My rent was paid in full, but a new charge popped up; should I worry?
May 7, 2022 1:42 PM Subscribe
I transferred units last month (same building, just one floor down), with an increase in the new rent unit price. Paid everything I needed to, but after paying my rent in full on May 2, a new charge popped up shortly thereafter. Despite the leasing office saying it's an error, I'm still worried.
During the transfer, I worked everything out with the manager, got a move-out letter for the old unit and a move-in letter for the new unit. I paid the rent for the new unit at the beginning of May, and am expecting a check in the mail for a refund of the old unit's prorated rent. However, after paying my rent in full online on May 2 (and the portal showed $0), shortly that same day (or next, can't remember), the portal popped up an extra ~$600 charge.
Full disclaimer: this is probably my anxiety talking.
I can't help but worry. I asked the leasing office about the mysterious ~$600 charge, and was told that it seemed to be in error and not to pay it, and that they'd put in a help desk request to get the charge removed, and that it should be removed next week.
I'm nervous, though—the terms state that rent is supposed to be paid in full by no later than the 5th of the month. Visions of an eviction notice, credit collections notice, cascading late fees, or a warning letter keep coming to my mind. I know the leasing office is aware, but I'm afraid this will somehow slip under the cracks and come to bite me somehow. I'm afraid I'll lose privileges to pay my rent online moving forward (which is what happens when there's an unpaid balance), or other shenanigans. I got a Conservice notice yesterday which reflects the still-there ~$600 balance, due with my rent/utilities for next month (June). My apartment community does water/sewage with Conservice.
Why am I so nervous? The leasing office staff are nice people, but they're understaffed and always overwhelmed. There were some mistakes (minor) on paperwork in the past, as well as on my lease (that had to be corrected), and they're just always very busy and a bit all over the place, sometimes with minor number/math errors done in the past. I'm not the best with confrontation, and while they said not to pay it (and I made sure to email them confirmation of that after the phone call, CC'ing the manager, to protect myself), I'm just nervous. I think my trauma from my old living situations and negative money situations in the distant past is contributing to this anxiety. (And before you say anything, I'm waiting for my insurance to hopefully approve my need to continue therapy services.) I love my apartment and the community, but it's a bit of a mess, too, if that makes any sense.
Am I right to be nervous or worried of any potential consequences of this, or should I really just relax and let this go, and trust the process?
My apartment community management company is Bozzuto, if that helps any.
Thanks, and happy May!
During the transfer, I worked everything out with the manager, got a move-out letter for the old unit and a move-in letter for the new unit. I paid the rent for the new unit at the beginning of May, and am expecting a check in the mail for a refund of the old unit's prorated rent. However, after paying my rent in full online on May 2 (and the portal showed $0), shortly that same day (or next, can't remember), the portal popped up an extra ~$600 charge.
Full disclaimer: this is probably my anxiety talking.
I can't help but worry. I asked the leasing office about the mysterious ~$600 charge, and was told that it seemed to be in error and not to pay it, and that they'd put in a help desk request to get the charge removed, and that it should be removed next week.
I'm nervous, though—the terms state that rent is supposed to be paid in full by no later than the 5th of the month. Visions of an eviction notice, credit collections notice, cascading late fees, or a warning letter keep coming to my mind. I know the leasing office is aware, but I'm afraid this will somehow slip under the cracks and come to bite me somehow. I'm afraid I'll lose privileges to pay my rent online moving forward (which is what happens when there's an unpaid balance), or other shenanigans. I got a Conservice notice yesterday which reflects the still-there ~$600 balance, due with my rent/utilities for next month (June). My apartment community does water/sewage with Conservice.
Why am I so nervous? The leasing office staff are nice people, but they're understaffed and always overwhelmed. There were some mistakes (minor) on paperwork in the past, as well as on my lease (that had to be corrected), and they're just always very busy and a bit all over the place, sometimes with minor number/math errors done in the past. I'm not the best with confrontation, and while they said not to pay it (and I made sure to email them confirmation of that after the phone call, CC'ing the manager, to protect myself), I'm just nervous. I think my trauma from my old living situations and negative money situations in the distant past is contributing to this anxiety. (And before you say anything, I'm waiting for my insurance to hopefully approve my need to continue therapy services.) I love my apartment and the community, but it's a bit of a mess, too, if that makes any sense.
Am I right to be nervous or worried of any potential consequences of this, or should I really just relax and let this go, and trust the process?
My apartment community management company is Bozzuto, if that helps any.
Thanks, and happy May!
