LockedRental Assistance Payment Question

One of our ward members needs help paying her rent this month. Her landlord only accepts online payments. Consequently, it looks like we're going to have to write the check in her name so that she can deposit it into her checking account and then pay her rent online. I know we generally shouldn't write this type of checks in a member's name. What's the best way to handle this matter?

Hilohi wrote:What's the best way to handle this matter?

We have had someone else pay the rent (bishop's counselor, EQP, RSP) and reimbursed them.

In on-line payment systems I've used, there's an option to print the receipt Depending on the computer, it can be printed to PDF.

Regardless of who is used at the intermediary, I'd think that receipt would be critical.

I'd also consider contacting the stake clerk for instructions. One of his duties is to train ward clerks. If he's unsure, then perhaps he can direct the question to the audit committee on what they'd look for.

I'm going through this same dilemma right now. I need assistance with rent, but my Property Management Company only deals with electronic payments, such as credit/debit cards or electronic check. Nobody is sure how to handle it, and it will be considered late after 3pm tomorrow April 3, 2022. Please advise.

Bless,
Sister Haymond

shannonhay wrote: Mon May 02, 2022 9:10 pm Nobody is sure how to handle it, . . .

You should speak with your bishop. He is the one who has stewardship over everything to do with assistance. If he does not know what to do, either the stake president or the chairman of the Stake Bishop's Welfare Council should know what to do.

Financial clerk here;
This issue came up here in Washington State with, Domuso Inc Santa Monica CA., rent processing company.

Our Church issued check was scanned into the payment system and rejected due to "invalid account number". The Domuso person I spoke with said the check had been scanned as a "Personal" check. And it needed to be rescanned by the property manager as a "Certified" check. Apparently there is also an app the tenant can use as well, when entering rent payments. So I guess the property manager or the tenant needs to know to scan as "Certified".

The Domuso rep also verified that the rent could be paid by someone else on their credit card (not in the tenants name) and that the address linked to the credit must match exactly with the information entered into the Domuso app.

I have seen issues where a landlord threatened to evict a tenant who wasn't paying their rent, even though the church was covering it every month. Their reasoning was the tenant was in violation of the lease agreement because the rent was being paid by someone other than the tenant. I did not see the lease agreement to verify, but the tenant was able to begin covering their rent by using food assistance from the church instead (a preferred action, in my personal opinion, anyway).

There are different types of check/money transfers. A common one is ACH. It's not uncommon for people to take a check, scrape the information, and turn it into an ACH transaction. But it's my understanding that church accounts block ACH. The check has to be deposited as a check (as in submitting it as a bank deposit) and not turned into some other form of payment.

It's also my understanding that the check information has to be transferred to CHQ before the check can be cashed. That used to be more of an issue with MLS since it wouldn't be transferred until a send/receive was done. But it could still come up if doing the emergency check procedure when you can't print from LCR.

You will need to speak with your bishop for assistance.

Use the the Meetinghouse Locator app found in the tools menu (waffle icon) on the ChurchofJesusChrist.org website to find the bishop's contact number if you are not a member or are less active and do not know who he is. Enter your address in the search box and then select the "Residential Ward for this Location." The bishop's name and number will be provided in the unit dialogue box.

Update,
After the first church check was rejected by scanning, then at their request, we gave them a 2nd check (I voided the first). The 2nd check has cleared! Apparently the apartment building still has a bank account. The check that cleared is stamped on the back; "For deposit only ... <apartment building name>... <bank name> .... <bank account number> .

MurdockM wrote: Fri Jun 10, 2022 6:53 pm Financial clerk here;
This issue came up here with a rent processing company.

Our first Church issued check was scanned into the payment system and rejected.

MurdockM wrote: Wed Aug 03, 2022 1:27 pm The 2nd check has cleared!

Church checks do not scan. They are business checks that require two signatures and need to be presented physically through the regular bank deposit system.