how long does a landlord have before cashing a rent check?

Question

I may just be totally wrong and out of luck but I'm going to ask anyways. We are having this problem where we write a rent check to the agency that leases the homes we are staying in. Every now and then they will not cash the check until much later the first time it took them a month to cash it and we got hit with 2 rent payments at one time. This time we are waiting for them to take out from the check we wrote last month and they already have a check for this month. Our problem is when we write a check we expect it to be taken out at least 2 weeks after that and end up seeing money that we don't have which we use to pay other bills, putting us under and pending hot checks never knowing when they might be cashed. I know I should be taking more responsibility and watching my money closer, and we have learned our lesson and will be paying by money order now. I just feel like its not right that they can hold onto checks for 2 months and just say o were gonna take 2 months of rent out of your account now. Please no rude comments and again I realize my mistake. I guess I am asking for advice.

Answer 1

Any time you write a check, consider it gone from your account and deduct it from your checkbook (you DO keep a checkbook, correct?).



Legally, they landlord has however long he wants to deposit your check. If the check goes bad, it is your responsibility to write a new one.



Do not write checks you do not have money for. This is why you should always keep a close accounting of what checks you have written, and which checks have cleared. It is not your landlord's duty to make sure the checks clear; it is yours.



It's annoying, yes, but there is nothing you can do other than learn to manage your finances more responsibly. What I suggested above is how I manage my finances; I never pay attention to what my "available balance" is according to my bank. Rather, I pay attention to my checkbook, which has the available balance AFTER deducting all my pending checks. I have not had an NSF charge since I was about 15 and didn't know how to handle money.

Answer 2

You are going about your finances comply wrong. When you write a check you need to consider that $ gone regardless of how long it takes for the check to clear. The minute you handed over the check that is no longer your money. YOU made the poor judgment to spend money you did not have. That is 100% on you not the landlord.



When I write a check I subtract from my checkbook register immediately regardless of when the check actually clears the bank.



You cannot blame you poor bookkeeping on your landlord.



FYI checks can be cashed for 6 mo to a year depending on your specific bank's policy.

Answer 3

unless you have a disclaimer on your check they can take as long as they like

you mention that you have two rent payments at one time if the landlord delays a month to cash it

not so, if you kept track of your bank account correctly you would have already reduced your balance by the amount

obviously you don't keep track of your balance and simply spend whatever money is in the bank

Answer 4

When you write a check, you need to assume the money is simply no longer in your account. It really doesn't matter when the check is cashed; if you wrote the check, the money now belongs to someone else. I don't formally balance my checkbook, but I know exactly what is in there, since I write down every check and deposit. It's not hard to keep track of, just know that once you have written a check, that money is no longer yours, whether its in the account still or not.

Answer 5

Have you tried jut asking your landlord to cash the check within 10 days of receipt? Or pay by Cashier's or Bank check. Those cost a couple of dollars but are cheaper than an overdraft charge.

Answer 6

In my checking account I find a few people take months to cash their checks. After two years I treat them as lost and spend the money on other things. But I still have a responsibility to replace that check when asked (minus any stop payment charge my bank may make me pay). If you choose not to balance your account then at least keep track what you have written somehow.

Answer 7

what do you care?



all that matters is you have a record of the date when you sent/gave it (and preferably a receipt)



What to DO need is to learn how to keep your personal finance accounts, so you would KNOW the cheque aint been cashed and make sure you dont spend the money

(if you dont spend it then it MUST be available when the cheque IS cashed)



easy way - just keep a spreadsheet of income and bills, then just check the spreadsheet agrees with your bank account on a weekly basis. Any cheque not cashed just add it to next weeks bills and make sure there is enough in the account to cover it and other bills



(aint anybody in the US heard of online banking, standing orders, direct debits or direct money transfer? These are all recorded on your bank statement . Direct money transfr is "put" into the "receivers" account within hours of sending it, so no waiting for a cheque to clear

Personally I aint given a cheque in over 10 years

I have every monthly statement going back 15 years downloaded from my bank, stored on my computer in PDF format

ANY query on a payment I can find out exactly when it was sent and the account it was sent to. Any problem then I just notify my bank cos its then their problem, and my statement is the proof)

Answer 8

I feel your pain. Nobody "balances" a checkbook anymore. While it is technically "your problem" -- which it is, the other answerers would be totally screwed up as well if they looked in their account 45 days later and still saw two months of living expenses. You look online to see your money. That's just what people do.



