owed, we keep them listed. Also, some properties that are part of a larger complex always remain on our website. These properties are always in high demand, so we keep them listed to create a waiting list so that you don’t miss out when one comes available. If you find a property that you are interested in and find out that it is no longer available, our leasing agents will gladly tell you about other properties available or other properties coming on the market soon.

The easiest and fastest is to apply on-line. Each listing has an Apply Online link. Or you can download an application and fax to 208-321-1901. An application and fee must be paid in advance for each tenant over the age of 18 to be processed.

A full description of our application qualifications can be found on our Tenant Rental Policies page.

If you have no or low credit, or have an income ratio lower than our normal standard, you may be able to use an approved co-signer to move into one of our properties.

Yes, and we treat students like anyone else. The student applicant must still qualify under the guidelines for the property being applied for. We will consider all forms of income, including student loans and grants. Some properties may take co-signers to qualify for lack of income in addition to lack of credit and rental references. Just like regular co-signers, the co-signer for a student must qualify in place of the applicant.

Most applications take 24 to 72 hours as we do hire a professional screening company to verify employment, income, rental history, credit, and check for any criminal history.

If you use our on-line application process, we will be able to communicate with you more often and quicker. If you fax or personally submit your application, please be sure to include an email address as most verifications come via email and it is much easier to email you updates. We will email or call and acknowledge receipt of your application within a day of receipt. Once your application is in process we will contact you either by phone or email daily. We need ONE CONTACT per household. We cannot call every roommate.

Under the heading Reasonable Accommodations, First Rate Property Management has no problem with Reasonable Modification requests.

A Reasonable Modification is an alteration to the physical premises allowing a person with a disability to overcome obstacles that interfere with their use of the dwelling.

Because some modifications may require licensing and permits, let FRPM know specifically what changes you would like to make and we will discuss it with the property owner.

Unless the property is federally funded, the tenant is typically responsible for the costs incurred for the changes and bringing the property back to its original condition once the tenant moves away.

We prefer that you email us at Leasing@FRPMrentals.com. We will reply within one business day. We normally will only communicate with one applicant in your party or family. You can also call us at (208) 321-1900

First Rate Property Management understands that when you find something that you like, you want to hold it. If that is the case, here is what we require:

1. You must submit an application with the application fee.

2. You must pay the security deposit.

3. You must review and sign a contingent lease.

The contingency lease is a binding contract that legally obligates you to the property unless your application is denied. The tenant has 3 business days to provide all documentation, and FRPM has 3 business days to let the tenant know if they are approved or not.

If you want to sign a 2-year lease, please just make that request and we’ll contact the property owner for approval. Otherwise, our typical leases are 6-12 months.

No, our rental prices are set at market rents. However, if you absolutely do not agree, First Rate Property Management is willing to request a lower rent from the property owner after:

1. You provide an advertisement of a comparable rental showing a lower rent.

2. You submit your application and application fee.

If your application is approved, we will submit your request to the owner along with your comparable ad. However, we do ask that anyone considering this process first ask themselves if they are willing to risk losing the property while they try to negotiate the price.

Rent is due on the 1st day of each month and is considered late at 5PM on the 5th day of the month. Late fees are $50 the first day late and $10 every day late thereafter.

FRPM offers a discount to all tenants who sign up for our auto-payment program. Click here to pay your rent automatically or with a credit card.

Rent can be paid by mail or in person to:
First Rate Property Management
7150 Potomac Drive
Boise, ID  83704

Our office is open Monday through Friday from 9AM to 5PM. We are closed for lunch from 1PM to 2PM every day. If the office is closed, please use the mail slot on the front door to pay rent or turn in keys. Please be sure that keys are properly labeled.

Please specify your rental address in the memo field of your check.

Acceptable forms of rent payment are personal checks, Cashiers Checks or Money Orders. We are unable to accept cash.

Late fees are $50 the first day late and $10 every day late thereafter. If you are going to be late, please contact Leasing@FRPMrentals.com immediately. Otherwise, First Rate Property Management is required to begin multiple actions to collect rent, which will incur more fees as well as the possibility of being evicted. We don't want to evict you any more than you want to be evicted. So please, work with us if things get difficult.

