Landlords want cash only?

Yes very fishy there. Sounds like they are more like trying to cheat the tax man. And also sounds like they are trying to find a way for you to not be able to prove you pay rent. In no way would I ever pay rent with pure cash.

Does your bank have online bill pay? If it does set up your rent payments that way. That way you'll have full proof of paying rent and the money will be taken from your account right away. That way if the landlord tries to hold on to the check and not cash it and try to say you haven't paid rent, you'll still have proof from your bank statements.

Im a Landlord and with some tenants I demand cash. The thing that most people dont understand is, I still claim the income because I write it off at the end of the year. I have so many expenses and mortgage payments that hiding rent collected in cash would be retarded. If your not sure about paying in Cash because you think he might say you havent paid rent, then you can demand a receipt. I use them all the time for the tenants that ask and for those that dont, I dont screw them over because its part of my income. Why screw over my income???

I like cash because its easier to work with half the time.

If you smell something funny, just report him/her but continue paying rent until you can get out. Dont stop paying rent, it will come back to bite you in the rear, especially in court, when the Landlord says you stopped paying rent. The judge wont care as to why you stopped because its not his jurisdiction.

When people stop paying me rent and we end up in court, I just tell the judge "they stopped paying rent or I havent collected rent for the months of blah blah blah"

Just make sure you have a rent receipt with their signature, dont accept it without one.

Good Luck!

Something is not right there. A money order is same as cash, there should be no problem with that. They should WANT the memo on there.

The only legitimate reason to ask for cash only is if you have bounced a check, even then a money order should be fine.

You need to ask them their reasoning on this. If they cannot give you a good answer then make plans to move as soon as you legally can (depending on if you have a lease or not).

EDIT: Money orders ARE the same as cash. A money order cannot bounce it is guaranteed money the same as cash. It is just as safe for the landlord and safer for the tenant.

Unfortunately, a landlord can ask for any form of payment they want. There is no law requiring them to take checks, money orders, etc. Money orders are NOT cash, nothing is the same as cash.

There is no other method of payment that guarantees you will see your money, and I've been the business long enough to see all the BS tenants pull.

That said, ALWAYS demand a receipt. If they won't provide one, there is something sketchy going on. If they won't provide a receipt, you'll have to contact a lawyer to see what you can do to be protected.

Edit: A money order can have a stop order placed on it, same as a check.

Sounds like to me they want to hide there income from the IRS. Make sure if you pay them with cash they give you a written reciept that says what it is for and get them to sign it. Other wise they could say you were months behind, kick you out and then take you to court for the so called back rent.

If your rent checks have bounced, they COULD insist that you pay by BANK CHECK or MONEY ORDER. They can't insist on cash. Call your local housing department and make an anonymous call to the IRS to report a possible tax cheat. Cheaters hurt everyone because we all have to make up for their shortage. If you give your name to the IRS, they pay a 10% bounty.

YES - You will have NO PROOF that you paid the rent. They want you to do this so they can lie/cheat on their income tax, but they could later take you to court claiming that you did not pay them. You need to move as soon as your lease allows. I don't believe they can legally demand cash. Tell them you are contacting a lawyer about this as well as the IRS and the appropriate government office.

Yes, that smells.

Do not give them cash unless they give you a receipt. Otherwise, you have no proof you've paid your rent.

Yep

Sounds like they don't want a paper trail that you paid your rent.

Tsk tsk

yes, along with everything that all the other answers stated, the owner may be in foreclosure and wanting to make sure there is no papertrail.