Renter mailed MO but we never got it

[PrairieSong]

One of our renters was hospitalized for emergency surgery in April. She had complications and was off work about three weeks. Her husband also took off work to care for the children and they have been working on getting caught up.

 

Yesterday we received a MO (how she always pays) with a note saying "here is your second half of June's rent". She said she had mailed the other half June 1st but we never received it. I texted her, and she said she has receipts for both.

 

I told her she can get her money back from wherever she got the money order, but I'm wondering...what if she tells me that the money order WAS cashed??? How can I prove it wasn't?

 

Or...what if the order was delivered to the wrong address, and someone else cashed it? I'm not sure what to do. I guess I will wait and see what she says, whether she can get the money back.

 

I would really prefer checks, because then you have a bank record, both on the paying and receiving end. However, they don't even have checks. I would assume they have a checking account and just use a debit card, but I don't know.

 

If you were a landlord, would you prefer your tenants to pay by check?

Edited June 11, 2012 by PrairieSong
typo

[anoncalhan]

If it was made out to you and someone else cashed it and they used a different name than the one on the money order the sender can file a dispute with whatever institute cashed it. That institute is responsible for replacing that money. I am guessing that if they did sign your name they can still investigate it to determine it wasn't you. Good Luck

[jewellsmommy]

One of our renters was hospitalized for emergency surgery in April. She had complications and was off work about three weeks. Her husband also took off work to care for the children and they have been working on getting caught up.

 

Yesterday we received a MO (how she always pays) with a note saying "here is your second half of June's rent". She said she had mailed the other half June 1st but we never received it. I texted her, and she said she has receipts for both.

 

I told her she can get her money back from wherever she got the money order, but I'm wondering...what if she tells me that the money order WAS cashed??? How can I prove it wasn't?

 

Or...what if the order was delivered to the wrong address, and someone else cashed it? I'm not sure what to do. I guess I will wait and see what she says, whether she can get the money back.

 

I would really prefer checks, because then you have a bank record, both on the paying and receiving end. However, they don't even have checks. I would assume they have a checking account and just use a debit card, but I don't know.

 

If you were a landlord, would you prefer your tenants to pay by check?

 

 

IF it was cashed, then there will need to be an investigation of some sort. Whoever would have cashed it would have had to impersonate you. I would think that lost in the mail would be the more likely scenario. :grouphug:

[PrairieSong]

Yes, I think lost in the mail is more likely. I texted her that she should be able to get her money back from the money order but she did not answer yet.

 

A friend of mine, who also has rental property, says they always pick up rent.

[bbmom]

I think I might perhaps suggest that in the future she pay the couple of dollars for delivery confirmation so that nothing like this happens again.

[godsaggie]

When my husband and I lived in a rental, we always paid by money order. That way we never had a returned check for any reason. However, our landlord lived across the road and we always hand delivered it.

[PrairieSong]

I only live about ten minutes away and I am in her area often for groceries, etc. I told her I could pick it up in the future but she said it was no problem to mail it. Well...no problem if it GETS here. Sigh. I'm praying it will somehow show up.

[Samiam]

As a renter, I've paid rent by money order. It comes with a receipt, that I always save for several months. They are "trackable." It's the point, and security, of using a money order. It provides verifiable proof. And they are harder to cash by someone who it was not intended for. Since Money Orders are often used by scammers, banks and stores that cash them are pretty hard core about I.D. required by the person cashing it.

 

I'd be a playing a little more hardball myself, if I was the owner. I'd ask for a copy of the receipt. I'd tell the renter they need to start a tracking/investigation, or be prepared to pay the balance of June's rent by a certain date. I'd also see if you can track it, once you have a copy of the receipt. I wouldn't be "waiting and seeing".

[Melissa in Australia]

Wow, People still use cheques?

[Kirch]

Wow, People still use cheques?

 

Rent is one of the few things we still use checks for.

[Candid]

To directly answer your question, you don't need to prove anything. She needs to prove you got the check and cashed it.

 

All checks, which money orders are, are required to have photo images made of them as they go through the banking system. She needs to report it lost/stolen to wherever she bought it and work through the system to get her money back. Or get a copy of the check that shows you did cash it.

[PrairieSong]

To directly answer your question, you don't need to prove anything. She needs to prove you got the check and cashed it.

 

All checks, which money orders are, are required to have photo images made of them as they go through the banking system. She needs to report it lost/stolen to wherever she bought it and work through the system to get her money back. Or get a copy of the check that shows you did cash it.