Late fees are set to encourage on-time payment and discourage late rent. The property owner's mortgage payment is due on the first day of the month and, in most cases, the owner depends on the rental income to make that payment. Additionally, it takes a lot of extra labor to collect late rents.

A lot of extra work goes into collecting late rents. This is extra work that we would prefer not doing, but if we have to do it, we need to be compensated for the extra work that we don’t have to put forth for tenants that pay on time.

A notice to pay rent or quit is a legal notice that rent is past due and that we can begin the eviction process. If you get such a notice, please contact our office immediately to either correct an error on our part, or to communicate when you will have the rent paid in full.

Unfortunately, this cannot be done as it creates an accounting nightmare, plus any late rent payment will incur a late fee. If you are late or expect to be late, the best thing to do is to contact our leasing department. Communication at this point is the key. You can contact our leasing department by email at Leasing@FRPMrentals.com.

Absolutely. In fact, auto-pay is the only way we can 100% guarantee that you will never have to pay late fees, so long as you have the funds in your account when it pulls the rent out. Click here to sign up for our online payment option

On line payments can be set up for one time or continual credit card payments as well as one-time or continual auto debits from your checking account.

First Rate Property Management will supply one key per adult, unless all adults don’t want one. If the tenant wants to make their own copies for others, they can do so at their own expense. However, we do require all keys to be surrendered should you decide to move out.

Not every tenant or family uses the same amount of utilities. If the property owner were to pay utilities, they would have to increase the rent based on an average over a number of years. That just wouldn’t be fair. Therefore the tenant’s pay their own utilities. If they are conservative, they pay less, if they are a family of five or more, they probably pay more. It’s just the fairest way to handle it.

For faster service, please submit your maintenance request online. Please utilize the maintenance FAQs and troubleshooting guide before submitting your maintenance request.

If you submit an on-line maintenance request, you will here back from us within one business day. If the request comes via fax, please allow up to two business days. Phone requests are discouraged as we generally get incomplete information which delays the processing of your request. If you have not heard from our office or our vendor in three days, please contact Maintenance@FRPMrentals.com or 208-321-1900

If this is an after hours emergency, please call our 24 hour emergency at 208-321-1900, then press 2 for current tenants, and then press 2 for maintenance and then press 1 and your call will go to our on-call emergency pager where you will leave a message. The pager will continue to ring the on-call person once every minute until the message is received. The on-call person may call the appropriate vendor before calling you. (Examples of emergencies are active water flooding, fire, or anything you believe to be dangerous to your heath that can’t wait until the next business day.)

**For FIRE, GAS or Natural Disasters, call 911 First!**

Residents are responsible for maintaining fresh smoke/CO detector batteries at all times. Light bulbs that are easily accessible also need to be maintained by the residents. In certain situations, yard maintenance may be required. Please refer to your individual residential lease.

Furnace Filters- These will come directly to your residence and you are responsible for taking the old one out and placing the new one every 60 days. 

Not without owners approval. If you want to do some planting please let us know ahead of time and we will work to get approval for you.

No, you should not make your own repairs and you should never deduct any amount from your rent, ever. Some minor repairs/troubleshooting should be done by the tenant, such as flipping a breaker or unclogging a toilet. But for the most part, tenants should not take the risk or liability in attempting their own repairs. For a list of repairs and troubleshooting that are approved, please visit our Maintenance FAQs. Since most repairs do require a professional who is licensed, bonded, and insured, please use our on-line maintenance request form to submit your maintenance needs.

Yes. You’ll enjoy the same benefits as the owner of the property would.

The property owner pays the Home Owner’s Association dues. However, it is very common for the Home Owner’s Association to send statements and other important notices to the rental address. If you receive such notices, please forward them to our office immediately.

Any and all changes or modifications to the property must be pre-approved after receiving your written request at Leasing@FRPMrentals.com.

