Tenant Resources

Rent is paid through our online resident portal at https://resident.stessa.com/. You can also reach the portal by clicking the payment button on our website, cupm.net. The portal accepts bank transfer (ACH), debit cards, and credit cards. If you have trouble logging in or paying, call or text the office at 217-778-8475.

Rent is due in full on or before the 1st day of each month. Paying on time keeps your account in good standing and avoids late fees. If you think you will have trouble paying on time, contact the office at 217-778-8475 before the 1st.

Rent is due on the 1st of the month. A late fee is charged if rent has not been received after the 5th day of the month. The exact late fee terms are in your lease, so check your lease for details. If you have questions, call the office at 217-778-8475.

If rent is not received by the 1st, your account is past due. A late fee of at least 5% of your monthly rent is charged after the 5th day. Unpaid rent can also lead to legal action, including eviction, so it is important to pay on time or contact the office right away at 217-778-8475. Check your lease for the exact late fee terms that apply to your home.

Yes, card payments have a fee. Bank transfer (ACH) through the resident portal at https://resident.stessa.com/ is free. Credit card and debit card payments each have a 3% fee per transaction. We recommend ACH so you keep the full amount of your payment.

Yes. Make checks and money orders payable to Champaign Urbana Property Management, Inc. You can mail them to 1806 Woodfield Drive, Suite 125, Savoy, IL 61874, or drop them off with reception at that address, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Mailed payments must arrive by the due date, so allow mailing time. Most tenants find the online portal at https://resident.stessa.com/ faster and easier.

No, we cannot accept cash payments. You can pay online at https://resident.stessa.com/ by bank transfer, debit, or credit card, or pay by check or money order made payable to Champaign Urbana Property Management, Inc., mailed or dropped off at 1806 Woodfield Drive, Suite 125, Savoy, IL 61874, during business hours.

Yes. You can set up automatic payments in the resident portal at https://resident.stessa.com/. Autopay by bank transfer (ACH) is free and is the easiest way to make sure rent is never late. Card payments carry a 3% fee.

Yes. The resident portal sends a confirmation when your payment is made. You can also see your payment history when you log in at https://resident.stessa.com/. If a payment does not show up as expected, call or text the office at 217-778-8475.

If a check or payment is returned unpaid for any reason, a $50 service charge is added to your account, plus any bank or collection costs we are charged. You must replace the payment with certified funds, such as a money order or cashier's check, when asked. Repeated returned payments can put your lease at risk, so call the office at 217-778-8475 if you have a payment problem.

Only with advance permission. You must contact the office at 217-778-8475 before paying, and approval is decided case by case, each time you ask. An approved partial payment does not waive late fees or the requirement to pay the full amount owed. Never send a partial payment without approval.

Payments are applied first to any outstanding late fees and fines, then to rent. This means if you owe a late fee and pay only your normal rent amount, part of your rent will still show as unpaid. If your balance looks wrong, call the office at 217-778-8475 and we will walk through it with you.

Everyone who signed the lease is fully responsible for the entire rent. This is called joint and several liability. It does not matter to us who pays or how you split it, as long as the full rent is paid by the 1st. If one roommate does not pay, the others are still responsible for the full amount.

No, we do not currently report rent payments to credit bureaus. If that changes, we will let tenants know. If you have questions, call or text the office at 217-778-8475.

Submit routine maintenance requests through the resident portal at https://resident.stessa.com/. You can reach the portal from our website, cupm.net, or go to the link directly. For emergencies, text us first at 217-778-8475, then submit the request in the portal. The more detail and photos you include, the faster we can help.

Emergencies include: no heat when outdoor temperatures are below 60 degrees, a gas odor, flooding, sewage backup, no electricity, or fire. For a gas smell, smoke, or suspected carbon monoxide, leave the home first, call Ameren (gas or carbon monoxide) or the fire department (smoke or fire), and only then text us at 217-778-8475. For all other emergencies, text 217-778-8475 first, then submit a request at https://resident.stessa.com/. If you are unsure whether something is an emergency, text us and ask.

Safety first. Leave the home immediately, and do not flip switches or use anything that could spark. Once outside, call Ameren Illinois to report the gas leak or carbon monoxide problem. After you have left the home and called Ameren, text us at 217-778-8475. Filling out an online maintenance request is the last step, never the first. If there is smoke or fire, call the fire department (911) instead of Ameren.

