What to do if a rent payment fails

Your rent payment did not go through. Here is how to fix it, calmly.

One-line goal

Understand why a payment failed and get your rent paid.

Before you start

• You will need a way to pay, like a card or a bank account you have set up.
• It helps to check your bank first to make sure the money is there.

Why payments fail

A failed payment is common and usually easy to fix. The usual reasons are:

• Not enough funds. There was not enough money in your account when the payment ran. When a bank payment is returned for this reason, your bank calls it an NSF, which stands for non-sufficient funds. It just means the account did not have enough at the time.
• An expired or wrong card. Your card expired, or a number, expiry, or security code was typed in wrong.
• Your bank declined it. Banks sometimes block a payment they do not recognize, even when you have the money.

Steps

1. Expect a reminder. If a payment fails, you may get an automatic reminder to try again. This is normal and not a penalty. It is just a nudge so your rent does not slip.
2. Fix the cause. Add money to your account, update your card, or call your bank if they blocked it.
3. Retry the payment. Sign in, go to Your home, and use the Pay your rent panel to pay again. Your balance still shows what you owe, so you are paying the same rent, not extra.

What happens next

• Once a payment goes through, your balance updates right away and a receipt is created. You can open it from Payment history on Your home.
• A failed attempt does not pay your rent, so your balance stays as owed until a payment succeeds.

Avoid it next time

• Keep enough money in your account a day or two before rent is due.
• Set up automatic payments so your rent is collected for you each period. See Set up automatic rent payments.

Troubleshooting

• It is still failing. Try a different card or bank account. If it keeps failing, call your bank to ask why, then message your property manager so they know you are working on it.
• Was I charged twice? A failed payment does not take your money, so you should not be out of pocket for it. If you see two charges that both went through, open Payment history to check, and tell your manager so they can sort it out.
• Will I get a late fee? That depends on your lease and your landlord. If a failed payment made your rent late, reach out to your manager and explain. Paying as soon as you can helps.