“I own rental property in Logan Heights and southeast San Diego in some pretty rough neighborhoods. I’m sick of all the bounced checks and related delays. I have a mortgage due every month whether they pay me or not. So I’ve decided to require cash-only for rent, but somebody told me that’s not legal. That doesn’t make any sense. Is that true?”
***ANSWER:
On January 1, 2005, it became illegal for owners and managers of apartments in San Diego to require cash payment for rent, with one exception:
If the tenant bounces or stops payment on a check, you may require cash, provided you give written notice the check bounced and state the time period the tenant must pay cash, to a maximum of 3 months.
Note that if your rental agreement doesn’t give you this right, you must give the tenant a “Notice of change of Terms of Tenancy”. There are additional rules that apply, so talk with your landlord-tenant attorney.