Text us at 217-778-8475 any time, day or night. That is the same number as our office line. For gas, smoke, or carbon monoxide, leave the home and call Ameren or the fire department first, then text us. For other emergencies like flooding, sewage backup, no electricity, or no heat in cold weather, text first, then submit a request at https://resident.stessa.com/.

No heat when outdoor temperatures are below 60 degrees is an emergency. Text us right away at 217-778-8475, then submit a request at https://resident.stessa.com/. Before you text, check two things: that the thermostat is set to heat and set above room temperature, and that your furnace filter is not clogged. A dirty filter is a leading cause of furnace failure. For no hot water, submit a portal request and text us if it is urgent.

If you know where your water shut-off valve is, turn off the water. Then text us immediately at 217-778-8475 and follow up with a maintenance request at https://resident.stessa.com/. Move belongings away from the water if you can do so safely. Flooding is an emergency, so do not wait until morning to report it.

Text us immediately at 217-778-8475. This is treated as an emergency. Our properties use 10-year sealed battery smoke detectors, so there is no battery for you to replace. Never remove or disable a smoke detector. A chirping unit needs our attention right away.

It depends on the urgency of the repair and the availability of the right people to do the work. We try to address emergencies the same day when possible, and routine repairs promptly. Once you have contacted us and submitted a maintenance request at https://resident.stessa.com/, we can give you an estimate for your specific repair. Call or text 217-778-8475 if you have not heard back on a request.

Repairs that are not your fault are fully covered by Champaign Urbana Property Management. You are only responsible for repairs caused by your own negligence or by your guests. For example, if a sewer line backs up because tree roots grew into it, that is ordinary maintenance and we pay for it. If it backed up because inappropriate material was flushed, the tenant is billed. If you have questions about a charge, call 217-778-8475.

Submit a maintenance request at https://resident.stessa.com/ and we will get it fixed. Who pays depends on the cause. If the clog was caused by the tenant, such as flushed wipes, grease, or foreign objects, the tenant is billed for the repair. If the cause is ordinary wear or a problem with the plumbing itself, we cover it. Only flush toilet paper, and never pour grease down a drain.

If you notice pests, submit a maintenance request at https://resident.stessa.com/ right away so we can address it. Who pays depends on the cause. If the infestation was caused by the tenant, for example through poor food storage or trash habits, the tenant pays for treatment. Otherwise, we pay. Keeping the home clean, storing food properly, and taking trash out regularly are the best prevention. Questions about a specific situation? Call 217-778-8475.

Yes. Your lease requires you to replace or clean your HVAC filter at least once a month, and you purchase the filters yourself. This applies to the filter for your own rented space, not shared spaces. Dirty filters are a leading cause of furnace breakdowns, including blower failures, and you can be held liable for that repair bill, which can be significant. A fresh filter monthly protects you and keeps your heating and cooling working well.

No. Only people we authorize may perform repairs. Illinois law does include a "repair and deduct" process, but it has very specific legal requirements, generally starting with written notice to us and a 14-day response period, and you should consult a qualified attorney before attempting it. We encourage you to work with us instead. It is in our interest that your home be in good condition, so submit a request at https://resident.stessa.com/ and let us handle it.

Once you submit a maintenance request through any channel, we may enter to make that repair within 14 days of your request without separate advance notice, since your request is the notice. If the repair is not completed within that 14-day window, we will give you at least 24 hours advance notice before entering. Repair entry happens between 10 am and 8 pm on weekdays and 11 am and 8 pm on weekends, unless we agree on a different time with you. In an emergency, we may enter without notice.

The stove/oven, refrigerator, and furnace are always warrantied and maintained by us at every rental property. Other appliances, such as washers, dryers, dishwashers, and air conditioning units, are covered on a lease-by-lease basis, so check your lease for what applies to your home. If a covered appliance stops working, submit a request at https://resident.stessa.com/.

The only place to apply for a CUPM rental is Zillow. Go to Zillow directly or follow the link from the property listing on our website, cupm.net. We never solicit applications on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or anywhere else. If anyone asks you to apply for one of our homes anywhere other than Zillow, it is a scam. Report it and call us at 217-778-8475.

