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Four Spanish-language guides on what Wisconsin renters need to know. Print and share freely.

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Fía · fia.rent

Heat, water and electricity in your rental: what they must tell you, and when they can shut it off

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Utilities are the part of a lease people read least and pay most for. Wisconsin has written rules about what a landlord must tell you before you sign — those we explain below, with the rule numbers. On shutoffs, we are not going to tell you what your utility can or cannot do: that is something you ask, and here we tell you exactly who to ask and what to ask them.

They have to tell you before you sign

Wisconsin rule ATCP 134.04(3) says that if water, heat or electricity are NOT included in the rent, the landlord must disclose that to you before entering into the rental agreement and before accepting any earnest money or security deposit. Before you hand over money, not after. If nobody told you, and you found out the next month that heat was on you, that rule was broken. Ask it plainly before signing: which utilities are included in the rent, and which do I pay?

If the building has one meter, you're entitled to know how the bill is split

This is the half that gets skipped. The same rule says that if the individual units and common areas are NOT separately metered, and the charges aren't included in the rent, the landlord must also disclose the basis on which utility charges are allocated among the units. "You pay a share" isn't enough — they have to tell you the basis: by square footage, by number of occupants, split evenly, whatever it is. If a bill arrives and nobody ever explained the formula, you can ask for it.

The heat has to be capable of 67 °F

Rule ATCP 134.04(2)(b)2. treats defective heat as something a landlord must disclose to you before renting: if the heating facilities aren't in safe operating condition, or aren't capable of maintaining at least 67 °F (19 °C) in all living areas during all seasons the unit may be occupied, that has to be disclosed up front. The rule even says how to measure — center of the room, midway between floor and ceiling. Read what it actually is: a duty to disclose a defect the landlord knows about or could find on a reasonable inspection. If the heat can't keep up and nobody told you, that's worth reporting.

If the account is in the landlord's name and they don't pay

This happens more than you would think in single-meter buildings: service is in the owner's name, the owner stops paying, and the shutoff notice reaches families who paid their rent in full. What we can tell you is that Wisconsin's rules do address this situation and that tenant protections exist — there are specific rules about owner-name accounts in multi-unit buildings, and about debts left behind by a previous occupant. What we cannot tell you is how it will go in your case. Call the utility and ask directly: the account is not in my name and I am current on rent — what protections do I have as a tenant? Can I open service in my own name? Can I be charged for a previous tenant's debt? If the answer does not sound right, call the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin at 1-800-225-7729 — they regulate the utilities, they handle consumer complaints, and it is free.

There are special winter rules — but ask about them, do not assume them

Wisconsin has special rules about utility disconnection during the cold-weather season, roughly November 1 to April 15, and there are protections that depend on household income and on whether an older adult, a person with a disability, or a young child lives there. Here is where we have to be straight with you: we are not going to summarize those rules for you, because summarizing them badly could cost you your heat. The rules for electric service and for natural gas sit in different chapters, and the code itself allows individual utilities to be held to requirements that differ from the published ones. So even reading the general rule does not tell you with certainty what applies to you. What we do know: the protections exist, and you get them by asking. Call your utility BEFORE a shutoff notice arrives and ask: what cold-weather protections exist and do I qualify? Can you put me on a deferred payment agreement? What happens if I am waiting on energy assistance? If you do not get a clear answer, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (1-800-225-7729) handles consumer complaints at no cost. And never stop paying on the assumption that you are protected.

Energy assistance exists, and many people who qualify never apply

The program is WHEAP (Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program) — a once-a-year benefit toward heating and electricity, with separate crisis assistance if you're facing a shutoff. The season normally runs October 1 to May 15, and households up to roughly 60% of Wisconsin's state median income generally qualify, tested on the prior month's income annualized — so a bad month can qualify you even if the year wouldn't. Important: these figures are set federally and change every year. Don't rely on this page to decide whether you qualify; call and ask. This help isn't a loan and isn't paid back.

How to confirm all of this yourself — this is the most important part of this page

Do not take our word for it, and do not take the word of whoever told you what the law says. Learn who to ask and what to ask. Energy assistance: energybenefit.wi.gov or 1-800-506-5596; in Milwaukee County, UMOS at 414-389-6000 or Community Advocates at 414-270-4653 (keepwarmmke.org). Ask: do I qualify based on last month's income? What documents do I bring? Is there crisis help if I already have a shutoff notice? Can you help if the account is in my landlord's name? Your electric or gas utility: the number is on your bill. Ask: what cold-weather protections exist and do I qualify? Can you put me on a deferred payment agreement? What happens if I am waiting on energy assistance? If you do not get a straight answer: the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, 1-800-225-7729, regulates the utilities and takes consumer complaints for free. And to read the lease rules with your own eyes: they are published free at docs.legis.wisconsin.gov — search "ATCP 134.04" for the utility and lease disclosure rules. It is short, and walking into a conversation with the rule number written down changes it completely.

