The purpose of Contentment Place Communities Corp (CPCC) rent collection policy is to establish consistent procedures and guidelines to be applied to each and every tenant with respect to collection of rent.
CPCC will vigorously pursue timely rent collection. Specifically:
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1. Rent is payable in on or before the first day of each month by personal check, money order, certified bank check, direct deposit, or payment through Zego (PayLease). Cash will be accepted, but this payment method is discouraged. Cash payments must be made during management agency’s office hours in hand to an office staff member and will be immediately receipted. Such receipt will be signed by both tenant and office staff member, with copies to tenant and management agent. Rent may be paid at any time before the rent due date.
2. Rent received after 4:30pm on any day is considered received on the next regular business day. Rent received on a weekend or holiday is considered received on the next regular business day.
3. The tenant may request a delay in rent payment not to exceed 14 days. Such request must be approved by the management agent prior to the date that rent is due and will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances.
4. If all or any part of the monthly rent payment is received after 4:30pm on the sixth of the month, then the unpaid rent shall be declared delinquent.
5. In the event that a tenant shall fail to pay all or any part of the rent within thirty (30) days of its due date, CPCC may impose a fee of $25.00 for failure to pay rent when due. In addition, CPCC may charge interest in accordance with applicable laws and within the terms of the lease.
6. The tenant shall be charged each time a check is returned for insufficient funds. [Note: the amount charged will be only what CPCC is charged from the bank]. If two checks are returned for insufficient funds in any twelve-month period, personal checks will no longer be accepted for rental payments.
7. If a tenant fails to pay all or any part of the rent by the 7th of the month, CPCC will declare the rent delinquent may issue a Notice to Quit (except for #3 situations). Before issuing such a Notice, except where the tenant is habitually delinquent in paying rent and has had an opportunity for discussion within the prior six months, CPCC will provide the tenant with an opportunity to discuss the reason for nonpayment. Habitually late shall be defined as three (3) late payments within the last six (6) months.
8. Upon expiration of the Notice to Quit, CPCC will serve a Summary Process Summons and Complaint on tenant and file the action in a court of appropriate jurisdiction. The tenant is responsible for costs include court filing fees, constable costs, and moving/storage costs in eviction actions commenced on account of tenant's nonpayment of rent. If the parties execute an Agreement for Judgment, the authority will negotiate for tenant payment of all costs.
9. If tenant shall have shown good cause for late payment to CPCC and if CPCC and the tenant shall have entered a repayment agreement, CPCC in its discretion may waive the $25.00 late fee and interest, if imposed. By waiving the late fee and/or interest and entering into a repayment agreement, CPCC shall not have condoned tenant’s breach of tenant’s obligation to pay rent and CPCC shall retain the right to issue a notice of termination of the lease to bring eviction proceedings against tenant and to collect arrearages, constable fees, and costs on account of tenant’s failure to pay rent when due.
10. When management or a tenant properly terminates the lease, and tenant leaves between rent payment dates, the rental amount will be adjusted proportionally. Rent for any fraction of a month of occupancy at the beginning or end of a term shall be charged on a pro rata basis.
11. Any rental monies paid by the tenant shall be applied to the oldest month for which balance is still owed.
12. The tenant's lease and /or state regulations may contain additional provisions regarding rent payment and collection.
Adopted by CPCC Board April 28, 2022.