 

Yes, but she says it will cost her $30 that she doesn't have right now. I looked it up, and if she has the receipt (she does always save them, she says) it will cost $15. I think she will want ME to pay that.

[PrairieSong]

It's unfortunate it happened. The most she can expect is if you are kind enough to wait for her to go through the process to get the money, but I don't think she can expect you to pay the fee for that.

 

Wendy, that's what I think, too. I'm willing to wait during the process. The thing is, she says she doesn't have the money right now to pay for it!! So I'm not sure what to do. Sigh. I know money has been very tight while they try to catch up on paying their bills, due to her recent illness.

[Melissa B]

As renters ourselves, we also make direct payments into the landlord's bank account. That way nothing ever gets lost and nothing is ever late.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I'd call her bluff. I'd tell her that you checked and it will only be $15.00 and you'd be happy to pay that to track down what happened to the MO, if she will kindly give you the receipt. If they really did pay it, then it would be worth the $15.00, IMO, to find out what happened to it.

 

If they didn't actually pay it, then you need to make another decision.

[Harriet Vane]

I'd call her bluff. I'd tell her that you checked and it will only be $15.00 and you'd be happy to pay that to track down what happened to the MO, if she will kindly give you the receipt. If they really did pay it, then it would be worth the $15.00, IMO, to find out what happened to it.

 

If they didn't actually pay it, then you need to make another decision.

 

:iagree:

[Donna A.]

Is this characteristic of your renter to be late with rent, or to make excuses? If not, then give her the benefit of the doubt and work with her (in whatever way you choose) to find that money.

 

As a renter who tries VERY, very hard to be a GOOD renter and ALWAYS pay our rent our time.... being quite aware of the late fee (do you charge a late fee?) and other consequences.... I would be extremely offended if something unusual like this happened and I was accused of lying or just trying to get out of something. Especially given an extended illness that's not part of our normal life and way of doing things.

 

I might point out the fact that I know the fee to trace the MO is only $15, but I would also ask where she got the $30 figure. Could be she's thinking double the amount because of the fact that she paid rent in two installments this month.

 

If she typically has trouble paying rent on time (or other issues that indicate untrustworthiness), then I'd be less flexible.

[QueenCat]

Yes, but she says it will cost her $30 that she doesn't have right now. I looked it up, and if she has the receipt (she does always save them, she says) it will cost $15. I think she will want ME to pay that.

 

Ummm. no.... it is her responsibility to get the rent money to you. Make that clear. I'd make it clear that it is past due now, and she needs to make resolving it a priority in her life. As in before the July is due!

[QueenCat]

Does she normally pay rent in two installments? That seems rather odd. When we rented, the entire amount was always due on the 1st of the month. Late fees started after the fifth day, and went up again after the fifteenth. There were no exceptions. You are kind to grant leniency due to illness, but you need to make it clear that this is business, not personal. You aren't in the rental business to give away housing, which costs you to maintain, etc.

[Parrothead]

Wow, People still use cheques?

I have to use checks for rent, utilities, and the vehicle payments. (I just looked on the statement for one of them. No place to put CC info.) Those are paid with a bill pay check from the bank so I'm not personally writing them.

 

I also have to pay with a check for all of dd's outside lessons.

 

Lots of people don't have CCs and there are still a few places that don't accept CCs. Local to me would be the health food store and the local farmer's market.

[spaceman]

I'd call her bluff. I'd tell her that you checked and it will only be $15.00 and you'd be happy to pay that to track down what happened to the MO, if she will kindly give you the receipt. If they really did pay it, then it would be worth the $15.00, IMO, to find out what happened to it.

 

If they didn't actually pay it, then you need to make another decision.

 

:iagree:

 

I would show compassion and do what you could to help resolve it, in particular because it seems their lives are already upside down right now.

 

That's assuming they are generally responsible tenants.

[JudoMom]

Yes, but she says it will cost her $30 that she doesn't have right now. I looked it up, and if she has the receipt (she does always save them, she says) it will cost $15. I think she will want ME to pay that.

 

Is she a reliable tenant? Does she usually pay on time? Do you think she's being honest? If the answer to these is yes, then I'd pay the $15 to track the order, even though it is her responsibility. If not, I would tell her that you didn't get it and she needs to find out what happened to it. Either way, I'd tell her that you'll be picking the rent up from now on.