If you need real help, not a web page

This guide tells you what to ask; it does not replace a lawyer. If you already have an eviction notice, a scheduled shutoff, or a landlord who won't fix the heat, look for free legal help in Wisconsin — Legal Action of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Judicare serve low-income residents at no cost. Showing up with the rule number and your dates written down gets you helped faster.

One more thing about the month you pay

A month where you kept rent and utilities current — with help or without it — is a month you met your obligation. At Fía we're building Fía Crédito so that on-time rent counts toward your credit history, with no Social Security number required. To be clear about where we are: enrollment is open, but we are not yet reporting to the credit bureaus. We're finishing certification with Experian and reporting begins when that clears. We'd rather tell you here than have you find out later.

How to verify what this guide says

The rules cited here are public and free. You can read them yourself at docs.legis.wisconsin.gov by searching the rule number. This guide is general information about Wisconsin law as of the date shown — it is not legal advice about your situation.

Fía · fia.rent

What can a landlord charge you to apply for a rental in Wisconsin?

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Wisconsin law caps it: a landlord can charge you what the credit report actually cost them, up to $25 — and can't charge you at all if you hand them a recent one yourself. Almost nobody knows either half of that.

What the law says

Wisconsin Statute § 704.085(1)(a) lets a landlord charge you their actual cost, up to $25, to pull a consumer credit report from a nationwide credit reporting agency. Read that carefully: it's a reimbursement with a ceiling, not a flat $25 fee. If the report cost them $12, that's what they may charge. They also have to tell you about the charge before they pull the report, and give you a copy of it.

The one extra charge the law allows

There's a second charge in the statute, and it applies to fewer people than you'd think: § 704.085(2) lets a landlord charge their actual cost, up to $25, for a background check — but only on an applicant who isn't a Wisconsin resident. Same conditions: notice before, and a copy after. If you live in Wisconsin, that one doesn't apply to you.

The "application fee" isn't really a thing here

If you're charged anything else — an "application fee", a "processing" charge, money to "hold" the unit — Wisconsin law doesn't care what it's called. Rule ATCP 134.02(3) defines an earnest money deposit as any payment, "however denominated or described", given to have your application considered; the only carve-out is the credit report charge. And earnest money has a rule attached: if your application is rejected, the full amount goes back to you by the end of the next business day. It isn't a fee they keep. It's your money.

You get a copy — that part isn't optional

Both charges come with the same string attached: the landlord has to notify you of the charge before requesting the report, and give you a copy of what comes back. If you paid for a report and never saw it, you're owed it. (Written permission is a different question — federal law requires signed authorization for employment screening, not for renting. A landlord can pull your report because you applied, which is what makes it lawful.)

If you're denied because of the report, they have to tell you

When a decision to deny you rests even partly on a consumer report, federal law (the FCRA) requires notice. That notice has to name the agency that supplied the report, and you have the right to a free copy from that agency and to dispute anything inaccurate. Errors on reports are more common than people expect, and they can be fixed.

If you already have a recent report, you don't pay again

This is the part almost nobody uses. Under § 704.085(1)(b), a landlord may not charge you for a credit report if — before they request one — you give them a report from a nationwide credit reporting agency that's less than 30 days old. Two conditions do the work: it has to be an actual report you hand over (saying you were screened last week isn't enough), and you have to provide it before they pull their own. Bring it up front, and that charge is off the table.

What to check on any application

Posting a unit on Fía is free for landlords. And whatever platform you apply through, these are the three things worth questioning: being charged more than the report cost them, a Wisconsin resident being charged for an out-of-state background check, or being charged after you already handed over a report less than 30 days old. And if you're rejected, any money that didn't go to the credit report has to come back to you.

How to verify what this guide says

The rules cited here are public and free. You can read them yourself at docs.legis.wisconsin.gov by searching the rule number. This guide is general information about Wisconsin law as of the date shown — it is not legal advice about your situation.

Fía · fia.rent

How to build credit without a Social Security number

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You don't need a Social Security number to build credit in the U.S. With an ITIN — or even just your name, date of birth, and address to report your rent — there are real paths. Here they are, no fine print.

