# Dealing with landlord who wants rent paid in cash **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 23, 2010, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648 "2010-11-23T08:19:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/41 "2010-11-24T15:39:42Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Thanks for the information–especially the Civil Code cite, Dr Deth. > Maureen has also said that this guy put a clause in the rental agreement about repairs: if anything breaks down during the tenancy it’s the tenants’ responsibility to fix it! She says that he was supposedly biding his time, waiting for things like the heating system to conk out after she moved in, so she’d have to shell out the bucks to fix it. Chutzpah. :mad: > I asked her to give me a copy of the rental agreement; I wonder whether all the things that supposedly are in it, actually _are_ in it! Oh, my goodness. What the hell did she _sign_?? If _anything_ breaks? (I’m pretty sure if the ceiling caves in on her head that’s not on her dime.) She … did she sign this already? ::forehead cradled in hands:: She better be paying about five bucks a month in rent to be putting up with this nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/42 "2010-11-24T16:13:31Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Thanks for the information–especially the Civil Code cite, Dr Deth. > Maureen has also said that this guy put a clause in the rental agreement about repairs: if anything breaks down during the tenancy it’s the tenants’ responsibility to fix it! She says that he was supposedly biding his time, waiting for things like the heating system to conk out after she moved in, so she’d have to shell out the bucks to fix it. Chutzpah. :mad: > I asked her to give me a copy of the rental agreement; I wonder whether all the things that supposedly are in it, actually _are_ in it! You’re welcome, here’s more cites on repairs: [http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/problems.shtml](http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/problems.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/43 "2010-11-24T17:51:53Z")
I agree. I don’t see any problem with cash. I prefer cash transactions too. My last roommate always paid his share of the rent in cash. Why would I take a check? That means a extra trip to the bank. I want real money in my hand. > [@EvilTOJ](#): > > I’ve had a landlord ask for cash before, because of scofflaws not paying their rent or using bad checks. However, they always arranged a day/time to pick it up at my apartment at my convenience, and always had a receipt ready to trade. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/44 "2010-11-24T18:00:32Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I agree. I don’t see any problem with cash. I prefer cash transactions too. My last roommate always paid his share of the rent in cash. > > Why would I take a check? That means a extra trip to the bank. I want real money in my hand. Most real landlords would need to deposit the cash, it’s hard to pay a Mortage with cash, or Property Taxes, or insurance or … ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/45 "2010-11-24T18:10:33Z")
I’d call the IRS and ask them. Bet their ears perk up and they ask for a name or two. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/46 "2010-11-24T20:27:44Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Meh. I have interactions with people who prefer cash. Maybe they are hiding income from the IRS or an ex spouse. If someone’s willing to cheat other people, don’t you take that as a warning that they may, in fact, be willing to cheat you too? Especially when he’s willing to do things that are also demonstrably illegal? ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/47 "2010-11-24T20:59:04Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Mine too. She may even be entitled to a reward if they collect. My understanding is that while this is on the books, they have literally never once paid out a whistle blower settlement. And all of the people suggesting she call the IRS and get them interested. . . I’d be willing to put money that their response would be, “What’s his name? Thanks, ma’am.” And he’ll probably never hear from them. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/48 "2010-11-24T22:20:13Z")
Is the owner an immigrant? Lots of them just flat out prefer cash, and because they’re immigrants, they also don’t necessarily know the law (lots of natives don’t, either). They just kind of think, “hey, I’ve got a house to rent, so I’ll rent it!” Without taking the trouble to learn the rules. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/49 "2010-11-24T22:50:49Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > My understanding is that while this is on the books, they have literally never once paid out a whistle blower settlement. > > And all of the people suggesting she call the IRS and get them interested. . . I’d be willing to put money that their response would be, “What’s his name? Thanks, ma’am.” And he’ll probably never hear from them. My Bro worked for the IRS for 20 years, and he personally saw rewards going out for informants. However, yes, if there is no reawrd, the IRS will not tell you what they did, due to the privacy Act. This **PDF** report to Congress shows that the iRS paid out $22 million in 2008. [http://www.irs.gov/pub/whistleblower/annual\_report\_to\_congress\_september\_2009.pdf](http://www.irs.gov/pub/whistleblower/annual_report_to_congress_september_2009.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/50 "2010-11-24T22:56:47Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You’re welcome, here’s more cites on repairs: > > [http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/problems.shtml](http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/problems.shtml) Heating is listed in there as one of the conditions of “habitable living” that the landlord is responsible for. Sounds like it was not legal for the landlord to make OP’s friend pay to repair it. In my county, it’s illegal for landlords to allow the interior temperature to go below 68 degrees in the winter. Our management company is lax on some things but if you report a problem with the heat they are all over it immediately and they ask us to report any such problems ASAP so they don’t get in trouble. There is also a clause in the lease stating that if anything in the lease is contrary to local laws that clause is voided. It looks from poking around that site that the same applies in CA. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/51 "2010-11-25T07:29:09Z")