[Parrothead]

Ummm. no.... it is her responsibility to get the rent money to you. Make that clear. I'd make it clear that it is past due now, and she needs to make resolving it a priority in her life. As in before the July is due!

Yes, it is the renter's responsibility but things happen. Two months ago I waited and waited for my landlord to cash the check. I finally called her 18 days after she was supposed to receive it. Nope, she hadn't gotten it. So I started the process to track down the check and 30 minutes later she called back and said that her husband had put the check in an unusual place.

 

So do I get all offended and demand better practices at their end because this is a business after all or do I realize that life happens for people every single day and extend some grace?

[Donna A.]

I have to use checks for rent, utilities, and the vehicle payments. (I just looked on the statement for one of them. No place to put CC info.) Those are paid with a bill pay check from the bank so I'm not personally writing them.

 

I also have to pay with a check for all of dd's outside lessons.

 

Lots of people don't have CCs and there are still a few places that don't accept CCs. Local to me would be the health food store and the local farmer's market.

 

:iagree: A mail service store near us won't even accept personal checks, let alone debit or credit cards. Cash only.

 

I still use checks for quite a few things. I do pay some things online or with debit card, but I like paying with check, too, because it doubles as a receipt rather than making the payee have to write out a receipt. Dd's piano teacher is always in a hurry, with numerous students back to back, so it's a time issue there. At my girls' dance studio where we attend during daytime hours, there's seldom anyone around TO write out a receipt for us if I paid with cash. (Studio staff usually comes in late afternoon for the evening crowd.)

 

Our rental agency allows us to pay online OR with personal check or money order, but checks and money orders would have to be hand delivered, not mailed.

 

Does she normally pay rent in two installments? That seems rather odd. When we rented, the entire amount was always due on the 1st of the month.

Our rental agency allows us to pay in two installments IF we set it up that way to begin with, and there's a small fee attached to it. But we can't habitually pay the entire rent on the 1st, and then one month all of a sudden decide to pay only half with the promise of more to come. That would be considered "late", and the late fee is hefty.

[QueenCat]

Yes, it is the renter's responsibility but things happen. Two months ago I waited and waited for my landlord to cash the check. I finally called her 18 days after she was supposed to receive it. Nope, she hadn't gotten it. So I started the process to track down the check and 30 minutes later she called back and said that her husband had put the check in an unusual place.

 

So do I get all offended and demand better practices at their end because this is a business after all or do I realize that life happens for people every single day and extend some grace?

 

Tone is often hard to convey... I didn't mean to for her to be mean & ugly. Simply that the renter needs to take responsibility for looking into the matter, now that the renter is aware there is an issue. It should not be the landlord's responsibility to track it down. It sounds like the op has already extended much grace.

[Donna A.]

Tone is often hard to convey... I didn't mean to for her to be mean & ugly. Simply that the renter needs to take responsibility for looking into the matter, now that the renter is aware there is an issue. It should not be the landlord's responsibility to track it down. It sounds like the op has already extended much grace.

 

I do agree with this, and if I was the renter in this case, I'd be freaking out and trying to figure out what happened to my MO! Unkindness from the landlord/owner would not be helpful, though.

Edited June 11, 2012 by Donna A.
Editing to remove my comments about landlords who assume everything is the renter's fault.

[PrairieSong]

I do agree with this, and if I was the renter in this case, I'd be freaking out and trying to figure out what happened to my MO! Unkindness from the landlord/owner would not be helpful, though.

 

No, unkindness would not be helpful at all and I've tried hard to avoid that. I just want to know what happened to the other half of their June rent.

 

They have only rented from us since the 1st of April and she got sick in April. They originally wanted to pay rent weekly. I know that sounds odd, but their plan was to pay 1/4 every Friday, AHEAD of time. So, in June they'd be paying July's rent and by July 1st it would all be paid. I'd never had anyone request this, but since the rent would not be late I agreed to it.

 

BUT...yeah, their lives got all turned upside down by an unexpected emergency surgery and then complications that put her back in the hospital. So I'm trying to be as understanding as I can. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

Last year we had a very reliable renter who was late with her rent. She always mails it before the 1st. By the 2nd or 3rd, dh called her. She HAD mailed it, and we believed her because she was so dependable. She stopped payment on that check and wrote us a new check. The original one showed up THREE WEEKS later in the mail. We live 10 minutes apart and mail almost always shows up the next day. Stuff just happens sometimes.

[Donna A.]

Ohhhh.... So you don't really have a history with this renter *yet*.