The Zillow application includes a background check, credit check, and income and employment verification, and we need all of those verified before we can offer a lease. Ideal applicants have income from any source at or above 3 times the monthly rent and a credit score at or above 700. Requirements vary by property because different owners have different criteria. We cannot guarantee a lease to anyone until an application is on file. Questions about a specific property? Call 217-778-8475.

Possibly. If everything else in your application is strong, we may still be able to offer a lease, potentially with a higher security deposit. Each application is reviewed individually, and requirements vary by property. The best step is to apply through Zillow and let us look at your full picture, or call 217-778-8475 to ask about a specific property first.

It depends on the property. Some owners allow co-signers and some do not. Call the office at 217-778-8475 and ask about the specific property you are interested in before you apply.

With good credit and income at or above 3 times the rent, the deposit is generally equal to one month's rent. The exact amount depends on your application. For example, an applicant with a lower credit score or a past eviction may be approved with a higher deposit. Your deposit amount is stated in your lease.

The security deposit and first month's rent are both due when we sign the lease. If you have questions about payment methods for these amounts, call the office at 217-778-8475.

Before you move in, we do a move-in walkthrough of your home together and complete an inspection sheet documenting its condition. This protects you: anything noted on the sheet cannot be charged against your security deposit when you move out. Take your time, note everything, and add photos if you like. You will receive your keys at this walkthrough.

Keys are handed over at the move-in walkthrough of your home, and a photo ID is required. Keys are not released before the lease start date. To schedule your walkthrough, call or text the office at 217-778-8475.

Not as a standard practice. On a case-by-case basis, early move-in may be possible for an additional fee, but only if the home is vacant, ready for move-in, and the prior tenant has already left. It always requires additional rent. Call the office at 217-778-8475 to ask about your situation, but plan around your lease start date.

Yes. Your home is professionally cleaned and delivered in clean condition before you move in. If anything does not meet that standard at your move-in walkthrough, note it on the inspection sheet and tell us right away at 217-778-8475.

For most properties, you need to set up: Ameren Illinois for gas and electric (have service in your name by your lease start date), Illinois American Water at 1-800-422-2782, the Urbana Champaign Sanitary District (UCSD) at 217-367-3409 for sewer, a trash service, and internet. A few larger multi-family buildings include water and trash because they do not have separate meters, so check with us about your property at 217-778-8475. Set everything up before your lease start date so nothing is interrupted.

Yes, renter's insurance is required so that you and your belongings are protected. There is no minimum coverage amount, but Champaign Urbana Property Management, Inc. must be listed as an interested party on the policy. Most insurers can add this at no cost. If you have questions, call the office at 217-778-8475.

Here is the checklist: transfer electric and gas service with Ameren, transfer water with Illinois American Water, set up sewer with UCSD, arrange trash service and internet, get renter's insurance with Champaign Urbana Property Management, Inc. listed as an interested party, forward your mail with USPS, update your driver's license and vehicle registration, and complete your move-in inspection with us. Questions about any of these? Call or text 217-778-8475.

Notice to vacate must be given in writing at least 30 days in advance. Deliver your written notice to our office at 1806 Woodfield Drive, Suite 125, Savoy, IL 61874, or call 217-778-8475 to confirm the best way to submit it. Even if your lease has a fixed end date, please tell us your plans in writing so we know whether you are staying or leaving.

Yes, please give us 30 days written notice even when your lease has a fixed end date. Be aware that about 3 months before your lease ends, we begin marketing your home and may start showing it to prospective tenants. If you want to stay, just tell us before we sign a lease with a new tenant. Call 217-778-8475 with questions about your renewal.

Your home should be returned in the same clean condition as when you moved in. It was professionally cleaned before your move-in, so that is the standard. We provide a move-out cleaning checklist to guide you; ask the office at 217-778-8475 for a copy. Cleaning costs beyond normal use can be deducted from your security deposit, so a thorough cleaning protects your deposit.

Normal wear and tear is the ordinary aging of a home from everyday living, and you are never charged for it. It also scales with time. For example, if you moved into a freshly painted home and it needs repainting after just one year, that goes beyond normal wear and could be charged. If you lived there five years, needing paint is expected normal wear, and you would not be charged. Damage, excessive dirt, and missing items are different from wear and tear and can be deducted.

