Anyone have tenants billed automatically rather than manually?

I’m new to this forum and was curious about an issue. I apologize if this is a “silly” question, but I am curious for those who have rental properties… does anyone here have their tenants enrolled in auto pay monthly via credit card or echeck?

I have an existing business where I have customers being billed automatically every month via credit card. It just makes life so much easier rather than having to deal with customers who do not pay on time etc. It would drive me crazy having to police these customers in regards to payment. Thus, my billing system handles everything on auto pilot and immediately notifies me if someone is past due, declined etc. This billing system works so well for my current business, so I was hoping this could also be applied to tenants?

Would there be any downside to having tenants enrolled in auto pay as described? I myself cannot stand writing checks every month and have all my bills paid on auto billing.

Thanks for any input.

You can do anything you want, if the tenant will accept it.

Any time you involve a third party, you complicate your business.

What appears to be streamlining, is only streamlined, if you enforce a one-size-fits-all policy of rent paying. Any deviations become a complicated nuisance.

For example, what happens when the rent comes due between paydays, and the debit is scheduled and declined during that time?

How will you handle late fees, if the tenant is on autodebit? Is the rent still late, if a debit fails to process on time, but is no fault of the tenant?

How would you “automatically” collect late fees?

For example, we don’t accept late rents without also getting the late fees. Autodebit undermines that policy.

Who pays for the NSF charge the bank wants, if the autodebit fails to process?

We don’t use autodebit. We just have a checklist. If there’s any blanks on the list after the due date, we follow up with late charges and collections. It’s simple, and we get our money faster, and more reliably than depending on several different bank’s processing policies.

FWIW

I use the subscription payment plan with Pay Pal. Its very easy to set up and the funds come out of the renters bank account or credit/debit card on the same date each month like the 1st or 3rd. The renter can stop it anytime if they know for example they won’t have the funds until the 5th that month. Its a great way to do things if you have several properties and don’t want to worry with knocking on their door every month for the funds.

Looking for the same issue solution… need help

all our tenants are set up that we utilize ACH to go into their bank account and draw out the rent each month.

I give each of my tenants a Chase deposit card. It is just like a debit card that only allows them to make deposits. They can’t check balance or withdraw money. I make their pin number their address. For example if the address is 4509 Main street the pin is 4509. That way they don’t have to remember the pin. They make their rent payments in any Chase ATM. They can’t use the excuse that they were out of town because Chase is everywhere. They get a receipt from the ATM and I can watch the rent deposits from the comfort of my family room at home using my PC.

Tropical,

Same experience as yourself from a business perspective, but havent done it that way for renters.

In the UK, my renters set up a “Standing order” the day they move in, which automatically takes out the fee of their bank account, so they dont have to remember. It’s then transferred straight to my account which means 0 fee’s.
Using paypal, you would end up paying a bunch of fee’s, but it could be worth it compared to checks and the likes.