A tenant in Texas is reportedly at odds with their landlady after allegedly being told they must go to Walmart and pay their rent in full with cash. The dispute reportedly started when the tenant’s online payment was rejected due to a $1.90 shortfall, after which the property manager blocked them from making future payments online. To make matters worse, the tenant says they are disabled, making the required in-person payment trip even more burdensome.
Going by the username Dumpsterlabubu, the tenant shared their frustration on r/Renters, explaining how they have a “federally recognized disability” and don’t leave the house. “I would have to take the bus to Walmart every month with $1,299 in cash on me. Absolutely not happening, for a plethora of reasons,” they wrote, and hundreds of Redditors agreed, many accusing the landlady of being in the wrong.
One person pointed out that this all might have been an automated process that occurred when the renter’s payment didn’t go through. Though Dumpsterlabubu refuted the claim, saying the instructions to visit Walmart were typed out and sent directly by their property manager.
Many Users Questioned Why Would the Owner Ever Require the Tenant to Pay in Cash
As for paying in cash, multiple commenters called out the owner as being “shady.” “I have literally never heard of paying rent in cash. That sounds like such an opportunity for chaos,” remarked a user. Another claiming to be a landlord chimed in, saying, “A landlord can not force you to pay in cash, as a landlord I highly recommend you don’t pay in cash.”
Some wondered whether this was all a scam, which Dumpsterlabubu, again, responded by saying it was indeed real. Several others questioned why their payment would bounce over $1.90. To answer, the tenant said that they made an initial payment of $1,299, but $1.90 was left on their balance. “I submitted a second payment, and they’re saying that payment bounced,” they claimed.
This wasn’t the first time Dumpsterlabubu had clashed with a landlord; they claimed to have previously won a lawsuit against a property owner. Fortunately, legal action won’t be necessary this time, as the landlady has agreed to restore their access to online payments as a reasonable accommodation under the FHA.
