Is this an odd request from a renter?

Question

I have a new home and rent out two of the bedrooms (I live there as well) to two other single girls for $400 a month. One of them recently told me she can't pay the $400 all at once and needs to split it up.

I thought that was weird. I would prefer her to give me the full $400 all at once... what do you think of this

Answer 1

If you like her work with her.  If you don't, evict her.

Next time, take enough of a deposit to cover problems, run credit and call the employer to verify employment income.  If the next tenant has a lot of derrogitory credit lines or doesn't make at least $1600 a month, I'd keep looking for a roommate.

Good luck.

Answer 2

its not a unusual request - tenants try to get away with that c**p all the time. The tenant does NOT get to dictate how they pay the rent.  It may be easier for her that way but not for you, and YOU are the landlord.

Tell her the rent is due on the 1st PERIOD. If she cannot pay in full and on time - then she needs to find another place to live.

The only way this kind of arrangement works is if she is a month ahead on the rent and the separate payments is on next months rent.........otherwise she is always late and you have grounds for eviction.

Answer 3

Well, shoot.  What should have been a very easy situation (renting out a room) can become complicated.  In all future leases you will address this exact problem and have them initial the line.  

You understand the law.  She must pay you $400 on the first day of the rental period.  She must.  Any payment of less than $400 is grounds for eviction.  

In some cases you have to evict. Even tho it makes you look like the villain.  In other cases, you just float and take the bimonthly payments and tell yourself that you'll never let it happen again ( unless you start out doing it that way which would be acceptable).

What is your personality like?  Will she see in your eyes every day that you are unhappy with her?   You have to be a good actor.

Answer 4

While your mortgage payment arrangements are not relevant in terms of her obligations to you, it's kind of ironic that you have a bi-weekly mortgage but don't want to accept bi-weekly payments from your tenant.

Presumably she's paying you half of the month's rent late, but if she's actually paying you half of the month's rent early (who ever heard  of a tenant doing this???), you may be obligated to accept such partial payments.

The more important question here is whether she's a good tenant and you're interested enough in keeping her that you would want to accommodate her in any way.

Perhaps you can work out something that's satisfactory for both of you... if this is a result of some temporary extra expenses, you might indicate that you'll go along with this for 2 or 3 months, but if she wants to continue past that, she'll be obligated for the late fee, as per the rental agreement, or alternatively, you'll simply ask her to leave.

Since she's not complying with the rental agreement, you have rights you can exercise, but exercising them may or may not be in your best interest.

Answer 5

May be she's receiving her pay check every two weeks so that's how she can pay you.  It's a tricky thing cos' it's like she will pay the other half rent late every month.  Did you sign an agreement with her?  You can request a late fee base on the second half being paid late.  If she can arrange it, however, to pay all $400 at the 1st of the month, then she does not has to pay the late fee.  That's sounds fair to both parties.

Answer 6

Take The money....Unless you don't like the tenant/

Answer 7

Although it would be more convenient for you to be paid all at once, some people get paid weekly or bi-weekly...and she may not technically have all the $400 at once. She also may know she will be tempted to spend some of it if she has to hold it for a whole month, so she wants you to take that responsibility out of her hands.  If she's a good roomie, I'd grant her the request. Look at it this way...if someone was going to stiff you for rent, getting half of it rather than none is a plus...an "advance", so to speak.

Answer 8

She can not set the terms, I would demand rent on the first or she finds another place to live.

Answer 9

I do not think this an odd request...I have several people that pay me biweekly and 2 that pay me weekly. The only cuase for concern here would be if you can afford for her to do that. But no this request is not odd.

Answer 10

It is not up to her to set the terms.  Maybe her accounting is easier to manage on a weekly or bimonthly basis, or maybe it's easier to have that amount taken out of her bimonthly paycheck.

But if she pays the total monthly amount by the monthly due date, then it shouldn't matter to you if you hold on to that $200 check for two weeks until she gives you the other $200.  Just let her know that you don't care how she pays you, but you will continue to cash her rent checks once a month like you always have.

Answer 11

Sounds reasonable to me.. in the military that's how they do it. so it makes sense to me