Rent payment was "lost"

[swlaman82]

What is the name of your state? Tennessee

When my roomate and I moved into our apartment in late August we paid pro-rated August rent and September rent all at once in a combination of 3 money orders. We were told told in late September that we never paid rent. It seems the money orders were "lost". The agent that we delt with told us in front of the manager that she got the money orders from us but did not know what happened to them. We have tried to track 2 of the money orders twice and have not heard anything back from them. the receipt for the other money order was accidentlay thrown away but a copy of a bank statement showing that a money order was purchased has been turned in as well. The property management is now trying to make us pay this money again. We refuse to pay money that we have already paid, plus we can not afford to pay this. we can not afford an attorney either but it may come down to it. What rights do we have in this case and what can we do and not do? if we do have to hire an attorney can we hold the management responsible for all legal fees (attorney, court costs, etc..)?What is the name of your state?

 

[seniorjudge]

You forgot to tell us the deciding fact:

Do you or do you not have a receipt showing you paid the rent?

If you do not have that receipt, then you did not pay the rent.

 

[Cvillecpm]

Legally - your rent has not been paid. Go to whereever you purchased the money orders with the bank documentation on how they were purchased and get the evidence of what happened to them.

This burden is on you. If you have a bank account, you could have easily had a bank or cashier's check issued rather than dealt with the money order situation.

In future, pay by personal check OR bank or cashier's check so that tracking is easier.

 

[Zigner]

Another angle -

Does your lease/rental agreement state how much money was paid upon execution? That could prove you paid also.