Renters still have exposure to the same types of losses that a homeowner may incur. That is why there is a special type of homeowner's insurance called renter's insurance. Neither the property manager's nor the homeowner's insurance policy covers a tenant's personal losses or liability.

Tenants are responsible for obtaining insurance for their personal property if they want to be covered in the event of fire, theft, or other type of loss.

It is required that all residents carry enough insurance to cover themselves and their personal property. Please consult with your insurance agent for specific details. If you do not have your own renters insurance then you will be required to participate in the RLL (Renters Legal Liablity).  RLL is a $15 monthly fee that the tenant will be responsible for paying if they do not have their own renters insurance.  Please contact a Leasing Team Member for details on the RLL program. 

In addition to coverage for their personal property, a renter's policy also provides liability coverage. Tenants may wonder why they need liability coverage when the landlord's policy has it. The answer is simple: because the landlord's insurance only covers landlord liability. It doesn't cover the tenant's liability. Renter's insurance covers the tenant's liability up to a set limit, as long as the tenant did not intentionally cause the loss. Liability coverage isn't just limited to damage to others or others' property that occurs inside the tenant's residence. It also covers legal defense expenses and the renter's liability outside the home. A common example we have seen is where a tenant moves in and hooks up the washer and dryer incorrectly, which floods the home. We have seen claims of up to $15,000. Because the tenants had insurance, the insurance paid it, instead of the tenants. 

With proper notice, both the property owner and First Rate Property Management have the right to inspect the property. In some cases, the owner is actually required by the IRS and their insurance company to make at least one inspection per year.

Please contact Leasing@FRPMRentals.com or 208-321-1900 after reviewing your rental agreement.

It is required that you provide written 30-day notice using FRPM’s official notice form. You can mail, email, fax, or hand deliver this. If you do not get verification of receipt within 3 business days, please contact our office immediately as we did not receive it.

Your rental agreement spells this out very clearly. Please read and then contact us at Leasing@FRPMrentals.com to make the necessary changes.

Not legal in Idaho.

We are a professional, knowledgeable, and courteous property management company. We work very hard to provide the highest quality resident services you'll ever experience. We use professional vendors (painters, handymen, plumbers, carpet cleaners, etc) to ensure that your unit is in good condition.

To remove rust stains use a solution of oxalic acid and water (refer to the manufacturer's instructions for strength and mixing information). Oxalic acid can be purchased at most hardware stores.

Before cleaning the dishwasher, secure the power by flipping the breaker to the OFF position. Be sure to wear latex gloves to protect your skin. Dip a non-metal scrub brush into the acid solution and scour the stains.

Call a professional carpet cleaner right away. If they can not get to you right away, keep the carpet wet until they can arrive. First Rate Property Management uses Capital Cleaning 208-724-0586.

See our Maintenance FAQs for this and all maintenance/repair related issues.

First, scrape off and discard any extra wax that you can. Place a brown paper bag over the affected area. Rapidly move a hot iron back and forth over the area, switching to a new paper bag as needed. Remove as much crayon as you can in this manner. Allow the affected area to cool. Apply rubbing alcohol with a cotton ball, or use a commercially available product like the Tide to Go pen. For particularly set-in stains, dry-cleaning solvent can also be used. When stain removal is complete, end with a light overall cleansing using a mild pH neutral dishwashing detergent diluted with water, and a final clear water rinse to completely remove remaining cleaning residue and stain solutions. Blot dry or use a wet/dry vacuum to remove excess moisture. For particularly low dense piles, you may be able to follow ironing with the use of a high quality plastic eraser. Lightly rub the crayon mark with the eraser, and vacuum up the residue. Unless the eraser or crayon has left greasy marks remaining on the carpet, you do not necessarily have to follow with any overall cleansing.

We're so glad that you have chosen to stay. Just like your notice to vacate, your notice to stay needs to be in writing and sent to the office right away. The fastest approach would be to email your retraction to Leasing@FRPMrentals.com, or you may fax it to us at (208) 321-1901, or mail it to 7150 Potomac Drive, Boise, ID 83704. There is a chance that we may have already secured new tenants, so once you have sent your retraction, you may also want to call us to confirm its receipt and to make sure that the lease can be extended.

