Frequently Asked Questions

If there is are units available on the property you’re interested in, it’s available. Our website is responsive, and as apartments lease, they are removed from search results.

When searching for availability within certain time periods (Hill Preleasing, for example), please utilize the search options available to narrow your search.

Please pay close attention to the dates listed beside each of our apartments for rent in Colorado for which you would like to apply.

Utilities are not included in the base rent listed on our website, and vary depending on the property.

Utilities billed through the lease will be listed under RUBS (Ratio Utility Billing System). The resident shall pay Four Star for the monthly utility services billed by the utility providers at the property. This typically includes water, sewer, & trash.

Gas & electricity accounts are typically set up and paid for by the resident directly to the provider.

Your lease will clarify these details.

Occasionally, we do have short term leases available. Please let your leasing agent know if you’re interested in a short term lease.

Several Four Star apartment communities have furnished units available, and some companies offer long-term furniture rentals. For example, CORT. Please speak to a leasing agent for furnished apartment options.

Yes, you have the option to rent the apartment sight unseen. Please make sure to check if the photos apply to the specific apartment or floorplan you’re interested in.

If you would like to schedule a showing, please contact our leasing team through the website. In some cases, online scheduling might be available.

Once you have an appointment confirmed, an agent will meet you at the building for a showing at your scheduled time.

We have 3D walkthroughs and prerecorded tours available. Please contact our office to schedule a Facetime or Skype tour; these can be done if the unit you’re interested in is vacant.

Some of our apartments for rent in Colorado do allow pets. Please refer to the pet policy for the property you are interested in to confirm if pets are allowed.

Income:  Applicants wishing to qualify without a guarantor must be able to show a total gross monthly income of at least 2x the monthly rent installment.

Acceptable forms of Income Verification include but are not limited to:

• Copies of the last two consecutive payroll check stubs, current offer letter for employment or signed employment contract, previous year W-2 or 1099 accompanied with copies of last three consecutive bank/financial statements.
• Applicant(s) that hold a job that is based mainly off tips, bonuses/commissions or applicant(s) who are self-employed must provide previous year’s personal income tax return and most current three months of personal bank statements.

If you do not qualify financially, you must add a guarantor. A guarantor’s gross monthly income must be at least 4x the monthly rent.

*Proof of income may be submitted electronically at the end of Step 3: Applicant Info on the application form.  

Credit History: All credit history must be satisfactory and current. Items that will be reviewed to determine approval include but are not limited to: credit history, check writing history, evictions, open collections, judgments and bankruptcies. We do not require a specific credit score. Applicants with no credit history may be required to pay an additional deposit.

Criminal History: Our rental agency in Colorado will screen for criminal history issues including but not exclusive to; being listed on a sexual offender or terror watch list and violent misdemeanor. We run a full criminal background check on all applicants and review all results. 

Conditional Approval: Additional deposits and/or a guarantor may be required if credit and income criteria cannot be met.  If an applicant is rejected due to criminal history, no conditional approval will be offered & application will be denied.

Portable Screenings:

THE PROSPECTIVE TENANT HAS THE RIGHT TO PROVIDE TO THE LANDLORD A PORTABLE TENANT SCREENING REPORT, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 38-12-902 (2.5), COLORADO REVISED STATUTES; AND IF THE PROSPECTIVE TENANT PROVIDES THE LANDLORD WITH A PORTABLE TENANT SCREENING REPORT, THE LANDLORD IS PROHIBITED FROM: CHARGING THE PROSPECTIVE TENANT A RENTAL APPLICATION FEE, OR CHARGING THE PROSPECTIVE TENANT A FEE FOR THE LANDLORD TO ACCESS OR USE THE PORTABLE TENANT SCREENING REPORT. For more info on portable screening requirements, click here.

1. View our website to see each property’s current availability, location, property details, description, and pictures.
2. Call the number posted on the listing to schedule a showing appointment
3. After you have toured the property or if you’ve already talked to a Four Star leasing agent about applying for a property sight unseen, click the “Apply Online” button on the apartment you’re interested in.

Note: If you have roommates, the first applicant to apply will also list their roommates. You will need the first + last name of each applicant and a good email address. The additional applicants will be emailed a link to apply in your group for the same property.

Please communicate with your leasing agent about your options and budget. We ask that you only complete one application to avoid any errors with paying fees.

Our leasing process is completely online, and all steps can be completed via the RentCafe portal. If you do not have access to a computer, please reach out to one of our leasing agents and accommodations can be made.

