FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Get the details.

Have a question about the complex? Check below first to see if there's an answer, and then contact us if you have any additional questions or concerns.

Do I need Renter's Insurance?

Renter’s Insurance Is Required

Applicants who are approved will need to provide proof of liability insurance for the apartment. There are two ways to fulfill this requirement:

1. Purchase your own renter’s insurance policy & provide proof of insurance to West Main Flats. Renters insurance can be purchased from the same company that insures your vehicle.
2. Purchase Landlord’s Required Resident Liability Insurance (LRRLI) by adding a $9.50/mth premium to your rent charge.

All prospective tenants for an apartment must either:

1. Be on one general insurance policy that covers everyone or,
2. Have separate individual policies.

Renters Insurance covers your belongings and must provide $100,000 of liability coverage to the apartment complex.

If all tenants in a unit do not provide proof of renters insurance, you will by default be enrolled in the Landlord’s Required Resident Liability Insurance program.  A $10.50 a month premium will be added to your monthly rent to purchase liability only renters  insurance for the apartment. This insurance will cover all tenant’s liability for the apartment. It does not cover your belongings.

Sample Rental Lease
Do you do short term or month to month leases?

We do not do short term leases.

We do year long leases that all end on May 31. If you start a lease term on any day other than June 1, it will still end on the following May 31.  At lease end, you will have the option to renew for another full year to the following May 31.

Exception- Current lease holders who do not want to renew for an entire full year can extend their lease for a few months through the summer only before vacating. Specific dates for the summer option are established each year.

Can I get a paper application?

We use an online application system through an HTTPS secure website to keep your personal information  safer than a paper application process would. We do not use paper applications.

What documentation do I need for my application?

Near the end of the online application, you will need to upload & attach the following two documents;

  1. A picture of a valid photo ID.  Examples of acceptable photo ID’s include a current state drivers license or state ID card or a passport.  Examples of what we DO NOT accept would be a school ID, ski pass or personal  photo.
  2. Proof of Income.  Examples of proof of income would include a RECENT pay stub that clearly shows your name and YTD ( year to date) pay, a recent tax form that clearly shows your name and income (please black out your social security number if using a tax form), if you are moving to Bozeman for a job, a job offer letter that states your pay and term of employment ( FT/PT seasonal/permanent)   Examples of what we DO NOT accept for proof of employment would include screenshots of bank statements or balances and screenshots of direct deposits into your bank account from your job.  

If you are a student and do not currently have proof of income, you will need to have a cosigner to meet the proof of income requirement.  Please see our “How a Cosigner Applies” section

For more information on the application process, please see our “How Do I Apply” section

Do you do a credit check?

Yes.  We use the Experian Double Screen which does both a credit and criminal background check.  This is what the $35 application fee is used for.

Do you have income requirements?

Yes. A good applicant will have proof of monthly gross income (before taxes) of at least three times the amount of the monthly rent.

Examples;

  1. If rent is $1,000/mth the applicant should be grossing $3,000/mth
  2. If there are two applicants and the rent is $1,000/mth the combined gross income of both applicants should be $3,000/mth.

If you are a student and do not currently have an income, you will need a cosigner to meet the monthly income requirement.  Please see our section on “How a Cosigner Applies”

What if I don't have proof of income?

If your are moving here for a job and do not have a pay stub yet, you can submit your job offer letter or email as proof of employment.

If you are a student and do not have employment income you will need a cosigner.  This will most likely be a parent.  Your cosigner will need to submit their own application as your cosigner.  Please see our section on “How a Cosigner Applies”

Do you accept Section 8 vouchers?

No, we do not accept section 8 vouchers.

What is your noise policy & do you have quiet hours?

We do not have set quiet hours because Montana Landlord Tenant Law does not prescribe set quiet hours.

We expect tenants to be respectful of neighbors at all times.   While tenants should expect to be able to hear normal living noises from neighboring units in apartment living, there should be no loud parties, music, video games, rough housing or annoying of neighbors at anytime.  Bass from music, movies and games can travel easily through a building, we recommend that tenants turn the bass off to prevent it from disturbing others.   Tenants are responsible for making sure their guests are aware of the noise policy.

The lease states: “NOISE: PLEASE conduct your activities in and about the building in a manner so as not to interfere with the rights, comforts, or conveniences of your neighbors.  The TENANT(S) agrees to conduct oneself and require other persons on the premises with the TENANT(S)’s consent to conduct themselves in a manner that will not disturb the TENANT(S)’s neighbors’ peaceful enjoyment of the premises.  Breaking this rule can lead to immediate eviction. Montana Landlord Tenant Law states: 70-24-321. Tenant to maintain dwelling unit. (1) A tenant shall: (f) conduct oneself and require other persons on the premises with the tenant’s consent to conduct themselves in a manner, that will not disturb the tenant’s neighbors’ peaceful enjoyment of the premises”
   
Noise Complaints:
We do not have quiet hours because the law does not specify quite hours.  Tenants do not have to wait for a specific hour before calling regarding noise issues.  We do have an answering service to take care of those calls after hours.  If there are neighbors creating noise that disturbs a tenant’s peaceful enjoyment of the premises they are directed to call us immediately while the noise is happening. It can take us as little as 20 minutes for management to get to the site. We  will take video to document the noise level, confirm the unit responsible and then shut down the noise. A lease violation for noise will be issued along with its associated fines according to the lease contract.

If a tenant makes a noise complaint after the fact (after the noise has stopped) and we are unable to verify which unit was making the noise, we cannot issue a noise violation.  We will only be able to send a noise reminder to all tenants in the near vicinity of the complaint.