Return all keys to reception at our office, 1806 Woodfield Drive, Suite 125, Savoy, IL 61874, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Your move-out is not complete until keys are returned. If keys are not returned, you will be charged the full cost of having a locksmith rekey the locks.

Yes, we inspect the home after you vacate and compare its condition to your move-in inspection sheet. You are welcome to be present, and we encourage it. Being there lets you see anything of concern firsthand. Call 217-778-8475 to schedule a time that works for you.

The timeline starts when you return the property to us, including your keys. If there are no deductions, your full deposit is returned within 45 days. If there are deductions, Illinois law requires us to send you an itemized statement of deductions within 30 days, and the remaining balance within 45 days. Make sure we have your forwarding address so nothing is delayed. Questions? Call 217-778-8475.

Deductions can include unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and cleaning costs needed to return the home to the clean condition you received it in. Normal wear and tear is never deducted. If deductions are made, you receive an itemized statement explaining each one. If damages exceed the deposit, the balance is owed. Your move-in inspection sheet protects you here, since anything noted on it cannot be charged to you.

Give us your forwarding address in writing before or when you move out. You can include it with your written notice to vacate or hand it to reception at 1806 Woodfield Drive, Suite 125, Savoy, IL 61874. Your security deposit and any required notices are mailed there. If we do not have a forwarding address, we send them to your last known address, which can delay your refund.

There is no standard early termination option. Every situation is handled case by case, so contact the office at 217-778-8475 as early as possible to discuss your circumstances. Leaving without an agreement does not end your responsibility for rent under the lease, so always talk to us first.

Yes. Illinois law (765 ILCS 705/16) gives service members the right to terminate a lease if they enter military service for more than 29 consecutive days after signing, or receive orders for a permanent change of station or a deployment of 90 days or more. To use this right, provide us with written notice and a copy of your military orders. Termination generally takes effect 30 days after the next rent due date following your notice. Contact the office at 217-778-8475 and we will walk you through the process. This is a summary, not legal advice; the statute controls.

Not without our prior written consent. Your lease prohibits subletting, assigning, or transferring the lease, in whole or in part, without written approval, and that includes short-term rentals like Airbnb. If your situation is changing, call the office at 217-778-8475 and we will talk through your options.

If you remain in the home past your lease end date without a new agreement, you may be treated as a holdover tenant, and rent increases by 10 percent per month under your lease. If we agree together to convert to a month-to-month arrangement, rent also increases by 10 percent at the new rental value. The better path is to talk to us before your lease ends. Call 217-778-8475 to discuss renewal.

Contact us. Tenants who want to renew should reach out to the office at 217-778-8475, and the earlier the better. About 3 months before your lease ends, we begin marketing your home and may show it to prospective tenants, so if you want to stay, tell us before we sign a lease with someone else.

Rent may be adjusted at renewal to reflect changes in property taxes, insurance, and operating costs. Any change is stated in your renewal lease before you sign, so you will always know the new amount in advance. To discuss your renewal, call the office at 217-778-8475.

We highly discourage month-to-month arrangements and they are very rare. When one is agreed to, rent increases by 10 percent under the terms of the lease. Staying past your lease end date without any agreement makes you a holdover tenant, also with a 10 percent rent increase. A standard renewal is almost always the better option. Call 217-778-8475 to talk it through.

Yes, with our approval. Every competent adult living in the home must be on the lease, and that requires each of them to submit an application through Zillow. Only one tenant needs to meet the income and credit qualifications, but everyone must apply. This does not apply to children or to an adult who is a dependent receiving care from you; call us at 217-778-8475 about those situations. Never move someone in without approval. A guest becomes an unauthorized occupant after 14 consecutive days or 30 days in any 6-month period.

Yes, as long as a fully qualified tenant remains on the lease. Contact the office at 217-778-8475 to arrange it. Until the change is made in writing, everyone on the lease remains fully responsible for the entire rent under joint and several liability.

Pet policies are set property by property and owner by owner, so check the listing for the home you are interested in. All pets require our prior written consent and a non-refundable pet deposit, and approved pets are listed on the lease. Dangerous animals cannot be approved. Unauthorized animals must be removed immediately upon notice. To ask about pets at a specific property, call 217-778-8475.

