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I'm very frustrated with our new PM. We just moved into a new place on 12/1. Because of the holiday, the PM told me they'd just give me the keys the Wednesday afternoon before moving in because 12/1 was a Sunday. They said I won't be charged rent for those few days because of the holiday and I told them I wasn't moving in until 12/1 anways. I also got a deal of half a month rent for the first month. So my total for rent the first month was $691.
Fast forward to last week, I come home to an eviction notice to "Pay rent or quit" for the amount of rent.
I'm surprised, I think it must be a mistake, but it has mine and my husband's name on it. And the amount due is $691.
I call the PM and they say "you didn't pay rent" to which I reply "how could I have gotten the keys if you didn't receive the rent? I gave So-and-so the money order on 11/27, we did the walkthrough, and he handed me the keys.
So then they were like "oh that is right, we would never hand over keys without rent, we will look into this and call you back."
The next day I receive TWO MORE notices to Pay rent or quit. I send an email to the person who I paid the rent to, asking what is going on, that I paid the rent, and did they find it?
I get a response from someone else, not the person I emailed, nor the person I spoke to on the phone, telling me I needed to pay "a full month's rent and the prorated rent" and I emailed him back asking him what on earth he's talking about.
At this point I'm furious and I call and tell them to figure out what the heck is going on because this is not my fault that they obviously lost the check and now I'm getting some random person telling me things when he obviously doesn't know what he's talking about. The girl I speak to on the phone apologizes and flat out tells me to ignore that guy...
Finally Friday they admit they lost the money order, and ask me to re-issue another one. I told them I'd have to call my bank first, because if the money order was cashed, they are out of luck because once it was out of my hands there is nothing I could do for them. And if it was not cashed, any fees I'd incur because of their mistake I would take out of the payment. They said fine. I called the bank, they told me I'd have to come in to take care of it.
So I call them back and ask if they want another money order (because it's first month), or if they want me to pay it online. They said they would let me know Monday.
It's Tuesday, no response. I don't feel I should have to call and ask, but I don't want them to act as if I'm at fault and continue with eviction or something.
I'm very disapointed in the way this has been handled so far, when someone doesn't pay rent, isn't it customary to try to get in contact with the person first? Not just throw up an eviction notice? I received no email nor phone call, and obviously nobody has enough common sense to think "this person JUST moved in, we had to have received the rent money from them." I used to take care of properties for years for my mother, this is not how we went about things...
I'm just disgusted with the PM at this point... If I don't hear from them by 4 pm today I'm sending an email saying I'm disapointed at the lack of communication and their business practices. If they wanted me happy they'd offer some compensation but pretty sure that won't happen...
If I were you, I would start communicating by registered or certified mail. Some one isnt doing their job. So sorry you are going though this. I know what it is like to have a horrible landlord.
I know this is a little late in the game, but ALWAYS GET A RECEIPT. When I was renting I paid my rent in person and insisted on a receipt that was a xerox copy of my rent check with a date and signature from the person receiving it.
Predictably, one month they said I didn't pay rent. I got a pissy letter from the property management company demanding rent plus a late fee. I drove down to their office and presented them with their letter and the receipt for that month's rent. They asked me for another check. I refused. I told them "Once I hand it to you, it's your responsibility. Find it or don't, but you're not getting another one." The following day they found it. Someone had misplaced it.
.........It's Tuesday, no response. I don't feel I should have to call and ask, ........
This attitude is going to make your life as a tenant more difficult. It is your responsibility to get the rent paid on time, and if you have to make phone calls and special trips to do it, then that is what you have to do.
I'm not siding with the management company. They appear to be incompetent clowns. But if they are incompetent, then you, the tenant, will have to pick up the slack to make sure your rent is on time.
I suggest that you always go and pay in person and make them give you a receipt, with the date and the name of the person who accepted the rent from you. You need to protect yourself, so everything should be in writing from now on. Everything. You might end up in court and you will need proof. The court does not accept your word about what has happened. They want hard physical evidence.
.........................................when someone doesn't pay rent, isn't it customary to try to get in contact with the person first? Not just throw up an eviction notice? .........
Not really.
It is not management's job to act as a babysitter and remind tenants to pay their bills. Your pay or quit notice is how they remind you to pay your rent.
Personally, I call my tenants when I haven't received the rent. I call before the late fee is due to make sure that there is no problem, or that the check didn't get lost in the mail. That gives the tenant a chance to get into his car and bring me the rent before the late fee is due.
However, I do not have that many tenants to keep track of. I wouldn't be making phone calls if I had a couple of hundred tenants. A management company with several employees will have hundreds of tenants that they are trying to keep track of.
Also, if I have to call a tenant too many times to inquire about the rent, I give them their notice to vacate. I am not happy to wonder every month whether or not the rent will arrive and I have enough to do with my life that I don't really want to take the time to hand hold a tenant who can't figure out how to get their bills paid on time.
I can understand, emotionally, not wanting to help out the PM by contacting them again about what form the payment should be in, but hopefully you will cool off a little and just work with them. As someone else stated, they are clearly incompetent clowns, but hopefully you'll be the bigger person and work with them to make sure everything is squared away. I think you should just call them today to confirm how to make the payment if the original money order was not deposited.
As for whether or not they normally contact someone first, not necessarily. Some do, some don't. Depends on the quantity and quality of the landlord's tenants.
Always get a receipt at the moment you hand over the money order or cash. Not wait for the next day for someone else to give the receipt(because it might fall through the cracks). I would walk into their office today and hand them a check from your checking acct. If they don't want it and want a money order instead, then you will have your answer.
Well I did pay my rent and on time, and luckily I kept the receipt that came with the money order from the bank that shows it was made out to the company. I should have insisted on a receipt but the guy didnt have anything on him and it was day before thanksgiving. I have receipts for everything else (deposit).
I can pay rent online from now on (only first month rent they wanted money order). That's usually how I do it so there is no dispute...
*sigh* I'll call again today... I shouldn't have to chase them around!
Just get paperwork from your bank to give to the manager.
Go to your bank and see if it's been cashed. If not, ask them about a stop payment and get paperwork showing you purchased the original MO, and the cost of the stop payment, etc. Get another money order, deduct the cost of the stop payment, etc., and this time get a receipt when you hand it over to the manager.
Pain in the butt, but it's best to keep it business-like and go into the manager's office with the paperwork from the bank.
And I agree you should do all communicating via email from now on.
Sorry you got such a sucky PMC!
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