I wouldn't worry. For one thing, even if it did prove to not be an error, it's not going to show up on your credit report, it's "just" going to cost you a late fee, and that only in states where non-rent charges are allowed to be considered rent and where the lease specifically states that any and all charges are considered to be rent.
Secondly, you can look at your lease, which I suspect doesn't include any provision for mysterious $600 charges, so it's almost certainly an error, as you were told by the leasing office. You did well to confirm your conversation in writing. If it did somehow end up on your credit report or in court, that will go a long way to making the dispute process work out in your favor.
And as far as not being able to pay online in the future, which I doubt will happen, money orders are easily available at the post office and elsewhere for a couple of bucks each (assuming your landlord doesn't take personal checks), so even in the worst case you're out maybe an hour a month of your time.
In reality, they'll probably fix it next week and that will be that. Don't ruminate, put a note on your calendar to check up on this next Thursday and then go read a book or something else that occupies your mind.
posted by wierdo at 1:59 PM on May 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
Secondly, you can look at your lease, which I suspect doesn't include any provision for mysterious $600 charges, so it's almost certainly an error, as you were told by the leasing office. You did well to confirm your conversation in writing. If it did somehow end up on your credit report or in court, that will go a long way to making the dispute process work out in your favor.
And as far as not being able to pay online in the future, which I doubt will happen, money orders are easily available at the post office and elsewhere for a couple of bucks each (assuming your landlord doesn't take personal checks), so even in the worst case you're out maybe an hour a month of your time.
In reality, they'll probably fix it next week and that will be that. Don't ruminate, put a note on your calendar to check up on this next Thursday and then go read a book or something else that occupies your mind.
posted by wierdo at 1:59 PM on May 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
What’s your new lease say? That’s the amount of money that needs to bein your landlords hand by May 5th.
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 11:46 AM on May 8, 2022
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 11:46 AM on May 8, 2022
This is definitely your anxiety talking.
Something else to consider, in addition to the above: If you're a good tenant, they want you there. They don't want to kick you out for an arbitrary reason, lose out on at least a month's rent, and then take a risk on a new tenant who might or might not be as reliable as you.
That's not to say that landlords are never shitty and bad things never happen to good tenants, but unless something else is going on, their business incentives are very much to keep you there.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 1:09 PM on May 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Something else to consider, in addition to the above: If you're a good tenant, they want you there. They don't want to kick you out for an arbitrary reason, lose out on at least a month's rent, and then take a risk on a new tenant who might or might not be as reliable as you.
That's not to say that landlords are never shitty and bad things never happen to good tenants, but unless something else is going on, their business incentives are very much to keep you there.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 1:09 PM on May 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
+1 to what Kutsuwamushi says. If you're a reliable tenant - i.e., you pay your rent on time and you don't cause any problems with the neighbors - your landlord wants you to stay.* There are substantial costs in evicting a tenant, and further costs for finding a new one - lost rent, cleaning, advertising, showings, credit checks, etc. You have oral confirmation that the charge was an error, and you created an email trail. Your banking records can show you paid the amount your lease specifies within the allowable time frame. You're good.
* There are a few exceptions - e.g., a rent controlled apartment whose rent is well below market rates, or a unit that the owner wants to have for themselves or a family member. But those are rare.
posted by brianogilvie at 4:41 PM on May 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
* There are a few exceptions - e.g., a rent controlled apartment whose rent is well below market rates, or a unit that the owner wants to have for themselves or a family member. But those are rare.
posted by brianogilvie at 4:41 PM on May 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Anxious person here. It's much easier to see from the outside: this is definitely your anxiety talking.
As per wierdo: let it go, set yourself a reminder to check after a week, and distract yourself with other things.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 4:53 AM on May 9, 2022
As per wierdo: let it go, set yourself a reminder to check after a week, and distract yourself with other things.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 4:53 AM on May 9, 2022
Response by poster: I know this is super late, but just wanted to do a quick update and let you know that the situation eventually resolved with the help of the Help Desk. I didn't have to pay the extra ~$600. Whew!
posted by dubious_dude at 6:37 PM on August 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by dubious_dude at 6:37 PM on August 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
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This is definitely your anxiety talking. You've already done all you can actually do here, including meeting your obligation to pay the full amount of rent -- give them the week to correct the error and then if it's not resolved, you can follow up using the same email you sent confirming that they would fix the error, and inquiring about the status.
If it's still not resolved in say, two to four weeks, and you start getting letters about it, that's when I think some concern would be warranted.
posted by sm1tten at 1:54 PM on May 7, 2022 [12 favorites]