Best app to wire a rent payment with only an email address & Phone #
October 5, 2024 12:36 AM Subscribe
Yesterday, I wrote about the landlord's outrageous cleaning, financial expectations, and other demands. Blaming me they are trying to indirectly recover costs of removing mold from my closet. Regardless of who's responsible, their expectations are impossible. They gave me a new lease and a 20% monthly increase.
I normally pay rent in cash (dumb). In our situation, handing over cash is a terrible idea. I'm making an electronic transfer. Not having bank info, can anybody recommend which an app (Venmo, Paypal, Zelle?) to pay rent with an unsolicited wire transfer using only an email address?
Tl:dr – somebody summarized my previous explanation of what they seem to want like this, “what all they're asking of you beyond the cleanings (something also about (moving) bedroom furniture??) but overall it sounds like they just want to do a lot of stuff to that apartment and are hoping they can make you pay for it, because they're mad about how much the water repair/mold abatement cost.”
Additional context - As they requested, I’ve paid the rent with cash and never collected receipts, dumb. They believe in liberty and conspiracy theories about the validity of the US income tax system and avoid paper trails. I can’t know what they do with the cash, and it’s not my business. Feel free to draw any conclusions. This is why they won't want any payment records.
I might sign a lease for a new apartment tomorrow and give my landlords 30 days' notice to move out. I have been holding on to my cash payment for October, and it’s officially late. They have no damage deposit, by the way making cash payment even a worse idea.
We have to live in the same house for a little while, and I go through their living room to get to my place, making it hard to avoid them. I won’t have a difficult discussion in person about why I require my payment to be sent electronically. I’ll address this in writing from a distance first, keeping it professional and documented. I don’t have any bank info, but I would like to send a transfer tomorrow using their email address through PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle. If they don’t have whichever service I send it through, they can still take the payment by signing up for that service.
If I do this unsolicited money transfer, it will likely make them angry, and we still need to share their house. They have not been cooperative, and their terms have been “their way or the highway” full stop. When I have been assertive and advocated for myself, they come back with a silly demand. When I’ve tried to openly communicate something productive, I get rude messages about some new whim and expectations.
I need to proactively influence things and get more control over my tenant rights than I’m being allowed.
I want this done and over and to properly cover my ass in the event they continue to try to get money from me.
Is this transfer a terrible idea? Can anybody suggest which app may be better for sending a payment without having complete bank info? I think I found a PayPal account which is attached to a good email address.
Examples of bizarre expectations: This is mainly about my clutter, clothes on the floor, and a dirty bathroom. It is very unlikely my clutter had anything to do with the mold, but she claims I must pay for four professional deep cleanings at $250 each = $1000 in a brief period to get the apartment back in good shape. This is a 600 sq. ft. place without a kitchen or appliances, and that is not a cleaning quote based on reality. This cost is after the mold was already removed and paid for by them. They took my couch with a promise of quickly replacing it with one they have at a relative's house and now refuse to do so, and if they do bring it over, I must pay to move it. They told me I had to coordinate and remove old bedroom furniture they previously had plans to replace. I’m not an indentured servant.
Tl:dr – somebody summarized my previous explanation of what they seem to want like this, “what all they're asking of you beyond the cleanings (something also about (moving) bedroom furniture??) but overall it sounds like they just want to do a lot of stuff to that apartment and are hoping they can make you pay for it, because they're mad about how much the water repair/mold abatement cost.”
Additional context - As they requested, I’ve paid the rent with cash and never collected receipts, dumb. They believe in liberty and conspiracy theories about the validity of the US income tax system and avoid paper trails. I can’t know what they do with the cash, and it’s not my business. Feel free to draw any conclusions. This is why they won't want any payment records.
I might sign a lease for a new apartment tomorrow and give my landlords 30 days' notice to move out. I have been holding on to my cash payment for October, and it’s officially late. They have no damage deposit, by the way making cash payment even a worse idea.
We have to live in the same house for a little while, and I go through their living room to get to my place, making it hard to avoid them. I won’t have a difficult discussion in person about why I require my payment to be sent electronically. I’ll address this in writing from a distance first, keeping it professional and documented. I don’t have any bank info, but I would like to send a transfer tomorrow using their email address through PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle. If they don’t have whichever service I send it through, they can still take the payment by signing up for that service.
If I do this unsolicited money transfer, it will likely make them angry, and we still need to share their house. They have not been cooperative, and their terms have been “their way or the highway” full stop. When I have been assertive and advocated for myself, they come back with a silly demand. When I’ve tried to openly communicate something productive, I get rude messages about some new whim and expectations.