 

And I wasn't saying YOU were being unkind, Patty. I get the impression that you're being very gracious with her. :) My comments about unkindness were directed at those who seemed to imply (intentionally or unintentionally) that you should automatically assume the renter is lying and act accordingly.

 

I would, however, watch for clues that she's lying and perhaps using her illness as an excuse not to pay. If money's really SO tight that she can't afford the $30 (or even $15) to track down the missing MO (which may in fact be true), then she may be trying to get out of a partial rent payment, too. Give her the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.... but stay alert and be firm, too. ;)

 

Did she pay a security deposit before moving in?

[Night Elf]

I would, however, watch for clues that she's lying and perhaps using her illness as an excuse not to pay. If money's really SO tight that she can't afford the $30 (or even $15) to track down the missing MO (which may in fact be true), then she may be trying to get out of a partial rent payment, too. Give her the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.... but stay alert and be firm, too. ;)

 

:iagree: I wouldn't want to jump to conclusions, but I'm a bit surprised that there doesn't seem to be a better plan for finding the first half of that rent. She says she doesn't have the money and I really, really, really, do understand that can be a legitimate problem. But how long are you supposed to sit and wait? I think it's perfectly reasonable to tell her you need to receive the check by a certain date and if you don't have it, it's her responsibiliity to track it down. It's simply not your responsibilility unless she can prove you were the one that cashed that MO.

 

I'm assuming your contract has something about late payments. You just need to tell her you understand she has problems and you're trying to work with her but you can only do so much. That receipt belongs to her and the company would expect her to find out what's going on, not someone else.

[mytwomonkeys]

i would ask for delivery confirmation from now on with MO or personal paypal only.

[PrairieSong]

Ohhhh.... So you don't really have a history with this renter *yet*.

 

And I wasn't saying YOU were being unkind, Patty. I get the impression that you're being very gracious with her. :) My comments about unkindness were directed at those who seemed to imply (intentionally or unintentionally) that you should automatically assume the renter is lying and act accordingly.

 

I would, however, watch for clues that she's lying and perhaps using her illness as an excuse not to pay. If money's really SO tight that she can't afford the $30 (or even $15) to track down the missing MO (which may in fact be true), then she may be trying to get out of a partial rent payment, too. Give her the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.... but stay alert and be firm, too. ;)

 

Did she pay a security deposit before moving in?

 

No, it's fine. I know you weren't really accusing me of being unkind. I was just emphasizing to everyone reading that I was trying to be fair and kind.

 

I don't want to automatically jump to conclusions, but I do want the rest of the rent! We have a mortgage and other bills to pay. We just paid to have their AC fixed, and we had someone out there the next day to do it. I try to stay on top of repairs, etc.

 

I agree is her responsibility to find the missing money, too. Sigh. I need to call her soon and have a talk.

[Candid]

No, unkindness would not be helpful at all and I've tried hard to avoid that. I just want to know what happened to the other half of their June rent.

 

They have only rented from us since the 1st of April and she got sick in April. They originally wanted to pay rent weekly. I know that sounds odd, but their plan was to pay 1/4 every Friday, AHEAD of time. So, in June they'd be paying July's rent and by July 1st it would all be paid. I'd never had anyone request this, but since the rent would not be late I agreed to it.

 

BUT...yeah, their lives got all turned upside down by an unexpected emergency surgery and then complications that put her back in the hospital. So I'm trying to be as understanding as I can. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

Last year we had a very reliable renter who was late with her rent. She always mails it before the 1st. By the 2nd or 3rd, dh called her. She HAD mailed it, and we believed her because she was so dependable. She stopped payment on that check and wrote us a new check. The original one showed up THREE WEEKS later in the mail. We live 10 minutes apart and mail almost always shows up the next day. Stuff just happens sometimes.

 

I think you are being more than gracious, but I would not pay the fee. To do so is to make it your problem if she turns out to be someone who is always struck by various crises.

 

Gently explain that she is responsible for getting the money to you and that if she does not she is in arrears. Tell her you understand she is in a bad state, but that even a $30 fee is pretty low to make sure she still has a roof over her head. A lot of landlords would tell her tough cookies you have to get me the money by my deadline even if the money order folks will eventually give you a refund. You are being way generous especially given that all the track record you have is bad.

 

If you must, point out you have obligations on this piece of property, too. And if she doesn't meet her end you can't meet yours.

