Pillsbury Court Tenant Handbook

Eligibility

The University's Board of Regents, in establishing the Pillsbury Court complex, envisioned that these townhouses would best serve the faculty as a temporary home until a permanent residence is found. Faculty/staff members who have resided in the Twin Cities area for more than 18 months are not eligible to rent townhouses in Pillsbury Court.

Leases for Pillsbury Court are generally limited to a period of two years. Requests for extensions beyond two years will require the approval of Housing & Residential Life. All lease extensions are discretionary and will depend on the merit of a specific request, as well as demand factors (e.g. Pillsbury Court waiting list). Pillsbury Court tenants requesting lease extensions should submit their requests in writing at least 60 days in advance of the expiration date of their lease and provide reasons why they need to stay past their current lease expiration date.

Occupancy Limit

Pillsbury court townhouses are limited to no more than 2 adults and 3 children.

Paying Rent

Pillsbury Court tenants will receive monthly invoices via email from [email protected].

Rent is due on the first day of each month. Pillsbury Court tenants are responsible for sending their monthly rent payments to:

Regents of the University of Minnesota
NW 5960
PO Box 1450
Minneapolis, MN 55485-5960

Make checks payable to "University of Minnesota" and add the customer number to the memo line of the check. If possible, for optimal check deposit efficiency, print the invoice receipt, cut off the bottom portion, and send it in the envelope with the check. 

Pillsbury Court tenants also have the option of paying rent online via credit card. 

The University reserves the right to adjust the rental rate during the term of a lease upon 60 days prior written notice to the tenant.

Late Payment

Pillsbury Court tenants whose payments are received late or whose checks are returned by their banks will be assessed a fee of $50. Any tenant with an outstanding account balance equal to or greater than two months of rent will be subject to eviction proceedings.

Unit Layout & Map

The townhouse features three floors of living space. Located on the first floor are a kitchen, dining area, and a comfortable living room that opens onto a fenced patio through a sliding glass door. Two bedrooms and a bathroom are located on the second floor. A family room and utility room are located at the basement level. The basement level contains no second means of egress; therefore, it may not be used as a sleeping area.

Pillsbury Court Unit Layout

Map

Procedure to Vacate

The online 60 Days Notice to Vacate form must be filed with Housing & Residential Life at least 60 days prior to the tenant's intended date of leaving. This requirement applies regardless of whether a tenant intends to move out before the lease expires or at the end of the lease term. An improper checkout fee of $50 will be charged to any tenant that fails to comply with these vacating procedures.

Submit 60 Days Notice to Vacate

A reasonable amount of wear and tear is expected in the townhouse and a damage fee will not be charged to the vacating tenant for reasonable wear and tear. The amount of acceptable wear and tear will vary depending on the length of time the apartment is occupied. However, tenants will be responsible for any breakage, damage, or excessive cleaning needed.

Damage and breakage will be determined by comparing the existing condition to the condition stated in the original check-in sheet. Required repairs would include but not be limited to: replacing broken window glass, missing light bulbs, and missing or broken appliance parts and repairing marks and holes and other damage to walls, floors, ceiling, or fixtures. Other possible expenses might include lost parking permit tags, damaged locks, lost keys or replacement of locks necessitated by the tenant’s negligence, or failure to return keys upon check-out.

Departing tenants are expected to thoroughly clean all walls, floors, woodwork, and appliances. There will be a cleaning charge if this work is not done by the tenants prior to vacating the townhouse. Please do not wax the floors; the University prefers to do this.

When vacating the townhouse, you will need to contact the Housing Properties Coordinator (612-624-1969) to arrange a time and date for your final move-out inspection. At the time of the move-out inspection, your townhouse should be clear of furniture and personal belongings. You will turn in your townhouse keys after the inspection.

If you have questions about proper vacating procedures, do not hesitate to contact Housing & Residential Life at 612-625-2121. Be sure to change your postal address, and terminate your utility arrangements with Xcel Energy, CenterPoint Energy, and Comcast Cable or CenturyLink (telephone) effective the day you vacate. Transfer the gas and electricity service back into the name of “U of M Housing & Residential Life.

Bicycles

There is one bike shelter located on the Pillsbury Court property. There are only a few spaces available in the shelter, so they will be designated on a first come first serve basis with a small $25 annual fee. If you are interested in the bike shelter, please contact Housing & Residential Life.

Tenants without a space in the shelter are encouraged to store their bicycles inside their townhouse for security reasons. Bicycles should not be secured to any Pillsbury Court fences or benches, light posts, trees or playground equipment.

