This renting industry is extremely difficult and can be challenging at times, but when you call or write and get someone like Shawn on the phone, everything just seems to get better.  She calms you down, explains everything to you, and gets you on your way in such a way that you walk away feeling better about the entire process.  Consider yourselves blessed to have an employee such as Shawn.  If she lived in Houston, TX, I would be doing everything I could to have her work for me because you just don’t find employees like that anymore these days!

Best regards,

Laura J. Hoover

Hello, I am looking for someone who can help me with a dilemma regarding taxes on one of my rental properties. If not yourself, if you can direct me in the right direction as to who could help answer my questions, that would be very much appreciated. Thank you

Jill Pleune

Join the forum discussion on this post - (3) Posts

.

What are the benefits of using the Renting Authority service?
Online rent payments will be the norm in the near future. Enjoy the ease of not cashing checks, automatic deposits, and electronic record keeping, avoiding lost or late payments, and improved service for your Residents.

.

The Internet is increasingly the place of choice for businesses to reach and connect people. Prospective Renters are turning to the Internet now more than ever to fulfill their living needs.

.

How do the transactions occur?

1. The Payer submits their payment in the secure Pay Rent section of your website.
2. The transaction is processed in the Automatic Clearing House (ACH) network.
3. The payment is deposited into the Payee’s checking or savings account.

.

What are the fees for using Online Rent Pay?
There is a $5 transaction fee for each payment paid by check submitted through the service.  Credit card transition fee is $5 plus 3% of the transaction.  All paid by the tenant.

.

Do you receive a confirmation that a payment has been submitted?
For each payment submitted on Renting Authority, the Payer and Payee will receive a confirmation email with the transaction id if a valid email address has been entered in the profiles for the users.

.

How do I know the system is secure?
All transactions on Renting Authority are 128-bit encrypted and we use industry-standard Secure Socket layer (SSL) technology to protect your information.

We will never request or send your bank account information through email, if you ever receive an email requesting your bank account information please contact us immediately.

.

Member FDIC
Renting Authority processes every electronic payment through institutions insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The FDIC insures deposits in banks and thrift institutions for up to $250,000; identifies, monitors and addresses risks to the deposit insurance funds; and limits the effect on the economy when an insured institution fails.

.

CISP Compliant
Renting Authority is in full-compliance with Visa’s Cardholder Information Securty Program (CISP). Since its launch in April 2000, CISP has defined a standard of due care for securing Visa cardholder data, wherever it is located. CISP compliance is mandatory for all entities storing, processing, or transmitting Visa cardholder data.

Renting Authority adheres to strict policies for providing the highest level of data security at all times. Renting Authority maintains CISP compliance by adhering to all of the following security requirements:

* Working firewalls
* Up-to-date security patches
* Protection of stored data
* Encryption of public networks
* Regularly updated anti-virus software
* Restricted access by “need to know”
* Unique ID to each person with computer access
* No vendor-supplied defaults for passwords and security parameters
* Access tracking to data by unique ID
* Regularly tested security systems and processes
* Regularly maintained information security policy
* Restricted physical access to data

.

How does the ACH process work?
The Automated Clearing House (ACH) Network is a nationwide batch-oriented electronic payment network to transfer funds between financial institutions. ACH payments provide improved cash management capabilities and lower costs than traditional paper payments by electronically debiting or crediting a company’s or individual’s deposit accounts, such as checking and savings accounts. The ACH Process consists of the following steps:

.

1. A company or individual (Receiver) authorizes another company or individual (Originator) to initiate a transaction to their financial institution account.
2. Then the Originator submits the transaction to an Originating Depository Financial Institution, known as an ODFI.
3. The ODFI collects ACH transactions and then submits the consolidated information to an ACH Operator.
4. The ACH Operator processes the transactions from the ODFIs and distributes the transactions to the Receiving Depository Financial Institutions, know as an RDFI.
5. The RDFI receives the entries for its customer accounts and then posts the entries on the settlement date of the transaction.

.

How do I contact Renting Authority?
You can use one of the following options to contact us, please let us know if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions:

.

Email
support@rentingauthority.com

Renting Authority Customer Service Representatives are available to assist you Monday through Friday 9:00 AM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Telephone
1-(888) 674-9181
Fax: 1-(801)-406-0104

.

Renter’s Common Questions

What are the Registration steps for a Renter?

.

