Rental contract, background, and payment methods?

[Brandon Cooper]

Entering the rental business and I have a few questions regarding the following items: Contracts, backgrounds, and payments.

Do you come up with your own contracts or outsource them, i.e. lawyer, contract service, etc

How do you perform backgrounds?

Accepting payments? Whats the norm? long ago when I was a renter I mailed my payment check to the landlord. Is this still the most popular way?

Thanks, you are all awesome!

[Shawn Thom]

I have one renter that loves PayNearMe for paying rent. Check out BP's affiliate link Here for a discount setting that up with no set up fee. Renter will pay in cash at 7-11, ace cash express and maybe a few other places. It cost them $3. You get an email about 5 minutes later that its paid and it goes into your account a few days later.

I have others set up on erentpayment.com. It drafts their account monthly for rent. I pay $3 for that. I like this one because the renter has to go through me to stop or change the draft.

I'd suggest online methods of some sort for payments. No need to drive to the PO box or go deposit the checks. Additionally it has all the reports online so you can keep payment history etc.