• There is an Application fee of $27 (USD) per Applicant. The Application is not considered complete until this Fee is received.
• Application fees are non-refundable, even if the Applicant is denied tenancy.
• A text or email notification may be sent acknowledging the beginning of the processing of the application. Processing will not begin until the Application is deemed complete.
• All Applicants are judged on the same Rental Criteria. It is the Applicant’s responsibility to review the Rental Criteria and to provide Four Star with the necessary evidential documentation and/or contact information to verify the information provided in the Application. Four Star reserves the right to decline an application for incomplete or untruthful information or documentation. Four Star also reserves the right to decline an application for the Applicant’s delay in providing information and/or documentation needed to verify the Application.
• Applications are processed in the order received.
• Upon Approval, the Tenant will also be asked to pay a $200-250 lease administration fee outlined in the lease agreement.

*Application fees will be waived only for the following applicants with certifying documentation; provide a valid portable screening, active duty or retired military service member, law enforcement, or first responder of any kind. Thank you for your service!

All students are required to have a lease guarantor to satisfy the lease requirement. This guarantor needs to be from a parent or relative who will guarantee the financial obligations of the lease. This document will be sent out for electronic signature.

The guarantors will sign a separate lease guarantee agreement that’s available for electronic execution.

The guarantors do not need to be present during the lease signing appointment and only need to sign the lease guarantee agreement to satisfy their obligation.

You can add a roommate or guarantor to your application under Step 4: “Additional Applicants.” On Step 4: Select the ‘Add Applicant’ box and the first Additional Applicant fields will appear. Fill in the required info, specify relationship from the drop down menu, select the action to add, and then you will have the option to ‘Send Invitation.’

If you want to cancel your application, please call our office.

You will be notified when your lease is drafted and ready to sign. To electronically sign your lease, please log in to your guest portal and Click the “Sign Documents” button. You will then be guided through the signature steps.

The payment of the security deposit is due in full within 48 hrs from the Agent’s drafting of the lease.

You can pay the security deposit electronically in your resident portal. You can also pay with a certified check (cashiers or money order, no personal checks). If paying by check, please check your lease to determine the correct payee and payment drop-off location.

If you have roommates, we will accept split payments for the security deposit from any lessee or parental guarantor.

The security deposit is not applied towards your first or last month of rent. Your security deposit will be returned after you move out within the allowed time frame set forth by Colorado law. Your check-in sheet and pictures you turned in at the beginning of your lease term will be referenced and compared to the condition of the property at move-out.

The Property Damage Liability Waiver is a one-time move-in fee that provides coverage for the term of your lease for accidental damage arising from fire, smoke, explosion, water discharge, or sewer backup caused by your negligent acts or omissions up to $100,000.00. This is further described in your rental agreement.

You will be automatically enrolled as required by the policy at a discounted rate for the full lease term. You will pay this one-time cost in conjunction with the first rent installment payment.

The City of Boulder has a zoning ordinance that states the maximum number of non-related people who can live at a property. The legal zoning for each property will be listed in your lease agreement and can also be found on the online property listing. Note: The number of bedrooms at a property does not affect how many people it is zoned for.

Direct relatives are considered related i.e. brother/sister, first cousins, and spouses.

The maximum penalty from the City of Boulder for over occupying is a $2000 per day fine and it is grounds for eviction.

Four Star Realty does not condone over occupying of any kind. If we are alerted to a possible violation of this ordinance, we will perform an inspection to ensure the property is in compliance.

If your move-in date falls in January through July OR September through December, please call our office to schedule an appointment.

If your move-in date falls in August, be on the lookout for more thorough instructions sent near the end of July.

For Students moving into units in Boulder during the month of August:

• Physical Keys will be available for pick-up at the Boulder office beginning at 2pm on the move-in day specified in your lease agreement.
• For those properties with electronic locks, you may receive an email on the day of your move-in offering you a concierge move-in option. Please be on the lookout for this notification. Should you not receive it, please come into the office at or after 2pm on your move-in date.

In the first week of residency, please navigate to the resident portal via the mobile app or browser on your mobile device and find the ‘Check-In Sheet’ linked there. This checklist will be reviewed by our staff when you move-out of your rental.

If you are on a Four Star lease, please refer to item 8. LATE PAYMENT FEES in the Residential Lease Agreement for details regarding the schedule of late fees. If we recently took over management of your building and you are not yet on a Four Star lease, please refer to your current lease for details.

You can pay your rent online, or with a cashier’s check or money order.

Online payments can be set up to withdraw monthly by selecting the ‘Automatic Recurring Payment’ option. You can also select to pay your rent manually each month by selecting the ‘One-Time Payment’ option. The payment screen in your resident portal provides more details about online payments.

NOTE: Before submitting your payment, you will be shown a confirmation amount (including all fees) before final submission. Please verify this number is accurate.

If you’re looking to verify your bank account, please see the below FAQ item

Before using a bank account to pay your rent in RentCafe, it must first be verified.

Log into your RentCafe account, and proceed to the Payment Accounts section of your RentCafe portal.