The renter clicks on the pay rent tab located in your website.  Follow the step by step instructions.

.

Do I have to create a profile?
Yes, Renters are required to create a profile on the Renting Authority service in order to submit a Rental Payment. Creating a profile allows the Renter to easily submit Rental Payments without having to re-enter their account information for each payment.

.

Can payments be submitted via telephone?

No

.

Does Online Rent Pay allow credit cards to be used for paying rent?
Yes.  Renters pay a transaction fee of 3%  of the rent amount plus $5

.

Property Manager/Owner’s Common Questions:

.

What are the Registration steps for a Property Manager/Owner?

.

Fax the following information to (801)406-0104:

• A copy of a voided check for the checking account associated with the property.
• A copy of a valid government issued I.D.

After we receive the voided check and I.D. we will activate the property so you can begin accepting rent payments online.

.

What is required to Activate a Property after it has been added?
For your security we require the following be faxed or emailed to us for each bank account used for receiving online payments:
- A copy of a voided check for the checking account associated with the property
- A copy of a valid government issued I.D.

.

Fax: 1-(801) 406-0104

.

Once we receive these two items we will activate your property so that you can begin accepting rent payments online. If you have multiple properties and use the same bank account for each property you only need to send the information once. If you use different bank accounts for your properties please send a voided check for each bank account.

.

How fast will I get my rent money?
First time users of Renting Authority’s Online Rent Pay are required to wait a minimal of 5 business days.
Landlords in good standing with Renting Authority receive sub sequential Rent Funds in 3-4 business days.

.

The funds will be deposited into the Payee’s banking account within 3-4 business days of the payment submission.  Payment must be submitted before 3pm EST to count for that day.  Payments received after 3pm EST will be processed the following business day.

.

What happens if a rent check bounces?
The tenant is charged a $25 fee.  If Renting Authority has already transferred funds to the landlord, funds will be pulled back out of landlords account.
If funds have not yet been transferred to landlord’s account, landlord receives an email from Renting Authority informing of returned check.

.

Renting Authority reserves the right to hold future rent checks transfers for a minimal of 5 business days with 2 of more returned checks within a 3 month period.

.

Is Renting Authority acting as a collection agency?
Renting Authority’s Rent Payment Service assists both you and your Renter by facilitating electronic transactions between the parties. Renting Authority simply provides an electronic alternative to the traditional forms of rent payment. While this electronic alternative will bestow numerous benefits on both Property Owner/Managers and the Renter, the collection of such rents and related payments remain their legal responsibility. Renting Authority is in the business of simplifying the rent payment process, but unfortunately we are not in the business of collections.

.

Can I use Online Rent Pay for any type of property?
Any property you are collecting payments or fees for can be used with Renting Authority, such as residential properties, multi-family properties, commercial properties, and vacation properties.

.

Can I use different bank accounts for each property?
Yes

.

Can I charge a late fee for late rent payments?
With Renting Authority you can specify what day of the month rent is late after and what fee to charge for late rent payments and the system will automatically generate a late fee transaction for late rent payments. When a fee is charged for late rent payments a separate transaction will be created to debit the renter instead of adding the fee amount to the rent payment.

.

There isn’t an additional transaction fee for the late fee transaction though. The late fee transaction is scheduled for 2 days after the rent payment in order to provide time for the property manager to cancel the late fee before it is transmitted to the ACH system if warranted. The automatic late fee only applies to rent payment transaction types and not other transaction types, such as security deposit or utility payment for example.

No one succeeds without others. Call two people today who help you succeed and tell them thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Troy and the rest of Renting Authority gaggle

Troy Boldt
888-674-9181
tboldt@rentingauthority.com
http://www.rentingauthority.com

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

J. Alexander

]]> http://www.rentingauthority.com/testimonial/feed/ http://www.rentingauthority.com/thank-you-so-much/ http://www.rentingauthority.com/thank-you-so-much/#comments Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:43:51 +0000 Troy http://www.rentingauthority.com/?p=1299

Thank you so much for all the excellent reminders Troy! I can’t tell you how nice it is to have your tried and true methods and reminders. You have thought of everything!!

Sarrah

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

Most tenants who are facing eviction are being evicted as a consequence of nonpayment of rent. Others may face eviction for a variety of reasons, including violation of lease terms, creation of a health or safety hazard, or even a personality dispute with a landlord.

