Problem with rent here in southern California?

Question

I live in southern California, we are renting a pretty high rent for something crappy in a crap area, well anyway, the only way they want us to pay our rent is using money orders or checks and sending it in the mail....We hae never not paid our rent and in Jaunary I called to see if they got our rent for January, they said no. I waited maybe 2 days and called again and they said I lost it and I am responsible....my husband and I only did what they ask and sent our January rent with a money order in the mail, I have the receipt as well. Ok, so I faxed the receipt to the properties and they are still blaming me and even charging us lates fees....I have called the place from where we got our money order, they told me it has not been cashed and I am working on a refund here. I feel that it is unfair to be blaming me and charging us late fees for something we paid for, it's not my fault it somehow got "lost" that is the only way they told us to pay our rent.

The manager of our apartments also said that this has happened to alot of other people and there rent was somehow "lost", I reported the properties to BBB, is there anything else I can do? I really think they have our rent and our waiting for us to leave so they can cash it.

Thank you for all your answers! I never heard of mail being stolen, it sure does seem like it though, I'm waiting for a check in the mail and it's been awhile.....what can you do about the mail problem?

Answer 1

Well, they can not cash the money orders later on. Once you report it lost and get a duplicate it is voided.

It sounds like you are of the opinion that the landlord purposely looses the checks so that he can charge late charges. You should find out how many of the other tenants have the same problem and if they can also back up their issues with receipts and evidence. If you have enough, you can establish a pattern. If you can do that then, en masse, you can all EACH file a small claims suit agains the landlord or the company that owns the place. That means that the landlord has to defend EACH ONE of those suits before the same judge on the same day. He has llikley lost before he has even begun.

You can sue for the late fees that you have paid, plus the cost of the lawsuit plus, if you can establish a pattern, the court can award a punitive damage.

OR.. you can all take it to a lawyer who can do the same thing for a percentage of the settlement.

In the meantime.. simply send your payment to them each month by registered mail. He has to sign for it. If he says it is lost, charge him for a duplicate. (deduct it from the rent).. just let him know up front that you are doing it.

If that works, be sure to tell the rest of the tenants... after that the lost checks will stop since it cost the land lord money.

BUT.. there has been a rash of stolen mail lately in California. The checks later turn up washed off and to new payees for new amounts. Make sure that is not the case here before you go blaming anyone.

ok.. nuff said.. good luck with your problem..

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Answer 2

You should of sent a check, then at least if this occured you could of stopped payment and wrote another check. Also you should of sent the money through usps and insured it and tracked it! Then its on the post office if it gets stolen. How can you be mad at the property office for your money order not arriving? What if you where in there shoes? You would feel the same way! But anyway, next time you send something as sensitive as money in the mail, pay a couple extra bucks and get something to protect you, ie delivery conf, insurance or signature upon delivery!

Answer 3

The tennets should get together to hire a lawyer. The threat of fraud and lawsuits should set up a better plan and prevent the late fees. The lawyer should also prevent the owner from throwing you out and you all might not have to pay the late fee.

Answer 4

I believe it. It's a pure crap!

It's time for you to own your own little home and reap the benefits.

Write to me to [e-mail].