Can rent payment be refused for... (to rent, tenant, utilities)

[AliveInLaguna]

I have lived in the same apt. complex for over 5 years. All the staff changed pretty recently. Well know large property company.

I have never had this issue until this month.

I paid my rent early ( last week of June) for July rent, along with the water, trash & sewer utility bill. We get this mailed to us from provider.

a few days later the money orders I paid with were taped to my front door and said partial rent not accepted.

I paid the full amount of rent due and additional monies for utility bill (tenant never knows exact amount as it fluctuates)

I then looked at my account online and saw the utilities for what I normally pay for the following months rent had been added into the amount so this new employee was saying they refuse my rent for that extra amount of utilities not being in what I paid.


I dropped my rent off again explaining what mistake this person made and that I had never had this issue and paid the same way every month for over 5 years. All the employee could say was he would try to find someone to ask.

My concern is now its the 3rd of July I dont see that he posted my rent in the system. He still has it.

Now maybe he will try to ask for late fees because he didnt know the answer and again refuse my rent payment after the holiday.


Can my rent payment that was paid early / on time
be refused if it doesnt have exact utilities amount?

if this new employee is adding 50 dollars more for utilities I normally would have to pay with my next months rent?

I was told by my friend in California rent paid on time cannot be refused for not having fees or utilities in it. They are not apart of my rent but paid with rent the follwing month after the invoice comes by mail


Can you tell me what the law says? Can rent paid in full early / on time be refused for a utility bill ?

Again this is the first time this has occurred they are all new in the office.

Thanks for any help on this question

[robbybee]

I found this by searching Renter's Rights California:

Tenant Rights, Laws and Protections: California

[taraox]

If it's owned by a well known company, they should have a 1-888 number (headquarters type of thing, like the number you call when you want to rent from them). I would call them, explain the situation, and ask them directly. If you've been there for 5 yrs with no issues, they'll probably try to clear it up and get in touch with the complex staff... usually they like their complexes to run smoothly and will try to resolve issues with staff (in my experience)... I guess it depends on which company it is! the person in the office might not be trained properly or something, in which case management would probably like to know (since you won't be the only one running into problems)