To solve the problem...which is what you're really looking to do...you could set up a free online account, transfer money into that and pay your rent from there. That way it won't screw you up anymore.

Answer 9

Here is advice but not an answer. Once you write a check that money is gone from you don't ever count on it unless you issue a stop check on it. I don't know how long a check is good for you can find that out for yourself. Also reconcile your bank account every month and include any outstanding checks, that will prevent your idea of having two payments at once.

Answer 10

Your landlord does not have to cash the check right away. Checks become "stale" after 6 months and at that time, the bank can refuse to cash it. Key word *CAN*, doesn't mean the bank has to refuse to cash the check. That also means you still owe the rent and if you balance your checkbook, the money to cover the check is still in your account.

Answer 11

Money orders do not work very well and is no way to do business. Most landlords

will not accept them. You could open a checking account for paying bills,nothing more.

Answer 12

You, as a checking account holder, are responsible for balancing your checkbook and knowing how much money is available. Just because a check is "outstanding" (the term for transactions that have not cleared the bank) does NOT mean you are not responsible for making sure it's covered.

BTW, it is a crime to write a check without the funds IN THE BANK to cover it.



So, if you want to be an adult and have a checking account, then grow up and learn to balance (aka reconcile) your checkbook.

Answer 13

You should keep enough money in your account at ALL times to cover any and all checks you write. As soon as that check is written, you should consider that money GONE. You should be keeping a check register of ALL deposits and withdrawals. I suspect you are a deadbeat with many of your bills, and not very responsible, at all. Also, you should not sign up for any 'automatic' withdrawals, because they are practically impossible to stop, when needed.

Answer 14

" I know I should be taking more responsibility and watching my money closer, " true, once you write it you keep a check on what actually is in the account and what checks are not cashed so you minus those from that amount.

Where I live they are valid for 6 months, so can be put in their account within that time

Answer 15

This may seem odd to you but the Bible actually has a scriptural principle that has helped me in this same situation.Prov.22:3 says,"The shrewd one sees the danger and proceeds to conceal himself,

But the inexperienced keep right on going and suffer the consequences."

Sometimes when they wait too long we think we have extra money and start to spend,then our account was overdrawn.So what my husband and I did was open up another checking account and only put the rent money in there so we would'nt ever have this situation again.This has worked just find for us until this day.I hope this helps.

Answer 16

If you know you have the rent to pay, it's up to you to leave enough on your account to cover outstanding cheques. BUT it's a touch unreasonable not to present your cheque within a few days. We pay our rent by Standing Order so it goes out on the 1st of each month, unless that day happens to be on a weekend, or Bank Holiday. This means I KNOW when the monies are going to be leaving my account. You might consider setting up something similar. You might also consider having a separate account for your rent payments only so you don't touch it for anything other than rent.

Answer 17

Please read this: You are NOT at fault, and might be dealing with a scamming landlord.



There is no set expiration date on checks, and even a line in the memo (i.e., void after ninety days) is not necessarily honored by a bank.



Six months is the unofficial limit, beyond which a bank might not honor a check, but request a new one be issued to replace it.



Hypothetical situation: a landlord takes a check to the bank 8 months after the date. The bank might call the writer of the check to ask if it is legit. The writer says no, the bank does not honor the check, the landlord claims the tenant is in arrears and files for eviction.



The result in court might be the landlord used deceptive practices to trick the tenant- banks foreclosing on rental properties often use this tactic to trap tenants and then try to evict them for non-payment- so do crooked landlords. They won't ask for rent for six months, then request it, in the hopes that like many people, you would not have the foresight to hold on to it.



A judge might rip them a new one. They don't like people who play games.



As a tenant, if the situation is such where a landlord or owner does not cash checks (or requests them), place the rent money in a separate account- a joint account with other tenants, if that is the case. This is something you can show to a judge if a landlord is playing games. This way you can demonstrate an effort to make certain you have made the effort to cover the rent. And if a landlord or owner is playing games, they will get busted. Trust me, I had this happen in court with a sleazy foreclosure law firm. I humiliated the liars in court.



PS: I am probably overreaching on this, but they may simply (at most) be trying to get you for late fees on this. You definitely need to keep cash available for any checks you've written- I'd say minimum one year- the company might just be very inefficient. With friends/housemates, if a check is more than two weeks old I ask them before depositing it. It's a common financial mistake that people make. But I always prepare for worse-case scenarios, i.e., the possibility the landlord may be playing games.

