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Not that it should matter, but I live in Missouri and my lease is 5 months: Dec. 20-May 20. When I first moved in I went ahead and paid off Dec 20-Feb 20 which got a nice "thanks!!" e-mail from my LL.
This is my VERY FIRST place that I've gotten on my own, so I'm trying to do the best that I can to make sure I get a great reference once I start looking for a studio apartment once my lease ends. Right now I think it's going quite well. We're regularly in communication and any time that something has gone wrong or I've had a question, she's been politely on top of it.
At any rate, I'm wondering what my next move should be. My LL asked me to go ahead and leave her a check for $120 to pay off Feb 20-March 1, since the rest of the tenants in the house are on a 1st of the month system. I told her that wouldn't be a problem because fortunately, it won't be.
In order to make the best impression, what do you guys think my next move should be?
a: mail her the $120 now that's due Feb 1st, and continue to pay my rent a week or two in advance.
b: Mail her $450, or a month of rent and utilities, and just go ahead and finish my lease that way since she's still getting paid in advance.
c: (what I want to do to just get it out of the way)--send her a check for $1350, effectively paying off my 5 month lease.
Thoughts? As much as I want to go ahead an pay it off, I worry that it'll look like I used a settlement check or financial aid or whatever to pay it off. What do you think will look BEST and most responsible?
Haha, sorry if it seems that way, but you're probably right. Growing up, the longest my parents ever went without getting evicted was 10 months, and prior to that it was 6 months. When you've lived in over 43 houses by the time you're 12, you start thinking about how you want to do things when you grow up, lol. Now, I'm just really gung-ho about making sure my bills are paid on time. Since I have the cash to pretty much do whatever I'd like here, I wasn't sure if one route would look better than the other. The LLs on this board definitely have some strong opinions on things, after all. :P
I'm with manderly6. Knowing what your lease says and abiding by its terms (including just paying the rent on time) is all that's necessary to ensure a good future reference. The majority of LL's, like everyone else, prefer the rents simply be paid on time to keep their own accounts in order. That way they know that on such a such a date, so much income is guaranteed to be in their account and they arrange their own payments to others accordingly (which is why your LL asked your rent date be adjusted to conform to that of the other tenants). Good that you learned from the mistakes of your parents!
Last edited by STT Resident; 01-19-2012 at 11:55 AM..
I agree with the above posters. Do what your landlord said and get your payment schedule synced up with the other tenants. It'll cause the least work for your landlord.
Paying several months' rent ahead is a nice gesture, but could actually lead to more work on the landlord's part--now she has to keep track of your irregular payment schedule, etc. Just keep it simple for her.
To the O.P. I think you should take that extra money that you have sitting around and attempt to invest it to earn some interest on it! Put it in a CD if you can. Figure out ways to make that money useful. If you have extra cash, invest in stocks, or put it into a 401K. Money given to your landlord is an opportunity lost to earn interest on it.
I agree with above posters too, the LL probably just wants to be paid on time. Also, give yourself a fall back in case the landlord decides to NOT fix something that you need. If you give them the money you have nothing holding them back from not caring. Not to say they would, just you never know.
As a landlord, I can say that my favorite tenants (rent-wise at least) are the ones who pay their rent in the 5 days prior to when it is due, with the address it is to be applied to written somewhere on the check, made out properly to the right name, and for the right amount.
That way, there is no question what it is to be used for, and my records are clean and easy. I will take a lump sum from a tenant if they choose to pay that way, but that actually does make my recordkeeping a bit more difficult (not a lot, just a little).
I would not choose option b on your list. I hate having tenants not on the same schedule. We have everyone due on the 1st, and prorate the first month to make them all be that way.
So I would go with a, since it is what she asked for, and it is the easiest for a landlord, but c would also be acceptable if you really want to do it.
I think you are putting way too much emphasis on trying to make yourself look good to your LL. Just pay monthly and on time.
As a full time landlord I agree just pay on time. I do not like being paid in advance to hard to evict someone that is paid in advance.
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Right now I think it's going quite well. We're regularly in communication and any time that something has gone wrong or I've had a question, she's been politely on top of it. 