Can you build credit without an SSN?

Yes. A credit score doesn't depend on your immigration status or on having an SSN; it depends on having accounts that report your payments to the bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion). Many of those accounts can be opened with an ITIN, and some — like reporting your rent — don't even need an ITIN.

What an ITIN is, and why it helps

The ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is issued by the IRS for people who pay taxes but don't have an SSN. It works as an identifier at many banks and lenders to open credit-building products. Getting an ITIN is free with the IRS (Form W-7); be wary of anyone charging hundreds to “process” it.

Path 1: a secured credit card

A secured card works like any card, but you put down a deposit (say $200) that becomes your limit. You use a little each month, pay it in full, and the bank reports that good history to the bureaus. Several banks and credit unions open them with an ITIN. Look for one with no annual fee, that reports to all three bureaus, and that refunds your deposit when you graduate to a regular card.

Path 2: a credit-builder loan

It's a loan in reverse: the money is held in an account, you make small monthly payments, and at the end you get the money — plus a payment history reported to the bureaus. Many community credit unions offer them with an ITIN and small amounts. It's a disciplined way to build history if you'd rather not use a card.

Path 3: make your rent count (no SSN)

This is the one almost nobody uses. Rent is the biggest payment you make each month and normally doesn't count toward your credit — unless someone reports it. With a rent-reporting service, your on-time payment history is reported to the bureaus. And here's the key for your situation: rent can be reported using your name, date of birth, and address — no SSN required. Fía Crédito is built for exactly this, in Spanish (enrollment is free during the pilot).

Path 4: become an authorized user

If a trusted family member has a card with good history, they can add you as an “authorized user.” That account's good history starts showing on your report, even if you never use the card. You don't need an SSN to be added. Only do this with someone who pays on time — if that account goes late, it hurts you too.

Watch out for scams

No one can “erase” real debts or “guarantee” a fast score boost, and in the U.S. it's illegal to charge you up front to repair your credit. If someone promises that — or says you need a new “credit number” (CPN) — walk away: CPNs are fraud and can create legal trouble for you. Real credit is built with time and on-time payments, not shortcuts.

How to start

Start by knowing what you have: pull your free report at annualcreditreport.com. Then pick one path and be consistent — a secured card or reporting your rent are the easiest to start without an SSN. Always pay on time, use only a little of your limit, and give it months. Credit is built with consistency, not overnight.

How to verify what this guide says

The rules cited here are public and free. You can read them yourself at docs.legis.wisconsin.gov by searching the rule number. This guide is general information about Wisconsin law as of the date shown — it is not legal advice about your situation.

Fía · fia.rent

How to open a secured credit card with an ITIN

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A secured card is one of the easiest ways to start building credit, and many open with an ITIN. You put down a deposit, use the card carefully, and the bank reports your good history. Here's how to do it right.

What a secured card is

It works like any credit card, but first you put down a deposit — say $200 — that becomes your limit. That deposit protects the bank, so it's easier to get approved even with no history. You get it back when you close the card or graduate to a regular one.

Can I open one with an ITIN?

Yes. Several banks — and especially credit unions — open secured cards with an ITIN instead of an SSN. Community credit unions that serve immigrants are often the best place to start; ask directly whether they accept an ITIN for a secured card.

What to look for (and avoid)

Look for a card that: reports to all three bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion), has no annual fee, refunds your deposit, and offers to “graduate” you to a regular card over time. Avoid cards that charge lots of up-front fees (“fee harvesters”) or that don't report to the bureaus — those don't build your credit.

How to use it to build credit

The secret is boring on purpose: make one or two small purchases a month, and pay the balance in full before the due date. Use little of your limit (under 30%). You do NOT need to carry a balance or pay interest to build credit — that's a myth. A few months of this and your score starts to climb.

When you get your deposit back

You get your deposit back when you close the card in good standing, or when the bank “graduates” you to a no-deposit card for good behavior (many do so within 6–12 months). That's why it pays to choose one that offers that graduation from the start.

Other options without a Social Security number

A secured card isn't the only path. You can also build credit with a credit-builder loan, or by reporting your rent — which needs no SSN, just your name, date of birth, and address. Pairing a secured card with rent reporting gives you two accounts working for you from the start.

How to verify what this guide says

The rules cited here are public and free. You can read them yourself at docs.legis.wisconsin.gov by searching the rule number. This guide is general information about Wisconsin law as of the date shown — it is not legal advice about your situation.