Online payments are no longer the way of the future.
They’re the way of the present.
If you’re still paying rent in-person, you’re making your life harder than it needs to be.
Online rent payments save tenants time and effort while keeping automatic digital receipts.
There are a lot of reasons online payments are the best option for paying rent.
So, if your landlord offers this option, it’s something you should take advantage of.
Let’s look at eight of the top reasons below.
#1: Recurring payments
With checks and cash, you must remember to pay rent every month. This increases the chances of a late payment. Everyone gets busy or forgets what day it is from time to time. But you don’t want that momentary lapse to cause a missed payment.
Most electronic forms of rent collection allow you to put recurring payments in place. This makes your life easier and helps ensure you won’t miss any payments.
#2: Record-keeping
When it comes to checks and cash, you have to keep your own records. This is burdensome and can cause issues if you forget to get receipts or track specific payments.
Rent payment online takes care of record-keeping for you. Every transaction creates a digital receipt, so that you can see the time and date you paid rent. This on-going “paper trail” makes it easy to go back and see your rent payment history in depth.
#3: Settling disputes
The use of an online payment method makes it simple to settle possible financial disputes. Sometimes landlords forget tenants already paid them and sometimes tenants think they paid when they didn’t. Automated record-keeping as described earlier makes it easy for everyone to access the software and figure out what needs to happen next.
Most property management software allows for online tenant portals, which makes it easy to check payment history and communications around said payments.
In this portal, you’re able to check payment histories, due dates, dates paid and remaining balance (if one still exists). This automated thorough history of everything related to payments leaves little to no room for interpretation.
#4: Better security and safety
The process for delivering a rent check or money order to your landlord can be burdensome. Sometimes, it may require taking time off work, dropping off a check at odd hours or asking a friend for assistance when you’re out of town. For tenants with disabilities or illnesses, it may involve extensive coordination every single month. Online rent removes many of these obstacles and helps tenants avoid safety risks inherent with some of the potential circumstances we just mentioned.
While hackers are always a concern in the digital world, online banking and bill paying are more secure than other forms of payment. According to this Identity Fraud Consumer Report Study, researchers conclude consumers should use electronic statements and online bill payment options whenever possible.
Complex passwords for online payments and a commitment to changing your password often are important parts of enhancing security as well. That said, paying rent online eliminates the chance of bank information getting in the wrong hands, which can happen when a mailed check doesn’t get delivered to the right location.
#5: Better credit
There are lots of advantages to improving your credit score. A good score can help you get a lower interest rate for financing a car, a mortgage for a house, or other large purchases. Rent payments are typically peoples’ largest monthly payments, so that can have a significant impact on your credit score.
However, you have to report your rent payments for them to count toward your credit score. Paying your rent in and of itself won’t impact your score. Read our article here on how to report your rent to build better credit if you want to learn more.
#6: Flexibility
Imagine you’re out of town with friends. It’s been a long week and you decided to go on a little road trip. You’re excited. You’re at a restaurant you’ve always wanted to visit. The weather is splendid. Then you get a text reminder that rent is due. And you forgot to send the check and didn’t set up a time to give your landlord the cash. What a nightmare.
In that same scenario, if you’re able to pay rent online or have automated payments set up, then you’re good to go. The trip is going to be a blast and you don’t have a thing to worry about when it comes to paying rent on time.
The flexibility of online payments is one of the greatest benefits of this method of payment. There aren’t any geographical or time constraints to cause late payments.
#7: Payment reminders
We’ve mentioned notifications and reminders in this article, but it deserves its own section.
Landlords don’t want to hear excuses like the dog ate your rental payment. And rent reminders help avoid these sticky situations. If you have the option, it’s in your best interest to set up reminders and notifications even if you have automated payments set up. It doesn’t hurt to double-check that everything is still working the way it should be.
If you’re working with property management software like Innago, these reminders alert the tenants when the rent payment is due. Paying rent on time isn’t just good for your credit history and avoiding late fees, it’s also important for your reputation as a tenant. The more landlords there are that speak highly of you, the more flexibility you have for where you can live in the future.
#8: Increased options for payment
Online payment often allows you different ways to pay your rent. Many property management platforms offer options like stripe (credit/debit cards) and Dwolla (ACH). If you can, it’s worthwhile to pay the way your landlord likes to receive rent.
Unlike traditional methods of payment, where you had to write and mail a check or money order to the landlord, or deliver cash in-person, online payments are safe, efficient, stress-free, and incredibly reliable.
Conclusion
As a tenant, it’s in your best interest to pay rent online. These eight reasons aren’t the only reasons, but they’re some of the best ones. When you pay rent online, it’s better for everyone and it’s the way to go, if it’s an option. Just like paying rent online, here are a couple more tips tenants need to know when renting.