While landlord-tenant law, and the laws governing the eviction process, can change substantially between jurisdictions, there are some generalities which apply for most jurisdictions. If you are facing eviction you should check with a lawyer or tenant’s union in your area, so you can learn the specific laws which apply to your situation.

The following information is of a general nature, and may not apply where you reside

Nonpayment of Rent

In most jurisdictions, there is an expedited process for evicting a tenant for nonpayment of rent. Typically, the tenant is served with a legal notice requiring that rent be paid by a specific date (e.g., within seven days of service), after which time the landlord can commence an eviction action. Many times, a landlord will agree to accept a partial payment during this time, with the promise that any remaining rent arrears will soon be paid in full.

If the landlord accepts partial payment (no matter how small) prior to obtaining a judgment on a nonpayment action, upon learning of the acceptance of the payment most jurisdictions will dismiss any eviction proceeding premised on nonpayment of rent. The landlord must then start the process over, in relation to any additional rents owed.

Typically, even after judgment the tenant has a period of time during which the rent arrears can be paid, so as to avoid eviction.

Please note that you probably do not have the right to unilaterally withhold rent until the landlord fixes a problem with your rental unit. You typically will have to escrow the rent - put it into a special account, perhaps a court account - with proper notice to the landlord of the escrow and the defect that justifies the rent escrow. If you don’t follow the proper procedures for your jurisdiction, you may be subject to eviction for nonpayment despite your full intention to pay all the rent you owe. (Also, many tenants who fully intend to pay but who do not use a proper escrow account find that they spend the rent they are withholding, and are evicted when they are unable to pay the back rent after the problem is resolved.) Check with a local lawyer or tenant’s organization before attempting to withhold or escrow rent, so you can make sure that you follow the local law.

Violation of the Lease

If a tenant is accused of violating a lease provision, the tenant should review the lease to see if the accusation is true. If the tenant is in violation of the lease, the tenant should consider either correcting the violation, or consulting with the landlord about obtaining an exception or about the possibility of being released from the lease and moving. Please note that if you are violating a lease, the landlord can evict you and still charge you rent for the period following your eviction, up to the point in time when either the lease expires or a replacement tenant can be found.

For example, if the lease prohibits the ownership of pets, a tenant may be able to negotiate an additional cleaning fee or monthly rent premium to be paid to the landlord for permission to keep the pet. In one real-life case, a tenant made a deal with the landlord to live in an apartment with tattered carpeting in exchange for being permitted to keep a cat. The landlord would otherwise have had to incur the cost of replacing the old and worn carpeting, and wasn’t worried that the cat would damage a carpet that was already due for replacement.

Periodic Tenancies

A periodic tenancy may arise either under a lease, or without a lease. In a periodic tenancy, there is no obligation on the part of either the landlord or the tenant to continue a tenancy past any given rental period. With a one-year lease, a tenant will typically be required to pay rent on a monthly basis, but will be obligated to pay rent until the entire lease period has expired. Similarly, the landlord can only evict the tenant for cause during the duration of the lease. In a periodic tenancy, either the landlord or the tenant can terminate the tenancy on proper notice, usually defined as a full rental period (the period between when rent payments are due). If a lease expires but the tenant doesn’t move, the tenancy is typically automatically transformed into a periodic tenancy, based upon the period between rent payments. That is, if rent is due once per month, either the landlord or tenant can terminate the tenancy on a month’s notice.

There are advantages and disadvantages to having a periodic tenancy instead of a lease. The lease protects the tenant against arbitrary eviction, and ordinarily limits rent increases during the term of the lease, but the periodic tenancy gives the tenant considerable flexibility in determining when to end the tenancy.

If a tenant stays past the end of a lease term without the landlord’s permission, the tenant becomes known as a “holdover tenant”. Depending upon the jurisdiciton, a holdover tenancy is typically treated as a periodic tenancy, particularly if the landlord accepts a rent payment for the tenant’s residence after the expiration of the lease. Note that a landlord may decline to accept payment for any post-lease residence, and instead seek to evict the holdover tenant.

Any time a tenant makes a complaint to a landlord, the tenant should make a written record of when the complaint was made, the person to whom the complaint was made (if the landlord has a property management staff), when the problem was resolved, and whether the resolution was satisfactory. For problems which might inspire the tenant to try to get released from a lease before the end of its term, or might seek a rent abatement, the tenant should provide written notice to the landlord of both the problem and of the actions the tenant intends to take if the problem is not remedied. If a tenant has a good relationship with a landlord, it may be sufficient to report minor problems by phone or in person. If the landlord is not responsive about fixing problems, or if there are a lot of problems or reported problems are not being adequately resolved, a tenant may instead choose to report any problems in writing. The best practice is usually to report all problems in writing, although a tenant may wish to weigh that against the potential for damaging a positive landlord-tenant relationship by seeming heavy-handed.

