Current Events > If rent check is in the box on time, but management isn't there, is it late?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I pay online so this doesn't apply to me but I'm curious about your thoughts -- if you drop the check in the mailbox on time (before the 5th technically), but management does not pick it up until the 6th, is it late?

Also it's not a "mailbox" I should clarify -- it's just a little lockbox on the leasing office door.

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it shouldn't be late, but apartment complexes are a bitch

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Yes, I would consider it late considering they gave a heads up.

It's not late, but landlords get to make the rules, so

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Based on the notice, its on time if you give them a check or money order before 12pm on the 2nd and late after that.


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Have fun getting evicted, TC!

Can you actually mail it? I'd mail it so it has a post date of or prior to the 2nd.

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Considering they have advanced notice and you still have the option of paying online, yes dropping off a physical payment while they're closed should still be considered late.

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Depends on your lease and whether they can make such changes to when the rent is due. But assuming written notice qualifies then dropping the check off like that would be late.

With advanced notice it's kinda bullshit but the landlord is technically in the right

If they don't give notice though and went on vacation and failed to collect rent before they left and then claimed everyone was late when they got back...that would be wrong

NoxObscuras posted...

Considering they have advanced notice and you still have the option of paying online, yes dropping off a physical payment while they're closed should still be considered late.

This. It's the whole point of them saying "drop it in before this time"

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Whatever you do, a generous tip will be sure to smooth things over. Preferably under the table to avoid taxes.

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realnifty1 posted...

Depends on your lease and whether they can make such changes to when the rent is due.

This exclusively. They can't change the "late" deadline with a posted letter if the lease agreement has "due" and "late" deadlines specified, unless there's a clause indicating it can be changed. Signed contracts can't just be changed by one party willy-nilly.

CommonStar posted...

Yes, I would consider it late considering they gave a heads up.

I'm guessing somewhere in your lease that says that management reserves the right to change the payment date.

Otherwise if the lease says that rent is due the fifth day of the month with no qualifiers then there a person might have a case, advanced warning or no.

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People still pay their rent with cheques?

People still use cheques?

I'm 30 and have never written a cheque. Hell I can't remember the last time I even used cash.

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I came into the topic preparing to vote no and then I read the notice. Yes it would be late.

Context matters.

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No. Landlords cannot unilaterally change the agreement on when/how rent is paid. If dropping it in a specific dropbox by so-and-so day of the week is acceptable, then it remains acceptable.

Though this does assume that the rental agreement doesn't specifically say they can change this as they see fit.

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