Insurance

The University does not assume any liability for loss, damage, or theft of any personal property belonging to tenants or their guests. Pillsbury Court tenants are encouraged to protect themselves from such losses by obtaining the appropriate insurance coverage.

Lockouts

Every resident is issued a “lockout key” for their unit in addition to the two everyday use unit keys. The lockout key should be kept in a safe place or with a safe person and should only be used if you are locked out of your unit.

Residents are responsible for storing and accessing their lockout key. If you are unable to access your lockout key, please call the number on the emergency call down list. If you contact a staff member to assist you with accessing your unit at any time, you will be charged a $200 lockout fee.

Contact one of the following people:

• Weekends and holidays: 612-490-5227
• All other times: Scott Creer ( 612-490-5591 )  OR  Tim Hoaglund ( 612-490-5084 )

Parking

Tenants are permitted to have one vehicle per unit in the Pillsbury Court parking lot. All tenants must register their vehicles with Housing & Residential Life at check-in. Registered vehicles will receive one washer, which should be installed on the front license plate. 

Register My Vehicle

Tenants should email the Housing Properties Coordinator if an unregistered car is parked in the parking lot and it does not have a unit number displayed on the windshield. Please make sure to include a photo of the unregistered car's license plate. Vehicles that are not registered and without a washer at Pillsbury Court may be ticketed or towed at the owner's expense.

Guest Parking

Pillsbury Court guests should park in guest parking spots or on the street. There are four guest parking spaces available at Pillsbury Court located on the street sides of each parking lot that can be used outside of normal business hours only (evenings and weekends). All guest vehicles need to be registered and have the unit number clearly displayed on the dashboard while parked in the Pillsbury Court parking lot. 

Register My Guest Vehicle

On-street parking is also available, but please place close attention to City of Minneapolis Street Parking information and laws.

Parking Lot Maintenance (Snow Plowing, Painting, etc.)

We will provide residents 24 - 48 hours notice to move their vehicle out of the Pillsbury Court parking lots. If a vehicle is not moved by the requested time, the resident will be charged a $100 administrative fee and the vehicle may be ticketed or towed.

Repairs & Maintenance

Heating and Cooling

The Pillsbury Court apartments are single zone. This means that there is one thermostat in the apartment that controls all the heating and cooling needs. If the bedrooms are too cold/hot, the vents can be closed on the main level. Closing the vents on the main level will allow the heating/cooling to reach the upstairs. A resident should try different combinations of open/closed vents before submitting a Fix It request for hot/cold bedrooms.

In the master bedroom (the larger one) there is only 1 supply vent and 1 return vent on the floor. The vent near the window is the return vent. We suggest closing this vent to increase air supply in that room.

Maintenance

Residents should complete a Fix It request. Please do not submit Fix It requests for personal decorations or modifications to the apartments, like hanging shelving or photos. Fix It requests are reserved for repairs to appliances or the apartment.

Watch a video on How to Change the Furnace Filter

Cable Television

Cable television service is available in every Pillsbury Court townhouse. The cable television service provider is Comcast/Xfinity. Satellite dish installation causes damage to the property and for this reason, satellite television is not allowed. If there are issues with the cable service in your apartment please contact the service provider.

Hanging Pictures/Shelves

Using nails to hang pictures on brick walls and cinderblock is prohibited. Please use small finishing nails to hang pictures on other surfaces. Plastic adhesive hooks may be used on all wall types. Installing wall shelves is prohibited. Tenants may not paint or hang wallpaper in any part of their townhouse.

Holiday Decorations

Live Christmas trees, swags, wreaths, and other highly flammable materials are prohibited inside the townhouse due to fire hazard.

Light Bulbs

Housing & Residential Life encourages tenants to use energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs equivalent to or no greater than 60 watts. Replacing light bulbs can be done by individual tenant. If you need assistance with this process, please submit a standard work order through the online Fix It repair system.  

Patios

Tenants should exercise consideration for their neighbors and the visual attractiveness of the property to possible tenants. The appearance of Pillsbury Court should reflect positively on the University and neighborhood community and be attractive to tenants and visitors.

Tenants are responsible for keeping their patio as presentable as possible. Tenants should clear their patio of debris and garbage regularly. Tenants who do not maintain the condition of their patio, (free of dirty/broken furniture, garbage/debris, etc.) will be given 48 hours to remedy the situation. If a tenant does not keep the patio clean and debris-free, the University will clean the patio and remove broken and unsightly items at the tenant’s expense.

