The Landlord Chronicles -- Part XXXLMCMXXIVIIXXX

Some day, when I actually get around to putting our blog into book form, I will definitely want this recorded. It's just too unbelievable.

We've had so many landlord/tenant issues, that I thought nothing would surprise me anymore.

But I was wrong.

A few weeks ago, our Notoriously Late Tenant sent in a late rent payment. No shock there.

It was a personal check. (Sidenote -- we told her if it bounced again, we wouldn't accept anymore.)

Rather than take the risk of depositing into my bank - - we planned to take it directly to hers. As I pulled in the parking lot and looked at the check, I realized she hadn't signed it.

Hmmmm...way to go Notoriously Late Tenant.

I contacted her and she immediately sent a new one.

When it arrived in the mail (another personal check -- although this one had a signature), I emailed and asked if there were funds in her account. She assured me it was ok to deposit as she had just gotten her tax refund.

We've lived.
And learned.
And really, we trust no one when it comes to rental properties (our Best Tenants Ever (you know who you are!) moved and it has never been the same.)

So, again, rather than deposit into our bank and risk the few days of delay, we went straight to her bank.

Imagine my shock (note the sarcasm) when the teller said her account was short -- by $5.82.

She couldn't cash my rent check because my Notoriously Late Tenant didn't have quite enough money in her account.

So, what did this savvy landlord do?

I made a deposit INTO her account.

Yep -- the teller looked at me like I was crazy at first. Then she said, "Wow -- that is really smart."

Thank you very much.
It cost me $5.82 - -but I got my $1118.75 rent check cashed.

I immediately emailed her to let her know that her account was short.

I have yet to recieve a "thank you."