> [@fluiddruid](#): > > If someone’s willing to cheat other people, don’t you take that as a warning that they may, in fact, be willing to cheat you too? Especially when he’s willing to do things that are also demonstrably illegal? Yeah, the more I read about this guy, the more I think “She needs to move. Now. Before paying another cent in rent.” I’d be scared to live in some dwelling that this guy has control over. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/52 "2010-11-25T07:33:36Z")
FWIW, Maureen lives in the City and County of Los Angeles (San Pedro has been part of L. A. City since about 1910). Besides the rental agreement, I asked her to provide me with the receipts–she says the landlord does furnish these himself on a regular basis (well, she just moved in). I want to make copies of them, for two reasons. One, so she can show them to the IRS if the situation warrants, and Two, her daughter (age 55) is something of a sneak thief–she is not a tenant of the house but lives next door. The daughter, Adelaide, has a tendency to rifle throuigh her mother’s property and throw out or give away things, and steal money. But if I have copies of the rent receipts she won’t try this–I live 15 miles away, in Gardena, and Adelaide is not allowed in my home. ---
**Author:** ![amroma00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@amroma00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amroma00)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/53 "2010-11-25T08:23:21Z")
yes with a receipt ! …amroma ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/54 "2010-11-25T15:08:11Z")
> [@](#): > > her daughter (age 55) is something of a sneak thief–she is not a tenant of the house but lives next door. The daughter, Adelaide, has a tendency to rifle throuigh her mother’s property and throw out or give away things, and steal money. Holy crap - and Maureen is keeping cash around to pay the rent? Oi. With that, a landlord who is probably scamming on his income tax, and a rental agreement where the renter is responsible for repairs, methinks Maureen is heading towards Big Trouble. Move. Yesterday. Far away from the daughter, and don’t give her a key or let her in the new apartment unsupervised. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/55 "2010-11-25T17:59:04Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Two, her daughter (age 55) is something of a sneak thief–she is not a tenant of the house but lives next door. The daughter, Adelaide, has a tendency to rifle throuigh her mother’s property and throw out or give away things, and steal money. But if I have copies of the rent receipts she won’t try this–I live 15 miles away, in Gardena, and Adelaide is not allowed in my home. There’s a word for those that steal from loved ones- \*sociopath. \* I lived in Gardena during the 60’s & 70’s. I liked it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/56 "2010-11-26T16:24:11Z")
> [@fluiddruid](#): > > If someone’s willing to cheat other people, don’t you take that as a warning that they may, in fact, be willing to cheat you too? Especially when he’s willing to do things that are also demonstrably illegal? Well, I’m cynical in my daily transactions so I would be cautious. I assume that someone is out to cheat me regardless, and maneuver accordingly. But I also know that in my business I have received piles of bad paper (and indeed I no longer accept checks at work) and I have had credit card charges that failed. To this day I have never accepted a bogus (counterfeit) bill. I know they are out there, but I’ve never seen one IRL. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/57 "2010-11-26T16:49:22Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Well, I’m cynical in my daily transactions so I would be cautious. I assume that someone is out to cheat me regardless, and maneuver accordingly. But I also know that in my business I have received piles of bad paper (and indeed I no longer accept checks at work) and I have had credit card charges that failed. > > To this day I have never accepted a bogus (counterfeit) bill. I know they are out there, but I’ve never seen one IRL. I used to work security in a bank and they had exemplars of about 20 or so different bills on display. Some of them look amazingly fantastically real:eek:, and a couple look like they were drawn by my 6 year old goddaughter:smack: ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/58 "2010-11-26T20:28:49Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > I used to work security in a bank and they had exemplars of about 20 or so different bills on display. > > Some of them look amazingly fantastically real:eek:, and a couple look like they were drawn by my 6 year old goddaughter:smack: A buddy of mine owns a bar. He has gotten some bogus bills, but in dim bar light they are passable. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/59 "2010-12-09T17:24:31Z")
So, OP, is there a update?😕 ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648/60 "2010-12-12T09:24:43Z")
Well, since then I’ve found that the owner, who lives in a duplex on the back of the same lot, has been in fact courteous and helpful–which may hint at a mitigation of the issue about tenants and fixit rules. On the other hand, he has held fast to the rule about cash, and, since I’ve found out that the rent is about $1400, this may be the overriding factor. I think the idea of a rendezvous at Maureen’s bank (or even the owner’s) as a place to make the monthly cash payments is a good idea. I personally have no authority to persuade the owner to change his policy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-landlord-who-wants-rent-paid-in-cash/561648.md?page=4)