Pay classic or pay online, the choice is yours

Los Angeles rental market has developed quite a reputation of being slanted towards landlords. Blame it on the current economic situation, the growing number of foreclosures or decreasing home sales, the high demand for rental apartments and the shortage of available units, increasing rental rates are responsible for a great deal of financial stress that we have to cope with every month.

According to real estate tracking data, apartment rents have recorded steady growth since last year with asking rents expected to rise 3.2 percent in 2012 to $1,429 per month, while effective rents advance 4.4 percent to $1,392 per month.

In an attempt to somewhat ease the process and stand by the renter’s rights, California lawmakers voted to ban landlords from requiring online only rental payments. After hearing complaints from residents that more and more landlords are requiring rental payments to be made only online, Senator Ted W. Lieu introduced the measure that allows renters to continue paying with check or money order.

There has been much debate on the issue since 2011 when a massive group of tenants objected to the idea of having limited payment options after a property-management group notified residents of a 300-unit complex in Los Angeles that the only way they could soon pay rent was online. Just what we needed, another restriction.

“Many residents of the rent-controlled complexes are elderly, live on fixed incomes and have no computer,” Lieu said in a statement, adding that it wouldn’t be fair to put additional pressure on renters who have enough concerns on their minds as it is, and force them into investing their money in a computer, Internet access and related expenses to keep their homes.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Senate voted 37-0 to approve SB 1055 and send it to Gov. Jerry Brown for consideration. It had been previously approved by the Assembly as a consent item.

For a complete presentation of the 1055 bill by Senator Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), check out the video below:

Where do you fall in the debate?  How do you pay your rent each month? Vote in our poll!

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