Landlord Receipts: What Are They?

There are many types of receipts and each of them is unique depending on what type of business they are used to and what industry they serve. But whether it is a bill receipt or a restaurant receipt, it only serves one purpose, which is to acknowledge something with value has been transferred from one party to another.

When it comes to a rental business, sale receipts are essential documents. A landlord receipt comes in many names. Some call it a rent receipt or a tenant receipt. This receipt is an acknowledgment of payment made by a tenant. Typically, it is in the form of cash but can be for cards and physical checks too to show that the tenant paid on time. A receipt commonly consists of the property address, payment source, landlord’s signature, and most importantly the amount paid.

A report published by United Nations found that 3.6 million eviction cases each year are filed in the United States on average. This results in approximately 1.5 million eviction judgments annually. There are many factors affecting eviction. It is a cause and consequence of poverty. Housing costs also contribute to why the eviction rate in the US is so bad as it is too high for poor renting households, placing them at risk of eviction.

What Are the Different Types of Receipts?

Did you know that receipts can improve your chance of getting a refund from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)? If you collect the right payment receipts, you can lower your taxable income and increase your potential for a tax refund. A great place to start is ransacking your home on a mad hunt to cull all those receipts from business trips, work lunches, and any other necessary expenditure when the deadline to file taxes is nearly approaching. To be more acquainted with what receipts to keep and not to keep, here are the different types of receipts that you should be more familiar with.

Donation Receipt: The quickest way to answer why donation receipts are important is to say that it is for proof that a person donated something with value. Just like an acknowledgment letter, you can state who donated for a certain fundraiser, foundation, church, and other causes. The same goes for acknowledging what a certain gift is for. Documenting donations must be taken seriously to avoid scams. Donors might be shocked where their cash or in-kind charity went when the recipients did not actually receive the donation.Restaurant Receipt: In general, receipts are primarily made for products that are sold by a vendor to a customer. Usually, it is consists of the number of items (quantity) multiplied by the price per unit. A restaurant receipt is a crucial accounting record as it serves as evidence that a transaction happened. That is why restaurants issue receipts as proof of purchase of their product or service. Based on a report published by Restaurant.org, there are more than one million restaurant locations across the US, and it was projected to generate $899 billion US dollars in 2020.Monthly Rent Receipt: Giving out receipts is not just a vendor-consumer thing, it is also issued in business-to-business transactions, stock market dealings, and even in the renting process. Furthermore, a monthly rent receipt is issued to document rent payment between the lessee and the lessor. It contains important information like the amount of rent, the date of payment received, and the method of transaction. In some places, employees present a monthly rent receipt to their HR officer to avail of a house rent allowance.Children Care Receipt: Daycare and child care centers offer special services to take care of the young in case their parents are still away or busy with work. And after the company renders such services, they will eventually issue official receipts to the parents. Thus, child care receipts are what child service centers put into writing to confirm the parents’ payment of the given services.Insurance Receipt: An insurance receipt refers to the receipt form given to the person whose payment will proceed to insurance. And it is a useful tool to prove that one’s payments did not go wasted but actually went to their insurance coverages. Expect the insurance receipt to tackle the account holder’s name, payment amount, balance, serial number, and more.Service Receipt: A service receipt is one of the most important documents used by businesses that operate and offer services to clients. This printed or handwritten document confirms that a service provider has rendered a valuable service to a client. Also, service receipts are reliable proof in financial transactions because they contain the details of how much the services cost, what specific services were given, and so much more.Vehicle Sale Receipt: A vehicle sale receipt is a basic document used as proof of payment when a customer purchases from a car dealer. If the buyer deals with a private seller, then a vehicle private sales receipt will be used. Just like any official receipt, the vehicle sale receipt displays the title, payment amount, serial number, etc. But, car sales include the car description, add-ons information, sales tax, and more.Delivery Receipt: As a business transaction, food delivery services issue delivery receipts as proof of purchase. It usually contains relevant details used during the transaction such as the merchant’s business name, location, contact information, receipt number, and date of purchase. Additionally, the receipt contains some of the customer’s information like name, address, and contact information. Other details are included depending on the business.Hotel Receipt: Anyone working in hotels is familiar with hotel receipts. Their personnel creates these documents in the first place to provide every guest with a copy. First of all, a general receipt refers to any document acknowledging completed transactions. This itemized sheet contains the critical transaction details—payment amount, item description, date of purchase, you name it. When it comes to a hotel receipt, it is the receipt specifically for hotel transactions. Indeed, this form contains evidence if guests completed their payment for the room accommodation. The same goes for other services that were availed during their stay. And as a protocol, the staff must present a valid receipt when a guest checks out.

How to Make a Landlord Receipt

If there different types of receipts, it means there is no one way in making one. Many methods are used to make receipts. That includes using a template. If you do not want to start from scratch, you can get a template from our collection. The advantage of using a stencil is it promotes consistency to your document. It also saves you time. Browse through our website and discover an array of ready-made templates. Click the download button and start editing your template. The steps below will help you modify your receipt template into a working landlord receipt.

Step 1: Collect the Payment

Collecting payment will depend on what the landlord and tenant agreed on in the lease contract. For rent, it should be collected once a month. When it is time to pay the rent, you can send a notice or billing statement to the tenant. It will remind them of their due. Once they have paid the bill, you can send them the receipt.

Step 2: Include the Tenant Details

To make a receipt complete, it must contain tenant details. This includes the tenant’s name, contact information, location of the rented property, and other relevant information. You can also include in this part business information. Do not forget to indicate the date of the last payment, amount due, and date of the payment form.

Step 3: Let the Landlord Sign the Receipt

Signing the receipt means you understand and attest that everything in it is based on facts. That why it is important to review the receipt before affixing your signature to it. You can not take it back when you have signed it. The receipt is considered official.

Step 4: Keep the Receipts

Give the tenant a copy of the receipt and save a copy for your record keeping. This is very helpful in case the tenant claims to have paid their monthly rent when they have not yet paid the current one. An official receipt can stand against the law of court too as it is a legal document.

FAQs

What are the benefits of a landlord in providing rent receipts?

There are several reasons why a landlord should issue rent receipts. This includes helping the landlord or management maintain a professional appearance. Additionally, a lease receipt helps landlords keep track of which tenants have paid and which have not. However, a receipt of payment by check does not prove that the check actually cleared. If a check is invalid, the landlord can still go after the tenant for the nonpayment of rent.

How is having a rent receipt beneficial to tenants?

For a tenant, having a landlord’s official receipts means you are current with your rent payments. If the landlord claims you have not paid, you can present a copy of the receipt you received from them. Similarly, if a landlord sues you for nonpayment or takes you to court for eviction notices, you can prove your payment by showing the receipt. Because a rent receipt shows you when rent is paid, it is a great tool when it comes to legal disputes in line with the lease.

What states require landlord receipts?

The requirements for house rent receipts are not the same in every state. Some states do even require landlords to issue lease receipts to their tenants. In Washington, Maryland, and Newyork, it is to provide receipts to tenants when they pay in cash. In other states, rent receipts are required upon tenant’s request, while others, such as Massachusetts, require rent in any situation. Moreover, there are cities that require rent receipts even if the state does not. So, check with your city’s local housing board.

Whether you are a landlord or a tenant, keeping rent receipts is a very helpful habit. The best way to get you started is by organizing your receipts from one type to another. More so, if your state allows a tax deduction for payment of rent, make sure you collect a receipt every month. To make the process easier, you can also use an online rental receipt form.