I need to proactively influence things and get more control over my tenant rights than I’m being allowed.
I want this done and over and to properly cover my ass in the event they continue to try to get money from me.
Is this transfer a terrible idea? Can anybody suggest which app may be better for sending a payment without having complete bank info? I think I found a PayPal account which is attached to a good email address.
Examples of bizarre expectations: This is mainly about my clutter, clothes on the floor, and a dirty bathroom. It is very unlikely my clutter had anything to do with the mold, but she claims I must pay for four professional deep cleanings at $250 each = $1000 in a brief period to get the apartment back in good shape. This is a 600 sq. ft. place without a kitchen or appliances, and that is not a cleaning quote based on reality. This cost is after the mold was already removed and paid for by them. They took my couch with a promise of quickly replacing it with one they have at a relative's house and now refuse to do so, and if they do bring it over, I must pay to move it. They told me I had to coordinate and remove old bedroom furniture they previously had plans to replace. I’m not an indentured servant.
The chances of this causing drama and making your living situation worse are high. The chances of “we don’t keep records” people who want you gone taking you to court over unpaid rent seem very low.
Just pay them what you’ve always paid them how you’ve always paid them and move on ASAP.
posted by knobknosher at 1:11 AM on October 5 [3 favorites]
Just pay them what you’ve always paid them how you’ve always paid them and move on ASAP.
posted by knobknosher at 1:11 AM on October 5 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: The chances of this causing drama and making your living situation worse are high.
Yeah, the correlation with unsavory (antisocial) behavior has to be a high one. These peopl are self absorbed and refusing to pay taxes is highly entitled stuff. There have been more things they have done that seem to be products of their imagination and getting their way.
OK, one last thought, is there any really good way to document sopmething about having cash on hand and ready to go if unable to get a reciept or record for the landlord?
posted by Che boludo! at 1:30 AM on October 5
Yeah, the correlation with unsavory (antisocial) behavior has to be a high one. These peopl are self absorbed and refusing to pay taxes is highly entitled stuff. There have been more things they have done that seem to be products of their imagination and getting their way.
OK, one last thought, is there any really good way to document sopmething about having cash on hand and ready to go if unable to get a reciept or record for the landlord?
posted by Che boludo! at 1:30 AM on October 5
Not sure what your update question is getting at. If they don’t give you a receipt/ don’t want to have a paper trail they also can’t prove you haven’t paid. Pay them however you have normally paid them.
They want you gone, you want to be elsewhere. They don’t have a deposit to screw you out of. The only thing they can do is hold your possessions ransom. By stashing documents, valuables and any devices you don’t carry around with you out of their reach you’re minimising how much damage they can do here. Take that kind of stuff and ask a friend to hold onto it for you until you move into your new place.
posted by koahiatamadl at 2:08 AM on October 5 [3 favorites]
They want you gone, you want to be elsewhere. They don’t have a deposit to screw you out of. The only thing they can do is hold your possessions ransom. By stashing documents, valuables and any devices you don’t carry around with you out of their reach you’re minimising how much damage they can do here. Take that kind of stuff and ask a friend to hold onto it for you until you move into your new place.
posted by koahiatamadl at 2:08 AM on October 5 [3 favorites]
Services like PayPal trend to charge fees to get the money out of the account, so they have decent reason not to accept this.
You could prepare your own (handwritten) receipt and ask them to sign it, but that does reinforce the tension between you, and seems like a bad idea.
A photo of the cash you'll use taken beforehand plus a note in your diary (or equivalent) that you handed over the money to X at Y on date Z at time A should go a long way, even if it's not proof.
posted by demi-octopus at 2:17 AM on October 5 [1 favorite]
You could prepare your own (handwritten) receipt and ask them to sign it, but that does reinforce the tension between you, and seems like a bad idea.
A photo of the cash you'll use taken beforehand plus a note in your diary (or equivalent) that you handed over the money to X at Y on date Z at time A should go a long way, even if it's not proof.
posted by demi-octopus at 2:17 AM on October 5 [1 favorite]
If they deal in cash and avoid taxes, they won't want to spend a dime on a lawyer. Pay them as you have in the past. Give them notice. Move out. Block them on your phone after you are fully out moved in to your new place. If they ask for your new address, tell them you will send it to them when you get settled. Never send it.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 3:02 AM on October 5 [1 favorite]
posted by JohnnyGunn at 3:02 AM on October 5 [1 favorite]
I won’t have a difficult discussion in person about why I require my payment to be sent electronically. I’ll address this in writing from a distance first, keeping it professional and documented. I don’t have any bank info, but I would like to send a transfer tomorrow using their email address through PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle. If they don’t have whichever service I send it through, they can still take the payment by signing up for that service.