[PrairieSong]

Well, I called her. She is worried about the missing money as am I. She said she called the company and they confirmed that the money order has not been cashed. To get a refund, she needs to fill out a request and send in $15.00. It takes about 30 days to process. I did not offer to pay the $15.00.

 

She got it at a local grocery store's customer service center, and mailed it from there immediately, she says. Who knows what could have happened?

 

Dh and I told her we will wait three more days to see if it shows up.

[coffeefreak]

Yes, but she says it will cost her $30 that she doesn't have right now. I looked it up, and if she has the receipt (she does always save them, she says) it will cost $15. I think she will want ME to pay that.

 

Ummm. no.... it is her responsibility to get the rent money to you. Make that clear. I'd make it clear that it is past due now, and she needs to make resolving it a priority in her life. As in before the July is due!

 

Does she normally pay rent in two installments? That seems rather odd. When we rented, the entire amount was always due on the 1st of the month. Late fees started after the fifth day, and went up again after the fifteenth. There were no exceptions. You are kind to grant leniency due to illness, but you need to make it clear that this is business, not personal. You aren't in the rental business to give away housing, which costs you to maintain, etc.

 

Well, I called her. She is worried about the missing money as am I. She said she called the company and they confirmed that the money order has not been cashed. To get a refund, she needs to fill out a request and send in $15.00. It takes about 30 days to process. I did not offer to pay the $15.00.

 

She got it at a local grocery store's customer service center, and mailed it from there immediately, she says. Who knows what could have happened?

 

Dh and I told her we will wait three more days to see if it shows up.

 

You have been more than patient. I personally do not mail the money to my landlords. I ALWAYS drop off the check in person and get a receipt. I have always rented from rental companies and they give no lee way. You pay it all in one lump sum by check or money order, and it's there by the 3rd of the month or it's late, no excuses. It is much cheaper to drop it off than to hassle with a stamp, and I have never had any problems like this. A Renter who wants to make payment arrangements, and won't let you pick the check/MO up from her it makes me suspicious. Also, she probably doesn't have a checking account. I know a lot of people who have fallen on hard times and had to drop their bank accounts because they kept overdrawing them. It's a shame, but she'd still be in the same mess with a checking account. I had a lady lose one of my checks, and the bank wanted to charge me $30 to stop payment on it. I just wrote her another one and watched my register for a year. It was cheaper and easier to file a fraud charge if the check ever cleared than to pay to stop payment.:glare:

 

If she won't drop off the MO so she can get a receipt, than I would tell her if something like this happens again, she'll have to come up with the money immediately. The utility companies wouldn't work with her like you have, and you've been more than generous.

 

Blessings!

Dorinda

[TranquilMind]

You have been more than patient. I personally do not mail the money to my landlords. I ALWAYS drop off the check in person and get a receipt. I have always rented from rental companies and they give no lee way. You pay it all in one lump sum by check or money order, and it's there by the 3rd of the month or it's late, no excuses. It is much cheaper to drop it off than to hassle with a stamp, and I have never had any problems like this. A Renter who wants to make payment arrangements, and won't let you pick the check/MO up from her it makes me suspicious. Also, she probably doesn't have a checking account. I know a lot of people who have fallen on hard times and had to drop their bank accounts because they kept overdrawing them. It's a shame, but she'd still be in the same mess with a checking account. I had a lady lose one of my checks, and the bank wanted to charge me $30 to stop payment on it. I just wrote her another one and watched my register for a year. It was cheaper and easier to file a fraud charge if the check ever cleared than to pay to stop payment.:glare:

 

If she won't drop off the MO so she can get a receipt, than I would tell her if something like this happens again, she'll have to come up with the money immediately. The utility companies wouldn't work with her like you have, and you've been more than generous.

 

Blessings!

Dorinda

I just saw this thread. Did you ever get the money?

 

My bet is that she didn't have it in the first place, and was stringing you along, especially with no history with this tenant. Once a tenant gets behind, it is very, very hard for them to catch up.

 

There is no obligation on your part; the tenant is entirely responsible for getting the full rent into your possession and I would have required immediate payment that very day. The tenant cannot unilaterally "borrow" from me. Tenant can borrow from his own relatives. No pay, no stay. My tenants would get a phone call first, and then an eviction would be filed if tenant did not pay in full. It's only happened once in 11 years, and yep, tenant was dodging me. I filed, he negotiated and got out, even cleaning the place. It's a business and you have to treat it that way. The gas company doesn't wait, Mastercard doesn't wait and the loan company won't wait. Neither can you.