Service animals and assistance animals are not pets, and the pet policy does not apply to them. They are permitted as required by fair housing law, and no pet deposit or pet fee is charged for them. Contact the office at 217-778-8475 to let us know about your animal and provide any documentation the law allows us to request.

Guests are welcome, but a guest who stays more than 14 consecutive days, or more than 30 days total in any 6-month period, is considered a resident and must be approved and added to the lease. Unauthorized occupants must either be removed or added to the lease with our approval. If someone needs to stay longer, call us at 217-778-8475 before the limit is reached.

Not without prior written consent. Your lease prohibits alterations, additions, or improvements without approval, including painting, installing fixtures, satellite dishes or antennas, and landscaping changes. If you have an idea for your home, call 217-778-8475 and ask first. We are often able to work something out.

The home is for residential use only, and no business or commercial activity may be conducted there without our prior written consent. Ordinary remote work from a home office is not a problem. If your work involves customers visiting, inventory, signage, or anything beyond a desk and a laptop, call 217-778-8475 and ask first.

Every tenant receives a copy of their lease, and you can always access it through the resident portal at https://resident.stessa.com/. If you have trouble finding it in the portal, call or text the office at 217-778-8475 and we will help.

For most CUPM properties, tenants set up and pay for: electric and gas (Ameren Illinois), water (Illinois American Water), sewer (Urbana Champaign Sanitary District), trash service, and internet. A few larger multi-family buildings include water and trash because they do not have separate meters. Your lease states what applies to your home, and you can always confirm by calling 217-778-8475.

Ameren Illinois provides both gas and electric service. Contact Ameren to move service into your name no later than the first day of your lease, online at ameren.com or by phone. If you smell gas at any time, leave the home immediately and call Ameren before doing anything else.

Illinois American Water provides water service for most of our properties. Call 1-800-422-2782 or apply online with their Domestic Water Service Application, on or before the first day of your lease. A $10 activation fee applies to new accounts. Have ready: your exact service address, your lease start date, a note that you are renting, and identification. A few multi-family buildings include water; check your lease or call 217-778-8475.

Yes, tenants are responsible for Urbana Champaign Sanitary District (UCSD) fees under the lease, except at buildings where water is included. UCSD charges for wastewater treatment, and the cities of Champaign and Urbana each add a sewer use fee for sewer maintenance. Set up your account with UCSD at 217-367-3409, or visit u-csd.com. Their office is at 1100 E University Avenue, Urbana.

Trash service is the tenant's responsibility at most properties. We have had good service from Chris's Trash Service at 217-684-2465, which offers weekly pickup with quarterly billing. Other options include Republic Services and GFL. Put trash out the night before your pickup day. A few larger buildings include trash; check your lease or call 217-778-8475.

If you live in Urbana, the City of Urbana provides recycling; call 217-384-2302 for details. In Champaign and Savoy, ask your trash hauler about adding recycling service. Urbana residents can also get yard waste pickup from April through November through Chris's Trash Service using paper refuse bags.

The two main options are i3 Broadband, a fiber provider at i3broadband.com, and Comcast/Xfinity at xfinity.com, which offers cable internet and TV packages. Availability varies by address, so we suggest comparing costs and speeds for the services you need at your specific home.

Yes, help is available. Ameren Illinois offers budget billing, which spreads your costs evenly across the year so winter bills are predictable; ask Ameren to enroll. Income-qualified households may also be eligible for LIHEAP, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which is handled locally through the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission. Contact Ameren or the Regional Planning Commission directly to apply. Remember that keeping utilities on is required during your lease, so reach out for help early if you are struggling with bills.

You may park only operable, currently registered passenger vehicles, and only in the designated driveway or approved parking areas. Parking on lawns or other non-designated areas is prohibited, and that applies to your guests too. RVs, trailers, boats, watercraft, oversized commercial vehicles, and inoperable or unregistered vehicles are not allowed without prior written consent. Guest vehicles may not stay long-term to get around these rules. Questions about parking at your property? Call 217-778-8475.

Your lease requires that you not interfere with the quiet enjoyment of others or create a nuisance, including excessive noise, and city noise ordinances also apply. There are no set quiet hours in the lease; the standard is being a reasonable neighbor at all times. If a neighbor's noise is a persistent problem, contact the office at 217-778-8475. For serious disturbances in progress, call the police non-emergency line: Champaign 217-351-4545 or Urbana 217-384-2320.