Should you have issues verifying your bank account, please contact your property manager.

Before using a bank account to pay your rent in RentCafe, it must first be verified.

1. Bank Accounts are verified inside your RentCafe portal via Finicity.

2. Finicity allows you to securely link your bank account to RentCafe without having to enter account numbers manually.

3. This service allows for seamless and instant verification of accounts.

We do not accept cash payments or personal checks for rent.

Acceptable forms of payment are money order/cashier’s check or an ACH payment through your checking account. Some properties accept credit cards (American Express cards are not accepted). Please see your resident portal for more details.

Yes! Some properties accept credit card payments; please see your resident portal for more information. Please note that American Express is not accepted.

Certified funds are Money Orders issued by vendors or Cashier’s Checks issued by your banking institution.

It normally takes 2-3 business days after your payment is submitted for you to see the money withdrawn from your account. If you have automatic payments set up, the date that you selected for the payment to pull is the day that the payment process begins, not the day it is withdrawn from your bank account.

After you make a payment, you should receive a confirmation email to the address tied to your RentCafe account.
This is your indication that a payment has been submitted, but not necessarily drafted. This can take 3-5 business days. If there is an issue with the payment (ie: NSF or invalid account information), you will be notified.

An emergency is considered something that will cause IMMEDIATE HARM to you or the property including but not limited to, fire, flood, gas leak, no power, water leaks, no heat, no hot water, and a clogged toilet in a single-bathroom unit that cannot be plunged.

No AC is not an emergency. If you are locked out of your unit, please contact a locksmith at your expense.

All non-emergency work orders need to be submitted online through your RentCafe resident portal.

For after hours emergency work orders, please call the number for your Four Star office and follow the prompts to reach the emergency line.

The above methods are the only way to submit a work order. Do not contact your Property Manager with a work order, submit a work order through the generic contact form on the website, or through social media. We will not receive the work order in a timely manner.

Open the windows and leave the apartment immediately. Do not turn off any lights. Once you have left your apartment, call Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-2999

There is a reset button located under the disposal, please try this before submitting a work order. If this does not fix the problem, submit a work order online through your resident portal. This is not considered an emergency.

Yes, please contact your Property Manager. A new roommate must fill out an application, pass screening, and be added to your lease.

Please contact your Property Manager so they can create an addendum to your lease.

Please contact your Property Manager to discuss this.

No. Four Star does not allow subletting. You may not sublease your apartment.

Please contact your leasing agent for further details. Certain properties may allow this, however, there may be additional fees.

Please contact your Property Manager to discuss this. In order to be considered for a transfer, the prospective replacement resident must go through the application process & qualify based on the same criteria.

Occupancy Transfer Request: Click Here

No, if you list your apartment on Airbnb or any similar website you are in violation of your lease.

You may not transfer to another building mid-lease. You must either fulfill your lease term or pay the lease break fee as stated in your current lease. If your lease is ending, you may apply for another apartment at that time.

You may be able to transfer to another apartment in your current building with your Property Manager’s approval. It depends on several factors which the manager will take into consideration.

Residents are responsible for paying a utility charge which will appear in your lease/ lease renewal as “Ratio Utility Billing System (RUBS)” and on your ledger as “Tenant Utilities”. For details on how the RUBS charge is calculated and the utilities that this charge covers, please reference the Utility & Services Addendum in your lease.

We want to return your security deposit as quickly as possible. As specified in our lease and per Colorado state law (CRS §38-12-103(1)), we will return your security deposit within 60-days from the lease termination date.

You will receive a completed reconciliation packet that will clearly itemize any charges (if applicable) with corresponding invoices. We reference resident check-in sheets and pictures (if provided) during this process and take into account any normal wear and tear.

Our primary goal is to return the unit to a move-in-ready condition. The less work we have to coordinate after you move out, the better! If you have any questions after receiving your reconciliation packet, we will spend as much time as needed to review any questions or concerns that you might have.

Please visit this page to learn more.

The security deposit return will be mailed to the forwarding address provided to us.

All security deposit return checks will be made payable to all tenants on the lease, and leaseholders must be present to cash the check at a bank. However, if this is not possible, we offer the option to mail a single check to only one of the leaseholders with the proper paperwork completed in advance of the lease move-out date. This is called a one-check addendum.

Please visit this page to learn more about this process.

You can request a one-check addendum to your lease. Please make sure that all roommates agree with this decision before filling out this form. All leaseholders will need to sign this paperwork for the one-check addendum to be valid. 

You may complete a one-check addendum request here.

If you do not leave a forwarding address, your deposit will be mailed to your last known address (which will likely be the unit you just moved out of). We take multiple steps to avoid this, but if we can’t reach you in time, we’re required to take this step by law should no other security deposit forwarding address be available.

