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Sometimes landlords aren't as honest or as reasonable as I'd like them to be. And sometimes they just aren't very good at organization. I learned early on in my life as a renter that the only person I can count on to protect my interests is myself. To prevent expensive problems, I follow these rules to protect myself in case of a dispute with my landlord.
I pay my rent with certified funds.
Either a money order or a cashier's check, specifically. Most landlords will accept personal checks for rent -- except from tenants who have a history of bouncing checks -- but I don't take advantage of that option. I can get free money orders from my bank, and certified funds are much easier to deal with.
This started in 1998, when I returned home from work to find an eviction notice on my door. According to the document, I had failed to pay that month's rent.
Knowing I had, in fact, paid my rent, I confronted the office manager at the apartment complex where I lived. She insisted she had not received a check from me, and that I was to vacate the building in three days. It took that long for the check to clear my bank, at which point I was able to provide my landlord with proof that I had not breached the lease. But that didn't save me from three anxiety-ridden days, wondering if I was going to be homeless because of a clerical error.
I knew that, if my landlord had lost and failed to cash the check, I wouldn't have been able to prove I hadn't breached the contract. Consequently, I've always since paid my rent with certified funds.
I ask for a receipt for all payments.
This includes rent, as well as any fees, deposits, or utility payments the landlord collects. As a renter, I can never be too careful about where my money goes, and receipts protect me in disputes and help me keep my finances organized.
Money orders include a detachable stub for the payer's records, but that isn't enough. A receipt proves not only that I purchased the money order, but that my landlord received those funds.
I put everything on paper.
My air conditioner stops working? I write my landlord a request to fix it. I'm getting ready to move out? I provide a statement of my intention. A neighbor is throwing wild parties every night of the week? You guessed it. I write a complaint.
A paper trail is the only surefire way to protect myself in disputes with my landlord. As a renter, I have to assume that my landlord is neither smart nor honest, so I have to do all the work myself. This has saved me from numerous expensive problems.
Occasionally something will happen that requires immediate attention. For example, my stove catches on fire. In this case, I'll place a call to my landlord (after I call 9-1-1 if necessary), but I'll follow up the spoken communication with a written note.
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