Unless your rental is in Fantasy Land, this isn't how these things work. You pay your rent in the manner your landlord specifies, if the two parties haven't come to a mutual agreement otherwise.
Pay your rent in cash. And then move.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 4:27 AM on October 5 [3 favorites]
Unless your rental is in Fantasy Land, this isn't how these things work. You pay your rent in the manner your landlord specifies, if the two parties haven't come to a mutual agreement otherwise.
Pay your rent in cash. And then move.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 4:27 AM on October 5 [3 favorites]
Can you write them a check? Then you have documentation in the form of the canceled check/check image. If they won't accept a check, I don't think there's any way you can make them accept a transfer.
posted by mskyle at 5:42 AM on October 5 [1 favorite]
posted by mskyle at 5:42 AM on October 5 [1 favorite]
Just pay this person like you always have and focus 100% of your future energies on getting yourself into a normal living situation. Where you have a kitchen and can be in control of your own furniture and can sign a lease and pay rent in a way that protects your rights more than someone's conspiracy nut ego.
And keep your bathroom clean. I have lived in a lot of apartments, and I have lived in some poorly maintained apartments, and I have lived messily in some apartments. I absolutely believe that the primary mold issues your unit has are not your initial fault, but I don't believe for a moment that the way you've been living hasn't exacerbated those issues and allowed them to fester and become much worse. Get out, but recognize your role so you don't find yourself in the same position a year from now somewhere else.
I've noticed you as a poster here ever since your piano question because it struck a deep chord with me personally (pun? your guess). I feel for you and your various employment woes, also something I've had history with. I am begging you to take the easiest path right now to get out of this terrible situation and focus on taking agency of your life so you can make good choices that keep you safe.
posted by phunniemee at 5:55 AM on October 5 [5 favorites]
And keep your bathroom clean. I have lived in a lot of apartments, and I have lived in some poorly maintained apartments, and I have lived messily in some apartments. I absolutely believe that the primary mold issues your unit has are not your initial fault, but I don't believe for a moment that the way you've been living hasn't exacerbated those issues and allowed them to fester and become much worse. Get out, but recognize your role so you don't find yourself in the same position a year from now somewhere else.
I've noticed you as a poster here ever since your piano question because it struck a deep chord with me personally (pun? your guess). I feel for you and your various employment woes, also something I've had history with. I am begging you to take the easiest path right now to get out of this terrible situation and focus on taking agency of your life so you can make good choices that keep you safe.
posted by phunniemee at 5:55 AM on October 5 [5 favorites]
Pay your rent the way you always have, follow up with a text or email or other record documenting the paid rent if you want, and focus on moving out. Spending your energy convincing your landlords to sign up for and accept payment from (payment service of your choice) seems unwise at this point.
posted by Stacey at 8:20 AM on October 5
posted by Stacey at 8:20 AM on October 5
A cashier's check could be a good option
posted by matkline at 8:23 AM on October 5 [4 favorites]
posted by matkline at 8:23 AM on October 5 [4 favorites]
Yeah, go to the bank and get a cashiers / certified check OR go to the post office or supermarket and get a money order. That way they are paid, you have a paper trail but the government isn't going to track it. It's the same as cash but you can document that you obtained it and I think you can document that they cashed it?
You can't send someone money via Venmo or Zelle unless they have already set up an account. There is no way to send it if they don't have the account / app. So that's not going to work anyway. Just go old school and get a money order or a certified check.
posted by mygothlaundry at 2:28 PM on October 5 [1 favorite]
You can't send someone money via Venmo or Zelle unless they have already set up an account. There is no way to send it if they don't have the account / app. So that's not going to work anyway. Just go old school and get a money order or a certified check.
posted by mygothlaundry at 2:28 PM on October 5 [1 favorite]
Everything else aside, if someone owed me money I would not appreciate it if they tried to force me to set up a Venmo, PayPal or Zelle account in order to take possession of the funds. I would not feel obligated to do this especially if we already had an existing history of cash payments.
posted by veneer at 5:08 PM on October 5 [2 favorites]
posted by veneer at 5:08 PM on October 5 [2 favorites]
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
not condoning anything or trying to be complicit, but trying to mitigate the level of potential conflict, paying taxes really, really pisses the landlord off. Might one of the payment apps be less likely to aggravate a person like this? Could doing this result in serious issues for me?
Lessons learned - I am never getting involved in anything with these kinds of stakes again in such a casual way. I am not mixing money and friends ever again.
posted by Che boludo! at 12:58 AM on October 5