My wife and I manage a apt complex. Recently we went back east to tend some family matters. While we were gone our property manager was in our office and took our receipt book, and leger cards back to the main office with her. Why I have no idea. Any way right before we left a tenant came in to give us his rent, which was late. I gave him a receipt like always put the money order in the receipt book instead of the bank bag. When we returned we found our cards and receipt book missing. Call our PM and she stated that she took it with when she was in our office. Well now the books were done with the acct and there is no rent for this unit. The PM states she never saw it and I know 100% it was in that book. The does think it is at all possible for it to have fallen out and was lost or what ever. Now he is saying that he is going to take the rent out of our pay check. My defence to him was "if she would have left our stuff there in the office we would not be having this conversation" But she took them for no reason. My question after all of this is, can he legally take money from our check? Should he hold the PM responsable? It states in our contract that we are responsable for missing money/rent if missing or lost. But we were not there. Any thoughts? Thanks --71.56.xxx.xxx

Good luck! --12.72.xxx.xx

Sean --76.20.xx.xx

If it was a Postal Money order and the receipt copy is available, for a $3.00 fee and 3 weeks wait, you can get photocopies of the front and back of the money order if it has been cashed/redeemed. You must have the receipt copy with you when the request is placed. --66.44.xxx.xxx

Give the tenant the bad news that his rent remains unpaid, and you will need his receipt. --71.196.xx.xxx

He has the receipt I wrote him when he paid. He does not have the money order stub. Him not paying the rent is not what is in question. He has paid 100%. I just to know if the own can take it out of my pay check or not. Thanks --71.56.xxx.xxx

My point was that tenant has NOT paid, as the M.O. is lost and not cashed. Did you note on the receipt method of payment (cash, check, M.O. ?)Tenant can SAY he has no stub, then use it to file for refund while YOU pay his rent FOR him! --71.196.xx.xxx

Good luck to you! ') --71.61.xxx.xxx

Thank you for all of your feed back. To answer the two most recent reply's. The PM say's she searched everything and every where, and it has not shown up. The tenant did pay his rent, it was with a money order, the M/O # is in the receipt book and it is checked that he paid with a M/O on the 3 part receipt that I wrote out to him. The owner kind of wants to go that same way. He said I should go to the tenant and let him know his rent has not been paid according to the main offices books and that he needs to pay or come up with a money order receipt. They even mentioned taking him out through the courts if he is not paid up. I think that it is pretty f'd up of the owner and I will not lie in court. In fact I will swear on my life that he did pay it. I don't know its a mess. Still want to know if he can legally take it from my pay check with out my ok. Thanks --71.56.xxx.xxx

Your receipt book entry of which tenant has a copy, states that payment was by money order. There is ALWAYS recourse for payment in any form Other than cash. While you state that you accepted a payment in the form of a money order, the payment was not cashed and CAN be tracked and refunded by the issuer. Tenants denial of retaining stub is a convenient means of sticking the LL and ultimately YOU with the bill. He will file for refund, and since you dont't have the M.O. number you won't be able to check if its been refunded. Your steadfast defense of tenant reinforces his assumption that he has successfully put one over on "THE MAN" which will turn out to be YOU. "You're being had by your tenant buddy" --71.196.xx.xxx

When I deposit my monthly rent checks. I first put them in order by unit and separate by property. Then I photo copy all checks and money orders. Grouped by month and then year. --209.240.xxx.xxx

Thank you again for all your help. I do have the mo number, I always take that info and it is recorded on there ledger card. The number for western union is BS I can't get a hold of a live person. Does anyone know other ways to get to them quickly. Then there is the other part of my org. question no one seem to want to tell me. Can the owner legally take this rent out of my check with out my consent? Thanks --71.56.xxx.xxx

Keep your paycheck and LOSE your job......OR pay for your failure to follow policy re: securing payments. If you HAVE the M.O. # it WILL be refunded. While it may or not be your fault.....it is your RESPONSIBILITY. If were me and you continued with your attitude you'd already be in the un-employment line. --71.196.xx.xxx

With my attitude? What are talking about! I ask a simply question, and of course a get a simplton answer from some one like you. I feel I am not responsable for the lost money order to honest. There was no reason for the pm to take my receipt book, hell there was no reason for her to be at my complex. All the units are full, that was the only and last rent for the month. I was going to be gone 2 days. All phone were being forwarded to a sister complex down the road. She no reason at all to take the book. She didn't do a thing with when it eas in her position. So if it sounds to you that I have an attitude, tuff. I'm the one who is going to be out $725.00 not you or my pm. I don't know how much you make a month but that is a third of my check. So I have an attitude! --71.56.xxx.xxx