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Old 10-07-2009, 12:59 AM
jco
 
Location: Austin
2,121 posts, read 6,435,637 times
Reputation: 1444

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My tenants pay cash. You get a receipt; that's perfectly legal.
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Old 10-07-2009, 06:29 AM
 
4,399 posts, read 10,629,452 times
Reputation: 2383
Quote:
Originally Posted by Banx View Post
I signed a lease for 6 months, but I'm paying entirely in cash (that counts as illegal right?), and I get receipts for it. Basically, when I first saw the place, I said I have the money for deposit and first month rent and I got the key right there. No background checks or nothing. Well my lease is up at the end of October and I haven't paid rent for September or October yet. I'm thinking about skipping the bill. Before you call me a cheap skate and a criminal, my actions are justified as I lost my $1700 laptop (that I saved up for with my hard earned money) due to an idiot tennant who they let live in the apartment above me (he was an ex-gangbanger who got his eyeball shot out). Well this guy accidently flooded my apartment by sticking a rag in the sink and leaving the water running in the bathroom till it came on down to my place and flooded the place ruining my laptop and some clothes. The landlord did nothing, except give me a check for $300 to compensate, and said he would not help in pursuing getting my money back. I still have no laptop, the 300 does nothing for me.

Well this my revenge so to speak. So out of curiosity, if I were to leave by the end of October with not having paid september or october, can it ruin my credit? they do have my social security number, but I am pretty sure I am paying illegally. Not to mention, the landlord would keep my deposit too. Can they do anything? What would most likely happen if I did that? Thanks alot. I'm not a criminal btw. Just an angry tennant.
Even if he hasn't reported the income to the IRS its not april yet and he hasn't filed his taxes so he's not done anything illegal. Maybe he'll have to pay a small penalty but that penalty will be less than the two months rent he can sue you for.
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Old 10-07-2009, 06:45 AM
 
Location: St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
24,665 posts, read 69,434,581 times
Reputation: 26726
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdm2008 View Post
Even if he hasn't reported the income to the IRS its not april yet and he hasn't filed his taxes so he's not done anything illegal. Maybe he'll have to pay a small penalty but that penalty will be less than the two months rent he can sue you for.
Why are you even assuming that the LL isn't declaring his rental income to the IRS. That has NOTHING to do with this post. The OP very mistakenly presumed that by accepting cash for rent the LL was therefore renting illegally (so wrong) and his whole premise is that if the LL is renting illegally then HE can just walk out owing two months rent.

It has been carefully explained to him that the damages to his property should have been taken up with the tenant who caused the damage, that if he had had renter's insurance he would have been covered for those damages and he should feel extremely grateful that the LL gave him $300 towards the damage which in no way was he obligated to do.

As has been said, it sounds as though the OP has an excellent LL who he'd nonetheless like to stiff on the rent and get away with it.

There certainly are bad LLs and there are equally bad tenants. This case seems to obviously demonstrate the latter. I hope the OP has learned something and will continue to learn.
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Old 10-07-2009, 08:02 AM
 
27,206 posts, read 46,532,718 times
Reputation: 15656
Quote:
Originally Posted by Banx View Post
I signed a lease for 6 months, but I'm paying entirely in cash (that counts as illegal right?), and I get receipts for it. Basically, when I first saw the place, I said I have the money for deposit and first month rent and I got the key right there. No background checks or nothing. Well my lease is up at the end of October and I haven't paid rent for September or October yet. I'm thinking about skipping the bill. Before you call me a cheap skate and a criminal, my actions are justified as I lost my $1700 laptop (that I saved up for with my hard earned money) due to an idiot tennant who they let live in the apartment above me (he was an ex-gangbanger who got his eyeball shot out). Well this guy accidently flooded my apartment by sticking a rag in the sink and leaving the water running in the bathroom till it came on down to my place and flooded the place ruining my laptop and some clothes. The landlord did nothing, except give me a check for $300 to compensate, and said he would not help in pursuing getting my money back. I still have no laptop, the 300 does nothing for me.

