All Forum Posts by: Yvette M.

 In my lease I offer four payment options: mail to Postal Annex box, ATM cards (no one has opted for that yet), online & hand delivery. For hand delivery tenants can go to the Postal Annex store and ask that the envelope be placed in my box. 

@Bryan N.

Po box is fine, but I believe you need a brick address when you can accept service of documents

Try landlordlocks.com

Anything else to add to my screening questions?

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What interested you about the property?

Why are you moving?

Tentative move-in date?

Monthly income?

Do you have first month’s rent and security deposit?

How many people will be living in the apartment?

References from previous landlords?

Any adverse notices from landlord? Late payments?

References from employer?

Consent to credit check?

Evictions?

Eviction filings?

Have you ever sued your landlord?

Pets?

Questions?

I use RentPost to keep track of my tenants.  Through the company they have a third-party network partner, Forte, that processes ACH payments. As far as I know, you can't "force" tenants to pay on-line. Check your state laws for types of payments you can accept.  There are other companies that provide payment services: cozy, erentpayment, etc and you can pay the fee $3-ish, tenant pays fee or you split the fee with tenant.

My bank offers deposit-only ATM cards that I can give tenants, but I would only do this for tenants who have a positive rent payment trail.  I have new tenants (limited English speaking family) who prefer to pay cash.   I don't mind cash for this particular family and it gives me a chance to spy while I'm at the building, but I will eventually try to transition them to the ATM card.

I have a box at Postal Annex; it was closer than the UPS store.  They give you a real street address and will accept packages and deliveries that require signatures.

I also have a google voice number and gmail account. You can put the google voice app on your Droid/iphone and you can text, receive/make phone calls. I'm in the approval process to accept ACH payments. I had to set up a business bank account and DBA, but that should eliminate folks mailing payments. The majority of my tenants are 30-ish so they will like the on-line convenience. Giving your personal phone will allow tenants to stalk your facebook because facebook pulls the contact info from the phone and suggests friends.

I also have concerns about the stalker-serial killer-tenant.  It's all fun and games until you begin to evict someone.

@Joe Splitrock

Process server. She didn't answer the door and he taped it to her door and took a picture. Mailed her a copy and posted proof of service to me.

Her famous words are "I didn't get it"

@Joe Splitrock

Bottom line -- again. 

I have not been paid.

PM and I do not have a contract.

She was served another PQ. So by time I file, she will have had about 12 days to pay.

If the issue gets to court it's about non-payment and nothing else. 

Pass. You are not their relocation specialist.

SFH?