When I lived in an apartment we were able to pay online. We rent a house now, our landlords live next door. We have been here a couple years and have always paid by check. They are terrible at cashing them. For example for November we gave them a check November 1st. They didn't cash it until this past Friday. It drives me batty. Is this normal and im just being nit picky? I've thought about giving them cash but then I wouldn't have record of actually paying them. I don't think there were be a problem we get along well, but...just in case you know? What is your typical method of paying rent?
Post by bostonmichelle on Nov 23, 2015 9:50:09 GMT -5
We pay online. When I lived in an apartment in a 4 family we paid by check. I would just keep paying them by check, it would drive me nuts but I like having a trail just in case.
I agree it's annoying but technically don't they have like 90 days or something to cash a check?
I was an apartment manager in college and made deposits 2x a week to avoid that. Though some people hated that since they would write a check and not expect it to come out for awhile.
ETA: I meant to ditto the money order. Our bank does free cashiers checks for account holders too.
In korea, we paid with cash (until we finally were able to setup a direct deposit to our landlord).
Here, I use my bank's billpay, and the bank sends a check to my landlord. However, our landlord sucks at cashing/depositing them, too. This month it finally cleared my account around the 15th.
I send a check and they're slow to cash it which makes me crazy. At the last place I could pay by credit card which I loved, it helped get points quickly.
Post by roseflower on Nov 23, 2015 10:34:41 GMT -5
Money order could be possible. We always hand it to them in person since they are literally next door. I don't ever spend the money, just seeing it in there annoys me.
We pay on rentcafe.com. Before our building was set up on that system, I sent a check through my bank's epay and the money was out of my account as soon as the check was sent.
I tried to pay via "pay a person" with my bank, but for some reason she couldn't figure out how to accept payments that way. Boo. I hate having to mail a check every month.
Post by sarapocalypse on Nov 23, 2015 12:32:48 GMT -5
I walked our rent checks to the leasing office. We had the option to pay online but they charged a $2 conscience fee to do so. Our apartment always took about a week to deposit our check.
As a landlord, I always try to cash our tenant's check within a day or so. They live close so they'll either drop it off or sometimes we'll pick it up. I can't believe that some landlords hold checks for so long before cashing, but maybe their financial situation is a little better than mine? haha
We paid by check, but our bank will let you set that up online. It acts like a cashier's check, so it comes out of your account on the day the mail it, and then if it's not deposited within I think 90 days it goes back into your account.
Our complex used to have online pay, but they just sent a notice they aren't doing that anymore. So I guess we'll have to write them a check and take it to the office.
Seems a bit cumbersome given how many apartments they have.
I pay my DS's rent online. I think a money order (a cashier's check would do the same trick, but I think the money order is less expensive and more commonplace) would be the best way to get the money out of your account and into their hands, regardless of when they deposit it.
Post by roseflower on Nov 23, 2015 14:54:14 GMT -5
Thanks for all the ideas!! I'll look in to the bank option and see if that is available. I'll also ask if they have PayPal and if they would be willing to let us pay that way.
We had an automatic transfer set up in our online banking (non electronic bill pay, an actual fund transfer). Our landlord was a private individual, and we used the same bank, so it was easy.
Post by crashgizmo on Nov 23, 2015 20:12:21 GMT -5
I used to pay by check but the bank would mail it to them, that way I had a 2nd level of tracking since the bank kept a copy. My landlord would never cash them on time- 2-3 weeks later each time. Once in a while if I was feeling particularly ornery, I would text him and asked him if he received the check. I knew he did, but wanted to be a PITA.
Thanks for all the ideas!! I'll look in to the bank option and see if that is available. I'll also ask if they have PayPal and if they would be willing to let us pay that way.
Why don't you just pay cash and ask for a receipt?
Thanks for all the ideas!! I'll look in to the bank option and see if that is available. I'll also ask if they have PayPal and if they would be willing to let us pay that way.
Why don't you just pay cash and ask for a receipt?
Like just have them write one out? We are their only tenants, but I can ask if they would be willing to take cash and give us a receipt.
When I rented, it was always by check. My first apartment they cashed it within a reasonable amount of time. My second apartment sometimes it would take awhile, but my landlord told me that was because he only wanted to make one deposit and not everyone paid on time.
Post by dreamcrisp1 on Nov 24, 2015 21:04:35 GMT -5
I used to pay by cheque and he was terrible about cashing it. The final straw was this summer where he didn't cash June, July, or August until end of September. Wtf.
I told him I'd e-transfer from now on and he tried to resist but I insisted. So we do it that way now.