Open fires are not permitted on the site except for charcoal or gas grills. Pillsbury Court has a ground sprinkler system that is active during appropriate seasons. Tenants and their children should be careful not to damage the sprinkler system by stepping on sprinkler heads.

Upholstered furniture should not be placed on patios. This type of furniture creates a fire hazard and also serves as a nesting place for mice and other rodents. Outdoor patio furniture may be placed on patios so long as it does not obstruct the exit path from a townhouse.

Residents may have a few potted plants in their patio areas. These plants may be garden plants. All pots and plants must be well maintained and placed only in the areas furthest away from the buildings. Plants that are causing a nuisance of insects or animals, are not well maintained, or are stored in something other than a plant container will be removed.

Garbage and Recycling Program

Large dumpsters for garbage and recycling are located at the edge of the parking areas near the center of the Pillsbury Court complex.

All garbage (not recycling) should be placed in the appropriate container using plastic or paper bags.

Recycled items should be co-mingled and may include paper, mail, envelopes, flattened cardboard, cans, glass containers, and plastic bottles. Do not place these items in Plastic Bags.

Do not leave furniture or appliances by the dumpsters upon vacating your townhouse. A furniture removal charge of $200 per piece of furniture will be assessed to any tenant that leaves furniture in the townhouse at check-out or improperly disposes of used furniture.

Snow Plowing and Shoveling Policy

The central areas of the Pillsbury Court parking lots are plowed whenever a snowfall results in a snow accumulation of 2-3 inches or more on parking lot surfaces. Snow will also be removed from sidewalks and walkways by University staff. Each tenant is responsible for removing snow from their patio and keeping the unit's front steps clear of snow and ice. From time to time during the winter season, Housing & Residential Life will require tenants to move their vehicles out of the parking lots so the lots can be more effectively cleared of snow. Housing & Residential Life will provide tenants with as much advance notice as possible before requiring that they move their vehicles out of the parking lots. In most cases, the advance notice will be 24-48 hours. Vehicles that have not been moved out of the Pillsbury Court parking lots at the time of the scheduled plowing may be towed at the owner's expense.

Housing & Residential Life urges tenants that travel frequently or leave Pillsbury Court for periods of time during the snow season to leave their vehicle keys with another tenant or park their vehicles in a garage on campus. Tenants should arrange to have their vehicles moved out of the Pillsbury Court parking lots at times when Housing & Residential Life notifies tenants of the need to clear the lots of vehicles for a major snow plowing/removal event. If planning to be away from Pillsbury Court for an extended period of time, please inform Housing & Residential Life at 612-625-2121 and leave appropriate contact information. This information is helpful in case of an emergency and beneficial to Pillsbury Court security.

 Personal Security Cameras

The University is allowing the use of personal security cameras at Pillsbury Court, within the following parameters: 

• During installation, you must not damage or alter the unit (including the door) in any way. We recommend cameras that can be propped up in your kitchen window. Screws are not allowed. 
• Audio recording is not allowed, because it violates state law.
• Cameras must not record the personal spaces of other residents, for example: cameras can not be pointed into other resident windows or into their patio spaces.

Pets

No dogs, cats, or other animals may be kept in the townhouses, except for the following:

1. Service animals
2. Medically required support animals that are registered with University’s Office of Disabilities Services
3. Fish in aquariums of ten (10) gallons or less

You must comply with University policies and procedures that apply to animals in the townhouses. You are responsible for the cost of repairs for any damage to the townhouse caused by your animals.

Prohibited Items

Weapons

You may not possess guns, ammunition, or any other weapons, (including, but not limited to knives, darts, BB/pellet guns, paintball guns, and swords or switchblades) anywhere on University property. Guns may be stored at the University Police Department. Because of their potential to cause damage, paint guns are also prohibited.

Explosives

Explosive devices are not allowed in University housing or surrounding grounds. Possessing or using fireworks (firecrackers, smoke bombs, sparklers, etc.), or any explosive material will constitute a safety or fire hazard. Motorized vehicles (e.g., mopeds, motorcycles, etc.) may not be brought through or stored within the townhouse.

Rental Verification

Housing & Residential Life is unable to provide detailed account information on current or past residents to third party organizations. The following information is the only information that will be provided to a third party with the resident’s permission:

• Dates the resident lived at Pillsbury Court
• The current rental rate

The Pillsbury Court resident may contact Housing & Residential Life and formally request their account history. Housing & Residential Life will then provide a detailed account history to the resident directly, and the resident may choose to share this information.

Subleasing

There is absolutely no subleasing of any kind allowed at Pillsbury Court. This includes temporary stays and short-term stay websites like HomeAway or Airbnb.