For Melissa

Melissa you seem to be pretty well informed. I have a HO who is paying their monthly assessment in small amount but is paid in full before there payment is due ... is there anything I can do about it? Nothin in any of the legal docs addresses this

Mel

As I read it the person pays on time but in like installment payments. We bill quarterly
and that is what we want. One can pay for the year, but otherwise we only want the quarterly.

Ralph,
Have you spoken to the HO and explained that this is extra work for the bookkeeper and ask the HO if it would be possible to just submit one payment by the due date? If the HO is not receptive to the idea or is offended, I would just let it go and be thankful that the full payment is made by the due date. I work with the public accepting payments, enforcing rules, etc., etc. There are certain people who just drive you nuts because of what they do or say. I just accept it and move on. It's just part of the job. The bookkeeper just needs to exercise some patience and accept that some people cause you extra work. Maybe this is the only way the HO can stick to a budget.

Just a thought, do you believe the HO does this to antagonize because of some conflict between the Board and the HO? Some people will do things like this to make a statement. Just wondering.

I think the Ho is doing it to make a statement. They got PO'd at a previous Pres. I think they can afford a full payment but I don't know.

As Treasurer for a self managed Association, it takes approx. 15 minutes to process a single check.

Pick up mail - 5 min (varies depending on how far away the drop box is)
Open envelope - 5 seconds
endorse check - 30 seconds to 1 min (locate stamp, stamp check, put stamp away)
fill out deposit slip - 3 min (varies depending on number of actual checks but time to tear deposit slip from book, put book away, fill out deposit slip, verify math)
Enter into ledger - 3-5 min (varies depending on how ledger is maintained - paper or electronic)
Take deposit to bank - 5 min (varies depending on how far away the bank is)

Additional 5 min or more if letter needs to be written about account balance.

Mind you, actual costs vary.

When we used a bookkeeper to assist the Treasurer, we paid them a flat monthly fee. Therefore, there was no actual additional costs incurred to the Association and the time utilized was not relevant.

Now that I, as Treasurer, have absorbed those duties, there is still no actual cost to the Association (except perhaps for the deposit slips) but there is time spent by me. Realistically, when doing a stack of checks (as we pay monthly) having one more to process isn't really noticed and the only real additional time would be the extra ledger entries.

ditto times 1 trillion!

I don't either. I check the mail twice a week. If there are only a few checks, I endorse them and hold them until the next time I check I the mail. I do make at least 1 deposit a week (unless I'm on vacation)as we try to meet our obligation to the Reserves early in the year. This can leave the operating account a little lean until around July.

Personally, we are happy with owners who pay and are willing to work with them to ensure that... after all it is their association. Maybe this HO doesn't trust themselves to keep the amount in their bank until the full amount is due - maybe they like to take a portion of each weakly check and pay. Has anyone asked the HO why or talked to them about this ?

Additionally, there are some Fedex facilities that simply refuse cash completely.

however, they WILL accept cash at 'final checkout' even though they may have required a credit card in order to ensure payment

the limit on denomination of bills accepted is 'reasonable', just like the limit on the # of pennies counted as legal tender

most courts will rule that cash offered in tender and REFUSED will be proof of attempted payment with all the ramifications of such - no late fees, no eviction for nonpayment, no 'cancellation', etc.

there would be a 'compelling reason' for bus drivers and subways to not DIRECTLY accept cash as the actual fare when boarding - however, the token or ticket will generally be purchased with CASH

if cash is tendered at the 'token booth' and refused then there can NOT be the crime of 'turnstile jumping'

if the register is 'down' at the store and cash is tendered and left on the counter by the clerk and the customer leaves with the goods - there is NO shoplifting

CASH, by Federal Decree, is in fact LEGAL TENDER

ps. in the olden days, in NYS, an employer required an actual permit NOT to pay in cash

this requirement was fought in the courts and ruled valid because of Federal Mandate stating '...legal tender for all...'

COMMON SENSE = COMMON LAW