The best time to return your keys is during your move-out inspection. Contact Maintenance@FRPMrentals.com or 208-321-1900 to schedule your move-out inspection. Although First Rate Property Management highly recommends that you accompany the move-out inspection, if you choose not to, then you should hand deliver the keys. Our computer system charges rent until we enter in that keys have been received, so you do want to make sure that keys are surrendered to one of our employees.

No, we’re sorry, but the security deposit is to cover any cleaning or damages to the property and cannot be used for other reasons.

If you move out prior to your lease termination date, you are still responsible for rent. It is First Rate Property Management’s suggestion that you schedule a move-out inspection and allow us to do a turnover on the property and give us permission to advertise and show the property. If we find a replacement tenant before your lease terminates, any rents collected by the new tenant will be credited back to you. Our goal is to limit the number of lost rent days, so it is to our advantage and yours not to wait until the lease termination date to try to find replacement tenants. You benefit because we have found a replacement tenant which relieves you of any future rent and we benefit because we had no lost rent between tenants.

Unfortunately, not all carpet cleaners are the same. Also, some tenants have rented carpet cleaners from grocery stores or used residential cleaners and caused more harm than good. The property’s carpets were professional cleaned prior to your tenancy and must be cleaned again by a First Rate Property Management approved vendor.

First Rate Property Management would be happy to accommodate your holdover. Please email us at Leasing@FRPMrentals.com or call (208) 321-1900 to make sure that we have not selected new tenants. If not, then you must submit a written request with a specific holdover date. Once such a request is received, you will receive notification that the extension has been accepted or denied. You will be required to maintain the property and all utilities during the lease holdover period.

Each of the properties managed by First Rate Property Management is owned by a different owner. Each property owner has their own criteria. Some allow pets, while others do not. Some allow cats, but no dogs. If the listing on our website indicates that the property does not accept pets, the owner has already made their decision not to accept pets. If the listing indicates that the property does accept pets, please inquire if there are any limitations as to the number or type of pets. All First Rate Property Management properties accepts Support or Companion animals as defined by HUD and no additional rent or deposit is required.

In general, First Rate Property Management’s deposit requirements are below market. However, in some cases, a tenant can cure a negative application by paying a larger deposit. With that said, the property owner is handing you the keys to a property worth 100 to 300 times the cost of the security deposit. This is required to ensure some level of protection.

Unfortunately we cannot accept split payments. The security deposit is the tenant’s way of proving their ability to perform per the lease. Not having the funds to pay the security deposit up front is a sign that should hard times arise, non-payment of rent is likely.

Any deposit collected by First Rate Property Management is refundable. We do require our tenants to use a First Rate Property Management approved vendor. This is for your protection. Unfortunately many cable installers cut corners and cause hundreds of dollars of damages to the property, which ultimately becomes the tenant’s responsibility. By using an FRPM approved contractor, that risk is removed. We have a permission form available if you need it.

Call our office to request permission and at that time we will be able to tell you of any changes in the policies regarding cable/satellite installation.

All of First Rate Property Management’s leases automatically renew themselves unless written notice is received otherwise. This is done as a convenience to our tenants and owners. If your lease has automatically renewed, there is no need to do anything other than to continue to care for the property and pay rent through the new term.

Your lease states the termination date of your rental agreement. If you would like to re-confirm the termination date, please email us at Leasing@FRPMrentals.com and we'll gladly provide this information.

Since all of First Rate Property Management's leases automatically renew, the only way to go month-to-month is to submit a written request at Leasing@FRPMrentals.com or fax to (208) 321-1901 prior to 30 days before your lease termination date. If the owner grants the request, they most likely will require a higher rent, which is typically an increase of about 8%.

All of First Rate Property Management's leases automatically renew. So if the tenant does nothing, the lease renews. If the tenant does not want the lease to renew, then they must submit a written request at Leasing@FRPMrentals.com or fax to (208) 321-1901 prior to 30 days before your lease termination date.

The cost of a lease break varies depending on your rental agreement. If your circumstances have changed where you think you may need to break your lease, contact Leasing@FRPMRentals.com or 208-321-1900. Leasing will assist you in the proper procedure if you need to vacate prior to your lease termination.

Any additional occupants that are 18 years and older, must submit an application and application fee to be approved. First Rate Property Management does this for your safety. We will conduct a full tenant screening. Neither you or us want you to inadvertently choose a roommate that may harm you or the property and can pay their rent. If the results of the screening are acceptable, we can email you the documentation that needs signed or we can schedule a time for all of you to come in and sign the authorizing paperwork. A fee to add or change roommates may apply.

Any changes to the rental contract must be in writing. If you have someone who has moved out, it might be in your best interest to keep that person on the lease, as that tenant remains as responsible for the rent payments as you are. However, if a tenant has moved out or is in the process of moving out, we simply need something in writing from both the departing tenant and the remaining tenants requesting the change. If the remaining tenants qualify on their own, we will gladly make the change. If they don't, the remaining tenants may pay a higher deposit or keep the vacating tenant on the lease until it terminates. First Rate Property Management can email you the paperwork or you can schedule a time to come into the office to sign the new documents. Please contact us at Leasing@FRPMrentals.com for these requests.

If you plan on vacating prior to your lease termination and have found replacement tenants, simply email us at Leasing@FRPMrentals.com and let us know. Additionally, have the replacement tenants submit an application with an application fee. If they qualify, we'll be happy to accommodate a new lease signing. The deposit and the move-in inspection report remain with the property, so the incoming and outgoing tenants need to resolve this between each other.

Per the rental agreement, your deposit will be refunded less any cleaning and damages, within 30 days of the time you vacated the property. If you fail to give proper notice and a forwarding address, your deposit will be mailed to your rental address with instructions to please forward.

First Rate Property Management requires a cable deposit because unfortunately the cable company uses independent contractors for their installations. Some contractors do a great job while others do a terrible job. Our recommendation is that you carefully read the cable authorization form and closely watch the installers as they install your cable.

If the owner of the specific property you are renting or wish to rent allows pets, the typical pet fee is $150 per family pet and is non-refundable. There is also $25 pet rent per month.  These amounts may change based on owner request.

In most cases, depending on how bad your credit is, we may be able to approve your rental application with a qualified co-signer or by paying a larger deposit. If your credit does not qualify you for any of those options, unfortunately, your application will be denied.

Yes, you may pay all of your rent in advance.

See Rental policies

Criminal Background

Applicants may not be accepted for a felony conviction for which less than five (3) years have passed from sentence release date to date of rental application. Felony convictions can be cause for denial; however, per federal regulations, drug- and alcohol-use felonies can be waived with proper documentation. Regardless of conviction date, no applicant with a felony conviction for an act of violence, sex crime, or illegal manufacturing or distribution of drugs will be accepted.

First you need to apply to ensure that you meet our acceptance criteria such as credit and income. You may review Our Acceptance Criteria on our website. If you have a disability and wish to request an accommodation, please fill in the blank provided on the application.

First Rate Property Management likes to renew our good tenants with a renewal bonus. Renewal incentives change as the market conditions change. When you are about 2 months away from your lease renewal, contact us to find out what the current incentives are.

First Rate Property Management’s application fee is $45 per adult occupying the property. Any co-signers who apply are also required to pay the $45 application fee.

First Rate Property Management utilizes a 3rd party screening company to process all of our applications and the application fee goes towards those screening costs. Therefore, the application fees are non-refundable.

Many times an applicant has credit or income issues that cause an application denial. A co-signer is an easy fix. The co-signer needs to complete an application with an application fee. To qualify for a co-signer, they must have income that supports their current obligations plus the rental payment and strong credit.

If the co-signer wishes to be removed from the lease, contact our office about 3 months prior to the lease termination. We’ll review your payment history and credit report and if acceptable, you can renew without the co-signer.

