Ok, long story short I bounced a check, landlord calls to get it resolved. I send a money order USPS and it gets lost or something....I have the money order receipt to back me up.

I'm communicating with the landlord through all this. Today, while I was out of town, he tried to contact me and couldn't reach me, and at some point apparently starting calling people trying to reach me. He knows my hometown and my name is fairly rare, so he called an aunt of mine to get my parents number, called my sister, then called my parents.

I'm trying to resolve the issue and have responded the same day with previous calls....

Uh, is there anything I can do to stop him from calling my parents/random family members? I'm not being unresponsive or evasive at all. WTF?

4/25/2009 6:20:18 PM

When you mailed the money order, did you have a confirmation code on it?

4/25/2009 6:27:42 PM

I just put it in the mail normally...stamps and whatnot.

In hindsight, I so should have done certified mail or Fedex obviously. I've never had something lost in the mail that I know of.

4/25/2009 6:30:40 PM

I'd just do it in the future with any sensitive payments.

After you get in touch with him and straighten everything out (hopefully), do bring up the fact that you were temporarily unavailable and had been consistent up to that point in communicating with him, and that your family is off limits. Do it politely, of course.

Do NOT take his word that he did not receive the payment. Because it was not a check, you'll have no way of knowing it was cashed (unless the bank can track the code on the MO, you may want to ask the bank). Instead, PHOTOCOPY THE CARBON COPY and show him the photocopy if he insists he didn't receive the MO. Also, mention the address you were provided and confirm with him. It'll be too much too late, but at least it might help clear up the details.

4/25/2009 6:40:05 PM

i don't think he's doing anything too uncalled for - maybe he took it a bit too far by calling around but he's worried he's about to be screwed out of $$

now he's made it aware that he can find you

4/25/2009 6:41:28 PM

That would make sense if I was unresponsive.

He called on Thursday to say the MO wasnt there and I called back that night after work.
He called Friday to say it still wasnt there and I called back and left a message that night after work.
He called today and left me two messages (11 AM and 1 PM) threatening eviction if I didn't pay him, and he reached me on my parents cell phone at 3 PM.

To me he's unduly being overbearing and invading my shit. I had to explain everything to my folks...call my aunt and sister and tell them everything is ok, etc.

Oh, BTW, he's just a guy renting it out independently and is in Raleigh and I'm in Charlotte.

[Edited on April 25, 2009 at 6:47 PM. Reason : ]

4/25/2009 6:46:51 PM

Did you sign a contract? You may have squatter's rights.

4/25/2009 6:56:21 PM

even if he wants to evict you, you have 30 days before you have to leave. Don't sweat it.

4/25/2009 7:08:43 PM

technically he isnt allowed to call family members...unless he's only trying to find you. he cant harass them.

the only thing a landlord can do is either apply your security deposit to the unpaid rent (i know you said you paid) they can also sue you or evict you.

they could use a collections agency to recover the unpaid rent

[Edited on April 25, 2009 at 7:20 PM. Reason : bus law class ]

4/25/2009 7:16:20 PM

If you saved the stub, try to go to the bank's website and see if there's a page for entering the tracking number that was printed on the money order. There may also be a 1-800 number on the back for you to call.

4/26/2009 1:52:32 AM

maybe you should have thought about this before you wrote a bad check

4/26/2009 12:13:41 PM

Yeah as long as he's not harassing your family, I'd say you are getting off lucky. You're the one who fucked up here. Just get him the $$ and move on. You have definitely inconvenienced him with your actions, and it appears that you think he has inconvenienced you with his.

4/26/2009 1:21:30 PM

I WOULD JUST CALL HIM AND MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO GET HIM THE MONEY

IF YOU SEND MONEY ORDER SEND IT CERTIFIED, OR DO WESTERN UNION QUICK COLLECT OR SOMETHING

4/26/2009 7:54:42 PM

I already made arrangements for payment, etc. when he called me on my parents cell.

I'm meeting him tomorrow to give him his money (for this month and the next) and politely telling him that it is not acceptable to contact my family about my personal business.

The only thing I've done wrong in this situation is bounce a check. While that is not cool....it's not that unusual to make a financial mistake like that.....

4/26/2009 11:18:17 PM

if you're referring to the rent that was due for april - paying it on the 27th should be unusual - however paying may's rent a few days early shouldn't be

4/26/2009 11:20:33 PM

Bouncing a check not unusual?

I just cannot get into the mind of some people. To think bouncing a check is OK is just beyond absurd to me. I have been writing checks for 15 years now and I have never bounced one. I know sometimes mistakes are made, but your attitude is ridiculous. Did you write this check knowing it would bounce? Or do you not have the requisite math skills taught in 2nd grade to balance a god damned checkbook?

Think of it from his position. You write a bad check. Then you supposedly send him a money order and wow, what do you know, it doesn't get there. Gee, what a coincidence. Now you have promised him the money twice and failed to deliver on both occasions. If this happened with my tennant I'd do whatever I could to get my money too.

It's unfortunate that Mommy and Daddy now know their son is financially irresponsible, but then again if you would have paid your bill right the first time..... or the second time, this wouldn't be a problem. Your landlord is not the one who fucked up here, it is you. Quit acting like your a victim, because your not.

4/27/2009 12:17:31 AM

^ easy there, tiger

4/27/2009 12:18:48 AM

I have 0 tolerance for people who can't manage their money.

4/27/2009 12:20:44 AM

^ no kidding.
tell us how you really feel

4/27/2009 12:21:40 AM

Quote :

"I'm meeting him tomorrow to give him his money (for this month and the next) and politely telling him that it is not acceptable to contact my family about my personal business."

you should fully anticipate him telling you to "go fuck yourself" if you tell him that. if some college kid started talking to me about levels of acceptableness after bouncing a damn rent check and then not sending a MO certified mail, I'd want to knock him out.

4/27/2009 12:22:13 AM

well, the landlord does w/e he feels he needs to do in order to get his money. However, that does not make it legal. Nor does it make the kid putting, in writing, that all communications must be via certified mail, and no phone calls, illegal.

[Edited on April 27, 2009 at 9:40 AM. Reason : omar: changed we to w/e]

4/27/2009 8:23:31 AM

Resolved it in person today. Told him not to call my parents, etc. and it all worked out. Showed him the money order receipt that I have, etc.

BTW, I'm not some college kid. I'm a 28 year old alum...which is why I'm shocked that he called my parents cell phone.

Sure, bouncing a check is not ok. The check was for 800 and something autodrafted from my account that I didn't expect that took it to 780. Shit happens. That doesn't exactly make me a deadbeat "can't do 2nd grade math" renter who should be looked down upon and treated like a kid.

[Edited on April 27, 2009 at 12:29 PM. Reason : ]

4/27/2009 12:29:15 PM

You should call his mom and tell her that her son is a little bitch.

4/27/2009 12:35:34 PM

Overdraft Protection. It is worth every penny, except that I get it for free from Everbank, so let's say it is worth every penny of overdraft it secures. Go, look into it now. If you must change banks to get it, do so. Some people are really good with money matters, but some of us need a little protection, and since you someone perceive bouncing a check as no big deal, then you are one of the latter and should act accordingly: Overdraft Protection, get some!

4/27/2009 12:58:30 PM