Health and Safety Issues

If you have damaged the apartment, or have created a health hazard, you shouldn’t be surprised when your landlord attempts to evict you. When you are being evicted on an expedited basis due to property damage or a health hazard, you may be able to slow things down by repairing the damage or correcting the hazard. However, many landlords will proceed with a conventional eviction against any tenant who creates this type of situation, even after the problem is resolved.

Bankruptcy

When a tenant files for bankruptcy, the “automatic stay” will prevent the continuation of eviction proceedings until the bankrupcy is resolved, or the bankruptcy court otherwise permits eviction proceedings to continue by lifting the stay. This can prevent a pending eviction, and may result in the full or partial discharge of a rent arrearage. Please note, however, that the bankrupt tenant remains obligated to pay any new rent obligations which arise from continued tenancy after the bankuptcy is filed, and failure to keep current with post-petition rent payments may result in eviction.

Bringing a Counter-Claim

Some tenants will bring a counter-claim against a landlord in response to an action for eviction. A counter-claim may contend that an eviction should be stopped, on the basis that it is a “retaliatory eviction” resulting from the tenant’s complaint to a government agency about housing violations by the landlord. (Please note that such complaints must be made before the landlord commences the eviction process in order to be valid, and may not provide much of a defense against an eviction for nonpayment of rent.) A counter-claim may seek damages for violation of consumer protection laws, or a rent abatement due to problems with the apartment.

While some states have very few protections for tenants, in most jurisdictions tenants have rights including:

• The right to heat;
• The right to running water (hot and cold);
• The right to proper garbage removal (from the designated receptacle - e.g., the apartment’s dumpster);
• The right to have common areas (e.g., lobbies, stairways, halls) maintained in a clean and safe manner;
• The right to housing in compliance with state and local building codes and housing regulations.

An action for a “rent abatement” requests that the court give the tenant credit against the rent for any period of time when those rights weren’t filled, or when the landlord wasn’t complying with the lease. The request may range from a small percentage for a minor violation, to the request that the entire amount of the rent be abated if the apartment was effectively rendered uninhabitable by the landlord’s violation.

Landlords may also be subject to consumer protection actions. In some jurisdictions, a landlord may be subject to a claim if the landlord deducts a cleaning expense from a damage deposit. In some jurisdictions, if a landlord did not properly escrow a damage deposit, or if the landlord does not notify the tenant of alleged damages within a fixed period of time after the tenant vacates the premises, the landlord may have to return the entire damage deposit. Please note that if the tenant does not give a forwarding address to the landlord within a few days of moving, any notice requirement will likely be deemed waived.

Trials

If a tenant’s action against a landlord, or an action to evict the tenant, is going to trial, the tenant should make sure that all relevant documentation is collected and organized before going to court. The tenant should make copies, so that the tenant can provide a copy to the court for its file or use a copy as an exhibit for the jury, as well as being able to provide a copy to opposing counsel. The tenant should identify any witnesses whose testimony will be helpful in advance of the trial, and subpoena them to appear. (Even if witnesses promise to appear, a subpoena will allow them to get out of work if their employer won’t otherwise release them, and will provide the tenant with some level of protection if they get cold feet about testifying - particularly if they fear retaliation from the landlord.)

It is generally a good idea for tenants who are facing eviction to utilize an attorney. Some tenants will be eligible for legal assistance. Unrepresented tenants may find that the legal process is difficult, may not know how to examine witnesses or present evidence, may not understand what needs to be proved to win an eviction action, and may not know how to respond to a landlord’s allegations or to dispute inflated charged for alleged damages. In most areas, a tenant may be able to find a lawyer through a county bar association or state bar referral service.

Article provided by www.expertlaw.com

Renting Authority.com

www.rentingauthority.com

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

Landlords can’t just lock you out, even if you are behind on rent. They must get a court judgment first.

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

The new bankruptcy law makes it easier for landlords to evict bankrupt tenants.

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

An overview of the eviction process, including the termination notices required for different situations.

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts