Rental Policies & FAQ
BCG Real Estate Group (Beat Coast Guard, LLC) is in the business of renting apartments and homes and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, marital status, age, sex, source of income, sexual orientation or any other form of discrimination prohibited by law.
Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO)
Viewing Units
Vacant Unit: Units can be viewed by appointments only with the BCG staff. Call 773-207-4787 to book an appointment
Occupied Unit: Typically, an occupied unit can be viewed with 48 hours’ notice to the current guest. Our team will work with current and prospective guests to work out the best time for all parties.
Rental Requirements
Each adult 18 years old and older must complete a Rental Application.
Failure to complete the form completely or accurately could delay or preclude the processing of your application.
Based on your credit score, background check, employment verification and prior landlord references, your application will either be accepted or rejected.
Rental Qualifications
Amount of Income reflects the ability to pay the monthly rental obligation. In some cases, a third-party guarantor may be necessary.
Employment: The length of time at a job, and/or the stability of the other income sources will be considered.
References: We check previous rental references. If we receive poor references, we may deny the application.
Credit: We check the credit history of all adult applicants.
Approval
Applicants will be notified by phone as soon as the application has been completely processed.
Rent begins upon the start date of lease.
Residents cannot move in until move-in fee and first month's rent is paid in full.
All residents and/or third-party guarantors are jointly and severally responsible for all charges incurred under the terms and conditions of the rented apartment.
Pro-rated rent is calculated by dividing monthly rent by the number of days in the month at issue, which is then multiplied by the number of days occupied in the second month.
Moving-In
You will receive a welcome email prior to your move in with instructions for your specific home / apartment. Residents cannot move in until they have registered with the RentCafe system and have paid their move-in fee(s) and first month's rent. Residents must also call their respective utility providers and establish accounts and start dates prior to move in. Instructions on building access, utilities, important details of the home / apartment and any specific move in instructions will be provided in that welcome email. If you need additional information, please contact us at (773) 207-4787.
Contact the Utility Companies
The first thing you should do after signing your lease is to contact the utility companies! People's Gas often takes 10 to 12 days to turn on the gas. This can present a real hardship in the winter.
https://accel.peoplesgasdelivery.com – 1-866-556-6006
https://www.comed.com – 1-800-334-7661
Check-In Appointment
Let us know the date and approximate time of your intended move so we can assist you. Some properties have gated outdoor parking lots. Even if you are not renting a parking space, we can plan for you to enter through the parking entrance, thereby avoiding the problem of finding parking for your moving vehicle. You MUST use the rear entrance of the property for moving-in and moving-out.
Renter's Insurance Information
We recommend that all residents purchase renter’s insurance. The landlord is not responsible for damage to residents’ personal property. Renter’s insurance provides you with coverage for loss, damage, or destruction of your property. It also provides coverage for additional living expenses you may incur if the apartment becomes uninhabitable. Renter’s insurance can also protect you from any liability claims resulting from your own activities. For example, if your negligence causes a fire, you may be held responsible for the damage to the property of others. Similarly, if a guest were to have an accident in your apartment, you could be personally responsible for the guest’s injuries. Please consult with an insurance agent to review your personal needs.
Parking
Residents who rent parking spots are required to park in their assigned spot and to have the parking placard clearly displayed in their vehicle at all times (if applicable).
Smoking
Smoking is NOT allowed inside any of the units or common areas. All BCG managed properties are nonsmoking.
Trash Removal
Trash removal companies charge extra for items left outside a dumpster. If you leave items outside of the dumpsters, you will incur the actual charge incurred by BCG for their removal.
Moving-Out
We hope you enjoyed your stay at the property and want to help you accomplish your move-out smoothly. Please NOTE that your lease expires at 4:00 p.m. on the last day of the month reflected on your lease. This means that the unit must be free of all of your belongings and personal effects. Check your lease or call management if you have any questions when your lease expires. Once we receive notice of your intent to move, we will begin showing your apartment to prospective residents. We will phone ahead to notify you of the showings, but we ask that you please provide us with your preferred contact information to avoid any miscommunication. Please make sure your apartment is clean during this time, as a cleaner apartment will rent more quickly and with fewer showings. Apartments are typically shown between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekends. You are required to put your pet(s) in a secured area of the apartment when given notice that a showing will be taking place.
As required in your lease, you must leave your apartment in undamaged condition. Your account will be placed in collections with a professional collection agency for any unpaid damages and charges. In order to avoid any misunderstanding, we ask that you call Management to schedule a walk-through of your unit for a final inspection. The walk-through should take place the morning that you will be vacating the apartment.
It is your responsibility to remove all your personal items from the unit and dispose of them properly. When using garbage bins or dumpsters outside the building, you must make sure that all bags and items fit inside the bin or dumpster. If you overfill the bins or dumpsters, you will be charged the actual cost we are charged for the overfill. It is your responsibility to dispose of any oversized items, such as furniture and large boxes. If you fail to dispose of any oversized items, you will be charged the amount that we are charged for their removal.
If you have painted your apartment during your tenancy, you must repaint all walls in the original paint color prior to your move-out to avoid being charged for primer and painting.
Please remove all window treatments, shelving, and decorations you installed upon your move-out. If you have any questions about this, please notify your property manager immediately to avoid any issues.
All moving activity MUST take place through the rear entrance and back stairways of the building. Failure to do so may result in charges for damage to the property. If your building has an elevator, please contact the Manager for scheduling and using the elevator for a move-out.
You are responsible for scheduling the shut off of your utilities (electric, gas, phone, cable, etc.) as well as any automatic rent payments.
Leave all entry, mailbox, gate, basement and storage keys on the kitchen counter. You are required to leave an equal number of full sets of keys for each named person on the lease. Failure to do so will result in a $150 charge for missing or incomplete sets.
Please email your forwarding address to the Manager of the property.
BCG appreciated the opportunity to serve as your property manager and wish you all the best.
Cancellation Policy:
The team at BCG Real Estate Group understand that things happen and sometimes breaking a lease is necessary. In these cases we try to work with individuals on a case by case basis but follow a few key guidelines:
1) Residents must continue to pay rent until a qualified resident is procured to take over at least the remaining duration and cost of the lease,
2) Residents can break their lease completely by paying 2 month's rent. If this is the case, residents must be out of the unit by the end of the current month (or whatever specific date is approved by management),
3) If a resident has not moved in yet and their lease has not started, resident will forfeit their move-in fee and pay an additional administrative fee of $300.
GUEST FAQS
Q: Can you hold a place before I apply
A: No, a fully completed application and signed lease is necessary.
Q: Do you take security deposits?
A: No, only non-refundable move-in fees.
Q: Are there administrative fees and move-in costs?
A: Yes, we charge a move-in fee and pet fees (if applicable).
Q: I want to move, but my roommate wants to stay. What can I do?
A: Your roommate can apply to have a new roommate added to the lease. The new roommate must meet all company standards and requirements and must pay an additional move-in fee.
Q: My lease expiration is near, and I want to stay. What do I do?
A: We will automatically send you a lease renewal option approximately 60-90 days prior to your lease expiring.
Q: Who is responsible for paying repairs & maintenance requests?
A: Typically the landlord, unless damage was intentional or due to neglect.
Q: What do I need to do to move-in?
A: Schedule your move and follow our move-in procedures.
Q: What do I need to do to move-out?
A: Schedule your move and follow our move-out procedures.