No. All CUPM homes are smoke-free and vape-free. Smoking or vaping of any kind is prohibited inside the dwelling. Smoke damage and odor removal go beyond normal wear and tear and can be charged to you. If you smoke outdoors, dispose of materials safely and never near the building.

At single-family homes, tenants are responsible for promptly removing snow and ice from walkways, driveways, and entrances, in line with local ordinances. If hazardous conditions are not addressed, we may arrange removal without notice and charge you the cost. At multi-unit buildings, we take care of snow removal. Not sure which applies to you? Check your lease or call 217-778-8475.

At single-family homes, tenants handle routine lawn care: mowing, trimming, weeding, and keeping bushes and shrubs from overgrowing, consistent with neighborhood standards and local code. If the yard is not maintained after written notice, we may do the work and charge you the actual cost. At multi-unit buildings, we handle lawn care. Check your lease or call 217-778-8475 if unsure.

Yes, but grills must be at least 12 feet from any structure at all times, including when stored. Do not store a grill next to the house or garage even when you are not using it; a grill that was recently hot is a fire risk. Never grill on a balcony or under an overhang.

If you set up a pool or trampoline, you are responsible for returning the yard to the condition it was in when you rented the home, or you will be charged the cost of restoring it. Pools and trampolines commonly kill the grass beneath them, so plan for that. Also check with your renter's insurance, since these items can affect your coverage.

Contact a locksmith. CUPM does not provide lockout service, so the locksmith cost is yours. Important: your lease does not allow locks to be changed or rekeyed without our prior written consent, so if the locksmith needs to rekey rather than just open the door, contact us first at 217-778-8475 and provide us a working key afterward.

Contact a locksmith at your own cost. If the lock needs to be rekeyed, you must get our written consent first and give us a working key or access method immediately afterward; call 217-778-8475. If your key was stolen along with anything identifying your address, tell us right away so we can talk through securing the home.

Not without prior written consent. This includes satellite dishes, antennas, fixtures, and landscaping changes. Call the office at 217-778-8475 before making any change to the exterior of your home.

Call or text Champaign Urbana Property Management at 217-778-8475, or email info@cupm.net. Our office is at 1806 Woodfield Drive, Suite 125, Savoy, IL 61874, and reception is open Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Our website is cupm.net. For anything urgent, text is the fastest way to reach us.

Reception is open Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, to accept rent payments, keys, and paperwork. Our brokers, leasing agents, and management are often out at meetings or properties and do not keep regular office hours, so if you need to meet with someone specific, book an appointment in advance by calling 217-778-8475.

Text us at 217-778-8475, any time. Text is strongly preferred over voicemail because we see texts much faster, even during meetings. For gas smells, smoke, or carbon monoxide, leave the home first and call Ameren or the fire department before texting us. For fire, crime in progress, or medical emergencies, always call 911 first.

Here is the quick guide. Routine maintenance: submit a request at https://resident.stessa.com/. Maintenance emergencies: text 217-778-8475 first, then submit a portal request. Gas smell or carbon monoxide: leave the home, call Ameren, then text us. Fire or crime in progress: call 911. Rent, lease, or general questions: call 217-778-8475 or email info@cupm.net. Utility outages: call your utility provider directly.

For any emergency, fire, or crime in progress, call 911. Non-emergency police lines: Champaign 217-351-4545, Urbana 217-384-2320. If your home was broken into, call the police first, then tell us at 217-778-8475 so we can address any damage or security concerns. Report utility outages directly to your provider, such as Ameren.

Yes, by appointment. Our brokers, leasing agents, and management are frequently out at properties and meetings, so appointments should be booked in advance. Call 217-778-8475 to schedule a time.

All available CUPM rentals are listed on our website, cupm.net, and on Zillow. Those are the only two places we list. Most properties also have virtual tours and video so you can get a good look before scheduling a showing. If you have questions about a listing, call 217-778-8475.

Showings are booked through Zillow only. Follow the link from the listing on our website, cupm.net, or find the property on Zillow and request a tour there. All showings are agent-accompanied; we never do self-guided tours. If anyone offers you a self-guided tour of one of our homes or asks you to get keys from a lockbox on your own, it is a scam.