Please use the form found on this page. Please make sure to provide us with a forwarding address before the expiration of your lease.

We want to return your security deposit as quickly as possible. Please wait the full 60 days after your lease expires before contacting us to check your deposit return status! (i.e, if your lease ends August 1st wait until October 1st).

Some of our buildings allow pets. Every lease includes a pet addendum, whether your property is pet-friendly or not. Please check with your Property Manager if you’re looking to add a pet to your household.

If you are looking to begin the leasing process, please ask your leasing agent if pets are allowed at the property in which you’re interested.

The following policy applies at all Four Star properties:
Acceptable animals include domestic cats and dogs. Weight restrictions may apply. Four Star follows all dog breed restrictions put in place by the City. Although many Colorado cities have no breed-specific legislation, all municipalities carry ordinances, bylaws, and city codes with different standards relating to the care for animals, barking dogs, vaccinations, limits on numbers of pets, licensures, service animal rules, and other issues. We do not allow reptiles, rodents, ferrets or farm animals of any type.

No. Only pets specified in your lease agreement are permitted on the premises.

Yes, up to a maximum of two.

Yes, we require our residents to pick up their pet’s waste and dispose of it appropriately.

Please speak to your leasing agent if you are not currently a resident, and your Property Manager if you currently live at a Four Star property. There is a separate form for service animals.

Please do not park in your reserved space and contact your Property Manager for a new tag ASAP. Without a visible parking tag, you will be towed.

If there is parking available, please contact your Property Manager. We will need to add a parking addendum to your lease.

Please call the towing company whose signs are posted at your lot. If the vehicle that is parked in your space does not have a Four Star parking tag, it will be towed. Before calling, please obtain the vehicle’s tag number, parking permit number (if applicable) and description.

If your property is managed out of the Boulder office (all non-community properties located in Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, Longmont, and Superior), please email [email protected] for assistance.

If your property is managed out of the Denver office (all non-community properties located in Arvada, Aurora, Denver, Edgewater, Englewood, Lakewood, Westminster and Wheat Ridge), please email [email protected] for assistance.

If you live at one of the following communities, please click on the link below that corresponds to your community to open a new email:

Please contact our HR manager at [email protected] to inquire about any available positions.

If you are interested in talking to us about managing your property, please fill out a management inquiry here.

No, Four Star manages residential properties for apartment owners.

Please contact your Property Manager during business hours. If the issue occurs after normal business hours, please call the non-emergency police line. If the police come to the building, please ask the officer to write a report in case an eviction has to be filed against the offender.

You must contact the post office that services your address with any issues pertaining to sending or receiving your mail.

It varies by building. Please consult your lease agreement for details.

Please mark the mail as “Return to Sender” and drop it in the outgoing mailbox.

The Boulder office is the base of operations for properties located in Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, Longmont, and Superior.

The Denver office is the base of operations for properties located in Arvada, Aurora, Denver, Edgewater, Englewood, Lakewood, Westminster, and Wheat Ridge.

If you live in one of the following communities, your management team is on-site. Please click on the links below to be directed to your community’s website.

The Boulder office is located at 1310 College Avenue, Suite 310 in the Hilltop Building on the University Hill, on the floor above the food court.

The Denver office is located in Platt Park at 1835 S Pearl Street, Denver 80210.

The Cityline Station & Bears Village office is located at 701 23rd Street, Greeley 80631.

If you live at Prospect Station, Eleven13, or Bighorn Landing in Fort Collins, your management team is located in the offices at Eleven13 at 1113 W Plum Street, Fort Collins 80521.

If you live at Kansas Apartments, Copperleaf Place or Glenmoor Townhomes, your management team is located in the Copperleaf office at 3425 S Shields Street, Fort Collins 80525.

We are open Monday-Friday from 9am – 5pm. Hours can vary seasonally and by location. Please call our corporate line 303-800-9594 and follow the prompts to reach your appropriate office’s hours and location recording.

Boulder Office: 1310 College Avenue, Suite 310, Boulder, CO, 80302

Denver Office: 1835 S Pearl Street, Denver, CO, 80210.

Our corporate phone number is 303-800-9594. Please call this number to be directed to the appropriate office. If you’re not sure which office you should reach, please refer to the “Which office handles my property?” question at the top of this category.

Click here to view a Sample Renter’s Qualification Document for Student Properties

Click here to view a Sample Renter’s Qualification Document for Residential Properties

Click here to view a Sample Student Lease Agreement – subject to change – Renters in Boulder should refer to the Occupancy section of this FAQ.

Click here to view a Sample Residential Lease Agreement – subject to change

Click here to view a sample application.

Click here to view a sample LGA

Click here to view a sample Lease Transfer Document.

Click here to view a Sample RLL Addendum.