Why do Residents consider it rude for a Manager to ask a Resident whose account is delinquent when to expect the rent to be paid?

Do Residents think that paying rent is an option under the Lease Agreement? For the past several months, I think I may be laboring under the assumption that Management has no right to even ask or remind a Resident that rent has become past due.

Chronic late payers need to be corrected in their thinking that paying rent late does not matter to the “Big Bad Management Company” who has all the money in the world. Even if they do have all the money in the world, that isn’t the point. Delinquent payers CAN cause a Management Company to delay payments to vendors, put off capital improvement projects, even scrap a plan to replace outdated appliances for the quarter when collecting rent is THE paramount goal for the onsite Office team.

Recently, spurred by this topic, I suggested some “creative” ways for Residents to scrape up the money to make it through another month. While directing concerned residents to the obvious sources: United Way agencies, township offices, Trustee Offices, churches, and other local charitable organizations, I was also wondering if there are other ways worthy of consideration.

 How about:

1.       Payday Loans (One manager I know has used this successfully at his property. I don’t know how that ultimately helps a resident in the long run, but it can keep a roof over one’s head for a month or two.)

2.       Get a second job! (Even I have done this when I needed to meet a financial obligation such as paying off a bill or wanting to go holiday shopping.)

3.       Borrow from a friend or relative (I’m surprised by the number of residents who claim they can couch surf at their friend or family member’s home but would rather spontaneously combust than ask for any kind of financial support/help.)

4.       Pawn something, anything (Maybe this is awkward to suggest? However, I’d rather pawn something I could possibly get back in the not-too-distant future than pay late fees and face eviction.)

5.       Sell stuff on Craigslist (I love hearing a resident say indignantly that no, they wouldn’t even consider such a thing. Hello? It’s just stuff. Sometimes buying too much stuff is what gets people into trouble. Not always, of course, but sometimes.)

If your resident has lost his job, then of course they should immediately seek assistance with applying for unemployment benefits, job training programs, and applying for food stamps. No matter what the statistics may say about how our country has recovered from the Great Recession, I can tell you that in some areas of the Midwest, where the industry is all service-related and not auto/factory/professionally geared, remnants of the recession affect the economy still and LAY OFFs are looming. This topic needs to be addressed before the holidays roll around again.