All Forum Posts by: Mike S.
Mike S. has started 14 posts and replied 416 times.
Post: Inherited tenant leaves one month in, advice?
- Rental Property Investor
- Huntsville, AL
- Posts 419
- Votes 323
Post: Replace Water Heater DIY?
- Rental Property Investor
- Huntsville, AL
- Posts 419
- Votes 323
Post: Help! Very Dirty/Burst Toilet in basement
- Rental Property Investor
- Huntsville, AL
- Posts 419
- Votes 323
Originally posted by @Jim K.:
Originally posted by @Mike S.:
There are places, I think mostly in the northeast, that had toilets in the basement solely for sewage backups. They weren't meant to even be used as toilets.
There's a tradition in Pittsburgh for a lot of the 1890-1920s city houses to have been built with a toilet and a vanity in the basement, a "Pittsburgh potty." The idea was that the steelworker husband would come home filthy from the mills and clean up down in the basement before he was allowed in the home upstairs.
But yes, a huge benefit was if there was a city sewer backup, it would enter the house through the fixture lowest to the ground. The toilet in the basement would overflow, not the rest of the house upstairs.
The source I read said that the steel worker/clean up idea was just what some people came up with to explain them. The real reason was the overflow since piping systems were poor at the time. Sometimes even being made out of organic materials. Easier to clean a basement than a master bath.
Post: Help! Very Dirty/Burst Toilet in basement
- Rental Property Investor
- Huntsville, AL
- Posts 419
- Votes 323
Post: Paying your Tenants to Fix up your Rental!
- Rental Property Investor
- Huntsville, AL
- Posts 419
- Votes 323
Originally posted by @Luke Carl:
Hey! Congrats!
I didn’t read the whole thing because TLDR but I would never ask a tenant to do any maintenance on my units even if they’re the best handyman in town.
It gives them too much control, next thing you know they’re asking for discounts on rent or “hey I fixed my kitchen sink can I be a few days late.”
No thanks.
Click post, see wall of text(not going to read that), skip to first comment that makes similar point I would make. Agree +1
Post: Cozy allowed payment reversal that withdrew previously paid rent
- Rental Property Investor
- Huntsville, AL
- Posts 419
- Votes 323
Originally posted by @Casey Powers:
It's not the boogieman. I know someone who lost a whole year of rents after the tenant disputed that far back. The bank just reached into their account and took the money for the most recent 6 months, then took the other half later. They can do it on any electronic payment. If you think it can't happen to you, think again. It can.
You’re either conflating a different payment method than credit/debit(like giving direct non third party ACH access to your tenant to your account) or talking about a fraudulent situation with a judgement or you or your “someone” is being less than honest. A lie told in ignorance is still a lie.
The Electronic Funds Transfer Act limits liability to 60 days( some credit cards allow 90 days). You’re not going to get a years worth of payments without a judgment.
Post: Cozy allowed payment reversal that withdrew previously paid rent
- Rental Property Investor
- Huntsville, AL
- Posts 419
- Votes 323
Originally posted by @Casey Powers:
Originally posted by @Mike S.:
Originally posted by @Casey Powers:
Originally posted by @Mike S.:
Doesn't matter. If someone wants to take the money back, they will do it. Any electronic payment can be reversed.
Well, this is the internet, and by golly you can believe in boogie men if you want
Post: Cozy allowed payment reversal that withdrew previously paid rent
- Rental Property Investor
- Huntsville, AL
- Posts 419
- Votes 323
Originally posted by @Casey Powers:
Originally posted by @Mike S.:
I've been transitioning my rentals to use Cash App. It's a cash payment, no reversals, instant transfer to your Cash App account. Cashing out to your bank account can take 2 days, but my experience is it's 1 day. They can either download the app or use a unique url to pay online.
If it's an online payment of any kind, it can be disputed and reversed. There is no such thing as a "non-reversible" electronic payment.
To answer the question in general, it doesn't matter how the payment is being sent, or which payment processing company / app / website you use: if the payment is disputed, it can (and almost always will) be reversed. This is true for rent payments as well as any payment for service or merchandise. The merchant (or landlord) almost always loses when someone disputes a charge with their bank.
Cash App to the tenant is a debit card payment. It’s a higher hurdle than a credit card charge back and much higher than ACH. It won’t be a 1 minute phone call with nothing other than a disgruntled tenant to reverse the charge. Actual fraud has to have taken place and if that’s the case, the landlord has other issues to worry about.
Cash App is acting as an agent transferring between two parties(the banks), as such, is a cash transaction. It will be near impossible to charge back. Heck, I can opt for bitcoin and not even involve my bank in the transaction.
Post: tenants complain about refrigerator temperature
- Rental Property Investor
- Huntsville, AL
- Posts 419
- Votes 323
Post: Proof of Renters Insurance
- Rental Property Investor
- Huntsville, AL
- Posts 419
- Votes 323