Our properties are listed only on cupm.net and Zillow, and Zillow is the only place to apply or book a tour. We never advertise or take applications on Facebook, Instagram, Craigslist, or anywhere else. Scammers copy our listings, advertise them at half the real rent, and collect deposits from victims who have no lease with anyone. If you paid someone outside Zillow, we have no record of you and cannot recover your money. Before paying anyone anything, verify the listing by calling us at 217-778-8475. Warning signs: a price well below market, pressure to pay quickly, payment by wire, gift card, or cash app, and any contact outside Zillow or our office.

CUPM never charges an application fee. You pay only Zillow's own screening fee when you apply through Zillow, and Zillow lets you reuse that same application for multiple properties for a period of time, so you are not paying again for each home. Any "application fee" requested outside Zillow is a scam.

Applications are generally processed within 24 hours once complete. The application includes a background check, credit check, and income and employment verification, and all of those must be verified before we can offer a lease. If you have not heard back within 48 hours, reach out to us through Zillow. Messaging through Zillow keeps your message, application, showing schedule, and property all together in one place.

Yes, we can hold a home for a future move-in date, but it requires an additional fee, negotiated case by case. Call the office at 217-778-8475 to discuss the property and your timeline.

Rents are set by the property owner, not by CUPM. The price on the listing is the price. If a property has been updated or the market changes, the owner may adjust the listing, but we do not negotiate rent on individual applications.

Yes. We accept all forms of legal payment and do not discriminate based on source of income, consistent with Illinois law. Income from any lawful source counts toward the income qualification when you apply. If you have questions about applying with a voucher or other assistance, call 217-778-8475.

Keep your heat set at 60 degrees or above at all times during winter, even when you are away. In extreme cold, open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warm air reaches the pipes, and let faucets drip slightly overnight. Disconnect garden hoses from outdoor spigots in the fall. If you will be away from home for an extended period in winter, let us know at 217-778-8475 before you leave. A frozen or burst pipe caused by turning the heat off can make you responsible for the damage.

Report outages directly to Ameren Illinois at 1-800-755-5000. Neighborhood-wide outages are Ameren's to fix, not ours. If the power is out only at your home while neighbors have power, check your breaker panel first, then text us at 217-778-8475. In winter, remember that no heat in cold weather is an emergency, so keep us informed if an outage lasts.

Central Illinois gets strong thunderstorms, high winds, hail, and tornadoes. Know your safe place before you need it: a basement if your home has one, or otherwise the lowest floor in an interior room or hallway away from windows, such as a bathroom or closet. During a tornado warning, go there immediately and stay until the warning ends. After the storm, report any damage to your home to us at 217-778-8475, and report utility outages directly to your provider.

Yes. Put in a fresh furnace filter before heating season and keep changing it at least monthly; a clogged filter is the leading cause of furnace failure in winter. Keep your heat at 60 degrees or above at all times, disconnect garden hoses, and know where your water shut-off valve is in case a pipe breaks. If your furnace is not keeping up, text us at 217-778-8475; no heat when it is below 60 degrees outside is an emergency.

The cities are seamlessly joined but have separate governments and services. A few differences matter for tenants. Recycling: Urbana provides city recycling at 217-384-2302; in Champaign and Savoy, arrange it through your trash hauler. Sewer: Champaign and Urbana each charge their own sewer use fee alongside the UCSD wastewater fee. Police non-emergency lines: Champaign 217-351-4545, Urbana 217-384-2320. Urbana also has its own landlord-tenant ordinance that applies to properties in Urbana; your lease already reflects it. If you are unsure which city your home is in, call us at 217-778-8475.

Champaign-Urbana, often called C-U, is a university community in East Central Illinois, about three hours from both Chicago and St. Louis. The MTD bus system serves the whole area, with fare-free rides for University of Illinois students, faculty, and staff. Amtrak runs daily to Chicago and Carbondale, and Willard Airport offers connecting flights. Hospitals include Carle Foundation Hospital and OSF Heart of Mary, with urgent care at Christie Clinic Convenient Care. For local events and information, see Experience Champaign Urbana at experiencecu.org. New tenants receive our full move-in guide with grocery, library, and local recommendations.