Answer 18

They should do it before the check goes stale, but otherwise, it's on you to keep enough funds in the account.



I had a landlord in SF who let about $10K in rent checks accumulate in his junk drawer before depositing them all at once.

Answer 19

Checks are good for 6 months. I admit to being one of those people who puts a check in my wallet and forgets about it, sometimes for three months. In business, one would think that they collect all of the checks on the last day of the month, ready for deposit on the morning of the first. However, he has six months and there isn't anything you can do about it except balance your check book every month or keep track of and remember that when you write the check, that money has been spent.

Answer 20

The problem is not that of your landlord as to when to cash the check you wrote for you rent.



You need to learn how to balance your check book and not use money that is no longer available to you.



Once you have written a check to anyone, not only your landlord, this money is no longer available for your use.



Balancing a checking account is basic, you need to learn this technique so you would not find yourself over

writing checks and have no funds in the your checking account to cover the last check you wrote.



This is your problem, not that of your landlord.



How long a check is valid for would depend on the bank policy on how long they would be willing to cash a check.



I hope this has been of some benefit to you, good luck.



"FIGHT ON"

Answer 21

How about stepping into the 2017 and using instant bank transfer or BPay?

If it's such a problem, use an instantaneous payment system that doesn't rely on someone else to accept payment.

Answer 22

You answered your own question here. You need to grab responsibility by the balls and keep better track of your finances. If that money is for rent then you need to set that money aside and let it sit there until the rent check is paid.

Answer 23

Set up a separate account just for rent; put the rent money in it; and write checks from that account only.



Unless your lease specifies, there's no set date requirement for cashing cheques. (It would be reasonable to expect them to be quicker though)

Answer 24

this may seem odd to you but the bible actually has a scriptural principle that has helped me in this same situation...prov...22:3 says,"the shrewd one sees the danger and proceeds to conceal himself,

but the inexperienced keep right on going and suffer the consequences..."

sometimes when they wait too long we think we have extra money and start to spend,then our account was overdrawn...so what my husband and i did was open up another checking account and only put the rent money in there so we would'nt ever have this situation again...this has worked just find for us until this day...i hope this helps...

Answer 25

As long as he wants to take as long as the check is valid. If it messes up your monthly budgeting it's just your bad luck.

He can save up several months checks and then cash them all at once if he wants.

Your failure to manage your money isn't his problem.

"we expect it to be taken out at least 2 weeks after that ". What you "expect" is immaterial. He can cash it the next day or wait several months.

Answer 26

In Uk and I believe USA checks or cheques are vaild for six months unless cancelled. You must not spend money already committed to any cheque/check as this is spending another person's money and could be seen as fraud

Answer 27

you should keep enough money in your account at all times to cover any and all checks you write... as soon as that check is written, you should consider that money gone... you should be keeping a check register of all deposits and withdrawals... i suspect you are a deadbeat with numerous of your bills, and not very responsible, at all... also, you should not sign up for any 'automatic' withdrawals, 'cause they are practically impossible to stop, when needed...

Answer 28

Technically a check is valid up to 90 days. It can be cashed beyond that as well.



I very highly suggest you keep accurate records on your checkbook so you don't assume anything in the future.

Answer 29

how about stepping into the 2017 and using instant bank transfer or bpay?

if it's such a problem, use an instantaneous payment system that doesn't rely on someone else to accept payment...

Answer 30

You need to be using your checking account ledger and not the balance you have when you check your balance online or at the bank. You still have outstanding checks. If you keep your ledger up to date you will not have this problem.

Answer 31

6 months.

Checks are good for up to 6 months.

You need to budget better.

Answer 32

If you can't handle your bank accounts, pay your rent with money orders. Problem solved.

Answer 33

Only 48 hours in Oregon.

Answer 34

Simply ask your landlord. Sometimes it will take few days.

Answer 35

Basically as long as they want. If the check "times out", they can ask you for a new one if they didn't yet deposit it.

Answer 36

The moment he or she receives your check, consider ir cashed in.

Answer 37

Its entirely up to them - I often don't bank my salary cheques for up to six months (that's how long a cheque is valid for in the UK)

Answer 38

In your check book register...........write the check number, who to and the amount.....simple.

Then when they decide to deposit one or two checks - it will make NO difference in your register.

Answer 39

As soon as they go to the bank, so you better have funds.

Answer 40

Try

Answer 41

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