Is West Main Flats pet-friendly?

West Main Flats is a no pets apartment complex.  Section 2.12 of the lease contract reads:

“Pets are NOT allowed on the property at any time, not even for visits.  TENANT(S) shall pay for damages caused by the pet whether that pet is brought by them or a guest.  Damages may include but are not limited to replacement of flooring, repaint and cleaning to remove allergens.  Violation of this restriction will result in the immediate removal of the pet. Violation of this restriction is cause for eviction.”

What if I have a maintenance issue?

West Main Flats has a full time on site property management team for prompt and professional repairs, snow removal and apartment maintenance.  

Tenants may submit maintenance requests online through their tenant portals or may call, text or email in a request.   We have a 24 hour answering service for after hours emergencies.  Someone (a real person)  will always answer the West Main Flats phone number to help you with your problem.

Do you have a wait list?

We do not keep a wait list.

The best way to keep on top of new listings is to frequently check our “VIEW LISTINGS” tab on the home page of our website. When we have an available unit, we will post a listing on our site with all the details including a virtual tour and you will be able to apply online directly through the listing. If you do not see any listings under the view listings tab, that means we currently have no units available for anyone to apply for. Check back frequently though as things can change fast. We usually update the listings in the late afternoon so checking in the evenings is the best way to catch a new listing quickly. Feel free to also call us during normal business hours for updates or specific questions.  

Can I sublet my apartment?

No.  Montana Landlord Tenant Law expressly prohibits subletting without the Landlords  permission in writing.

MCA  70-24-305. Transfer of premises by tenant. A tenant who vacates a dwelling unit during the term of a tenancy may not allow the possession of the property to be transferred to a third person or sublet the property unless the landlord or the landlord’s agent has consented in writing.

What if I need to break my lease?

If you need to move out before your lease is fulfilled (break you lease), here are the steps you need to take for the best possible outcome:

1. Submit a green “Tenant’s 30 Day Notice of Intent to Vacate” form as soon as possible. We cannot start trying to get a new tenant for your unit or move forward with any action until we receive this signed form. You can find this green form in the laundry room.  Drop the completed form into the rent drop box.

2. Once we receive your official signed notice of intent to vacate form, we will send you a recognition of your notice which will include instructions for moving out. We will also ask permission to enter the apartment to do a quick check for any big maintenance or repairs that might need to be done before the unit can be rented again. This is NOT the final check out.  We are not checking cleaning at this time. This is just a quick 10 minute check for any major repairs that might need to be scheduled so we can figure out a new availability date for the unit.

3. As soon as we have a new availability date for your unit, we will list it for rent and start fielding potential new tenants for approval. We will need to arrange with you, a few days and times per week that we have permission to show your apartment to potential new tenants.

4. As you probably already know, per your lease, you are responsible for the rent until the lease ends OR until a new tenant takes possession of the apartment. If we are able to rent out the unit to a new tenant, you will no longer be responsible for rent on the unit once the new tenant moves in. (For example, if you move out on the 10th of the month and we are able to have new tenants move in of the 17th of that same month, you would be responsible for rent up until the 16th of that month. As soon as the new tenants start paying rent on the unit, you are no longer responsible for the rent on the remainder of the lease.) We will do everything we can to have the unit rented as quickly as possible after your move out so you can be relieved of your financial responsibility but you are responsible for the rent until that happens.

5. You are also liable for and will be charged for damages associated with breaking the lease. These charges include costs associated with paperwork, advertising, time and materials spent to prepare and rent the apartment again. Contact the office for a current estimate of damage fees that you will be charged.

Can I add a roommate to the lease after I move in?

If a current tenant(s) would like to add a new roommate to an existing lease:

1. Contact West Main Flats management and let them know of your plans to add a new roommate. If this new tenant will bring the total number of tenants to 3 or more, there will most likely be additional security deposit and monthly rent charges.  

2. The current tenant(s) needs to determine who will be the new tenant. It is not the landlords job to find a new tenant that is acceptable to the current tenant(s). It is the current tenant’s responsibility to show the unit to the prospective roommate and to do some “pre-screening” for non smokers, no pets, no history of noise disturbances, or late & NSF/bounced rent payments.  

3. The office needs to be contacted when the new tenant is ready to apply. The office will post a special listing for the new tenant to use for the application. The new tenant needs to submit an online application and pay the processing fees.  An applicant needs a Co-Signer (or Third Party Guarantor) if they are currently unemployed, a full-time student, have a monthly income less that 3x’s their share of the rent or have no history of renting (college dorms do not count as a rental history).

4. Once the new tenant is approved by the landlord and remaining tenant(s), a document can then be signed which adds the new tenant to the existing lease.

5. The new tenant and original tenant(s) should make arrangements to deal with security deposit issues. Security deposits are assumed to be held jointly by currently occupying tenants unless otherwise specified in the lease. The security deposit remains intact until the entire unit is returned empty and cleaned and can be inspected for damages & cleanliness.

6. The new tenant agrees to the condition of premises report that was submitted when the apartment was originally occupied.  

7. When all tenants vacate the apartment the cost to repair any damages to the apartment will be deducted from the security deposit held by the landlord.  If the security deposit will not cover the entire cost to repair the damages, then all those listed as current tenants at the time of final check out will be responsible to pay the difference.

Apply Now

We're happy to help you make West Main Flats your new home. Click through to view the listings and see what's currently available. If you don't see anything that works for you, check back in a week—things can change fast! We don't have a waitlist, so it's best to check regularly.