Well this my revenge so to speak. So out of curiosity, if I were to leave by the end of October with not having paid september or october, can it ruin my credit? they do have my social security number, but I am pretty sure I am paying illegally. Not to mention, the landlord would keep my deposit too. Can they do anything? What would most likely happen if I did that? Thanks alot. I'm not a criminal btw. Just an angry tennant.
I don't know the laws in all States, but I don't believe paying cash makes a lease illegal...it sounds stupid to me.

You have a lease and you part of the deal is to pay. Your LL isn't responsible for your damages and isn't the one who should solve this issue although I understand it is sad what happened to you, but getting mad at the wrong person can be hard lesson for you!

Your LL has all the right in the world to evict you and/or ruin your credit score. He can file in small claims court for damages to the apartment although you weren't at fault...but he is renting to you and you should file a claim either with your ins,. which you should have had in place and otherwise sue the upstairs tenant...

getting mad a the wrong person, isn't helping you and you should start to behave like an adult, otherwise go back and live with mommy and daddy.

Btw my tenants pay mostly by check, but also have paid cash and I have send them an email stating they have paid...the last time they told they were fine, they didn't need a receipt....sounds stupid to me but I got the full rent amount and I'm a honest person, if they do that to some one else who isn't honest they can run into issues..better be safe than sorry.
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Old 10-07-2009, 08:05 AM
 
2,482 posts, read 8,713,070 times
Reputation: 1972
I hope your credit gets ruined based solely on your mindset of that it is somehow okay to not pay rent and act like a law-abiding adult.
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Old 10-07-2009, 08:34 AM
 
4,399 posts, read 10,629,452 times
Reputation: 2383
Quote:
Originally Posted by STT Resident View Post
Why are you even assuming that the LL isn't declaring his rental income to the IRS. That has NOTHING to do with this post. The OP very mistakenly presumed that by accepting cash for rent the LL was therefore renting illegally (so wrong) and his whole premise is that if the LL is renting illegally then HE can just walk out owing two months rent.

It has been carefully explained to him that the damages to his property should have been taken up with the tenant who caused the damage, that if he had had renter's insurance he would have been covered for those damages and he should feel extremely grateful that the LL gave him $300 towards the damage which in no way was he obligated to do.

As has been said, it sounds as though the OP has an excellent LL who he'd nonetheless like to stiff on the rent and get away with it.

There certainly are bad LLs and there are equally bad tenants. This case seems to obviously demonstrate the latter. I hope the OP has learned something and will continue to learn.
I'm just saying that whether or not he's paying the IRS isn't clear and nobody knows but its not like the tenant can use this as an excuse in court to not pay rent, even if he is not paying the IRS he can just report the income in April and pay the underwitholding penalty, its not like he would go to jail even if he was not reporting this income even if he was planning on not reporting it. The OP seems to think he can kind blackmail the landlord by reporting him to the IRS, which isn't the case.
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Old 10-07-2009, 08:48 AM
 
Location: St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
24,665 posts, read 69,434,581 times
Reputation: 26726
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdm2008 View Post
I'm just saying that whether or not he's paying the IRS isn't clear and nobody knows but its not like the tenant can use this as an excuse in court to not pay rent, even if he is not paying the IRS he can just report the income in April and pay the underwitholding penalty, its not like he would go to jail even if he was not reporting this income even if he was planning on not reporting it. The OP seems to think he can kind blackmail the landlord by reporting him to the IRS, which isn't the case.
I did understand your post when first written but the OP was told right from the beginning that his LL accepting cash for rent wasn't illegal so it was rather a moot point to bring up again.

That said, I'm with SmerkyGirl if the OP doesn't do the right thing!
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Old 10-07-2009, 11:02 AM
 
Location: Wichita,Kansas
2,732 posts, read 6,746,794 times
Reputation: 1371
Like others have said,why blame the LL?
If you signed a lease,etc then it sounds like a legal contract.
You might get an eviction or sued and you dont want that...
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Old 10-07-2009, 01:28 PM
 
Location: Coral Springs, Fl
1,086 posts, read 3,348,092 times
Reputation: 613
While the incident was not your fault, the owner of the residence should not be responsible for what other tenants do to your belongings. That is why they have Renters insurance, it's like $20 a month. You should feel lucky that you got $300 from the guy, don't be a deadbeat and skip out.
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