If you are set up on auto-pay with our 3rd party on line payment company and your auto-pay does not come thru, the problem is most likely due to insufficient funds in your account. Please contact Rent Track to see what happened and what needs to happen to ensure that this doesn't happen again. Next, please email Leasing@FRPMrentals.com to explain the issue. If the problem was caused by Our 3rd party online payment company, they will pay all late fees. If the problem was caused by the tenant, the tenant will be responsible for late fees and maybe a NSF fee. The rent needs to be paid, so you can request that Our 3rd party online payment company re-run your payment or you can submit a check or money order for the amount due.

Each of the properties managed by First Rate Property Management is owned by a different owner and each owner has a different opinion. If you are on section 8, we recommend that you email us asking if this specific property owner accepts section 8. If they do, feel free to apply. If they don’t, we will recommend any properties that are currently available that do.

An animal that works, provides assistance, or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, or provides emotional support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person's disability. 

First you still need to apply to ensure that you meet our acceptance criteria such as credit, income, and criminal background. Our Acceptance Policy is on our website for your review. You will be required to submit proper documentation confirming your animal’s companion status.

First Rate Property Management charges late fees and I am sorry, they can not be waived. Please do communicate with us and keep us in the loop.

Per your lease agreement rent is due on the 1st of every month. If rent has not been received by 5:00 PM on the 5th day of the month (no exceptions for weekends, holidays, or postage delays), it is considered late and Tenant will be charged and agrees to pay a late fee of $50 plus $10 per day thereafter; until rent is paid in full.

First Rate Property Management follows the general 2-plus-1 rule accepted by HUD. That means two occupants per bedroom, plus one additional occupant per household. Occasionally a home may have an additional room that can be considered a bedroom under this rule. If your needs differ from this standard, simply make that request known and we will work with HUD and the property owner to accommodate you.

Most of us at First Rate Property Management have lost a pet and we know how devastating a loss of a pet can be. The terms and conditions of the rental agreement continue unchanged until it is renewed. Once you renew, please remind us of your loss and if you haven’t replaced the pet, we’ll adjust the rent accordingly.

Rent is due on the 1st and late fees are accrued for all rents received after 5pm on the 5th day of each month. To avoid late fees, you should pay your rent before leaving, but if you can’t, please do contact us and let us know when rent will be paid so that we know and don’t serve an eviction notice.

The property owners can decide to sell the house at anytime. However, state laws would require the new owner to honor your lease agreement with First Rate Property Management. So typically, when an owner decides to sell, they do so near or after the current lease expires. This is yet another reason why we encourage tenants to take advantage of our renewal program.

If the lender of any of our client’s properties initiates the foreclosure procedures, they will do so by posting a note on the property. If any such notice or communication is ever posted on the property, it is imperative that the tenants notify us immediately, as we will most likely be unaware.

Additionally, a foreclosure can take months to years to complete. So, for the most part, First Rate Property Management and the tenants just continue on like nothing ever happened. And lastly, congress passed the Protection of Tenants at Foreclosure Act that provides protection to tenants still in leases should the property actually get foreclosed upon.

Yes. Per First Rate Property Management's management agreement, we are required to collect rents as the agent of the owner, until the property is no longer the owners'. Per the rental agreement, the tenant is required to pay rent until the term of the lease is fulfilled. If the lease has rolled over to a month-to-month lease or the lease expires, the tenant can vacate after providing First Rate Property Management with 30 days written notice.

Per your rental agreement, treatment of household pests is the tenant’s responsibility. One way to minimize the possibility of pests is to keep a tidy home. Homes that are not so tidy, offer a food source as well as shelter for many pests. So if you discover any pests, your first step would be to do a thorough cleaning of the entire home. This eliminates the food source.

If the problem continues, most grocery or hardware stores carry traps and sprays that should resolve your problem in a few days. We find that ant traps can solve the problem in just a few days. These traps are filled with poisoned bait. The reason the ants are in your house is because they found food. The ant trap baits them, then they take the poisoned food back to the nest and they die. Some of the sprays are very good for spiders, roaches, and bed bugs. If the problem continues, please feel free to contact us. We’ll have to do an inspection to make sure that the home is tidy and see what remedies you had already tried and failed with.