We started before some of the electronic methods of rent collection and communication were around. 

I get laid into on this forum about collecting rents personally, doing yards, etc, and here is what happens when you run your investments at arms length.Everyone wants electronic payments, charging for yard work to make sure the tenant does it, everyone is doing their level best to avoid their investment and their customer.And then the tenant starts doing stuff that you don't know about and eventaully you get stuck with some huge bill and a huge pile of trash.

The majority of the section 8 rent comes in from the city electronically like clockwork leaving a small portion for the recipients to pay.  

And I'm old enough to realize that even though I don't have anything very fancy, when you look at replacing your furniture and clothing and pots and pans and bedding, let alone your electronics, it sure adds up in a hurry.I have never needed my homeowners or renter's insurance policies, but I would never be without them.  

I had to pay the downpayment, I purchased all the furniture, all the electronics, all the toiletries, etc. she basically has free reign over all my things. 

They can sign it electronically but in FL the landlord has to sign the lease and have it witnessed by two people if the lease is for more than one year.

My one idea was to implement electronic payment, although they were not comfortable with it, and preferred the check payment method.

Just a suggestion for future rents: have you considered electronic payments?

You can apply, complete a lease, sign the lease and pay the deposit all electronically.  

They shouldn't have an NSF Fee for electronic payments as worst case it would be a credit then debit from their account as it shouldn't be treated as a returned check by their bank.