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Anchor 2
C O N T E N T S important to member tenants
IMPORTANT: Lease Renewal
KEEPING YOUR COOKIE JAR READY FOR THE FIRST OF MONTH EARNS YOU STAYING POWER
LATE PAYMENT CHARGES AND PAYMENTS EXPLAINED ... AVOIDING BUDGET SURPRISE
Important Update
SmartSuites has set rent and utility on time payments as community member priority one. WHY?
The goal is to keep rent at a reasonable level while maintaining services. When members do not make funds available on time, SmartSuites cannot make debt payments to our financial sources and utility vendors. In addition, we also incur substantial time and computer systems collections expense. As, a result we must make a substantial and official adjustment to 1) late charges and 2) and now limit the the form of payment acceptable to:
1) ClearNow debiting your checking account ... cost $3 monthly
2) Your paying by credit card our online connection - cost $52 charge plus credit card processing fees.
3) You paying by personal check from your personal checking account - cost $Nothing other than usual checking account fees.
You will want to take the steps that follow if you feel you cannot make upcoming monthly on time payment of rent and utilities. These suggested steps are:
1. Review your checking account mid month and well before first of next month. Will you have total funds available?
2. Contact staff a minimum of six business days before the first of the next month if you project defaulting on rent payments. Explain your situation in detail to staff. Late charges may remain, but you may be able to protect yourself from other actions.
3. Do not block your your ClearNow account. Allow staff to notify ClearNow. Doing this might avoid ClearNow dropping you as a member and thus trigger unplanned charges and eviction proceedings.
Necessary late charges are assigned as follows
Rents are paid through a secure and protected ACH process explained below. The full monthly lease amount is due on the first of each month. A secure computer system managed by ClearNow collects funds from tenant established checking accounts ... and makes a monthly total deposit to SmartSuites. No tenant data is released.
With a funding failure, the tenant is charged as follows:
1st Time Month late charge $52. ClearNow will assign a $15 fee to be paid for checking account failure.
2nd Time Month late charges plus posted possession of property notice (eviction start)
3rd Time - Failure and late charges repeat (eviction action)
Update on making payments outside of ClearNow checking account monthly debit
Monthly rents are paid through the secure and protected ACH process explained below. The full amount is due on the first of each month. A secure computer system managed by ClearNow collects all funds from checking accounts and ClearNow makes a monthly single deposit payment to SmartSuites. No tenant data is shared.
If you are forced to work outside of the ClearNow due date, only these two form of payment are accepted to bring an account up to date:
+ Credit card payment using our official portal. Ask for access.
+ Your personal checking account check made payable to SmartSuites ... (note your suite number) left in lobby drop box.
We've paperless for rent and utility payments! Read on to learn more about ACH - Automated Clearing House
ACH (Automated Clearing House) FACTS:
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We proudly partner with ClearNow, our ACH processor based in Durham, North Carolina. ClearNow offers exceptional and secure service to all our registered community members.
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Your rent is collected by ClearNow directly through debiting your checking account at the beginning of each month. ClearNow will assist you in setting up ClearNow access to your checking account.
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ClearNow assigns you a late charge of $15 if you fail to provide sufficient funds early in the month. SmartSuites assigns an additional $67 late charge for the first defaulting month. The second defaulting month retains the same late charge of $52 plus the $15 ClearNow charge.
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By using the ACH system you save high credit card fees, purchasing multiple money orders or obtaining cashiers checks.
- You will receive an email receipt monthly directly from ClearNow.
- SmartSuites never sees your bank account data.
- Cost is just $3 monthly, added to your rent amount.
- There is no alternative to ACH ClearNow payment (except for first time move in expense, fees and late charges). All members must maintain a bank checking account (not a savings account) and maintain good standing with ClearNow.
- If you wish to explore an online check like service, you might check out online banks offering ACH access checking accounts.
- Using a credit card for move in or late fee charges will incur an added credit card bank processing fee.
- ACH processing by ClearNow is much less expensive at a monthly cost of just $3.
- Using any other form of payment, apart from ClearNow amount due will create an exception charge of $30 to $52 per incident.
- YOU WILL NEED TO COMPLETE THE CLEARNOW PROCESSING FORM EMAILED TO YOU FROM CLEARNOW AFTER MAKING APPLICATION. YOU MUST THEN COMPLETE THE FORM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. CLEARNOW REQUIRES 10+ DAYS LEAD TIME FOR SET UP. YOU MUST HAVE A BANK CHECKING ACCOUNT IN PLACE TO CONNECT WITH CLEARNOW.
Need help on uploading your bank account documentation for ClearNow?
Contact SmartSuites at info@smartsuites.us. Get set up soon and avoid credit card fees, money order and check inconvenience.
SmartSuites laundry center is furnished with new technology LG machines. Each accepts only Visa/Master credit cards. Swiping your card on any LG unit loads your laundry account prepaid to cover all or a portion of a wash and dry cycle. Look to the screen display to monitor your account.
What to expect as a secret smoker and if you are designated for Compliance Violation of SmartSuites no smoking policy
You may be contacted by administration citing your smoking violation. You are therefore subject to an immediate $200.00 charge and possible eviction.
Expect that as a smoker you have not served our community well as members expect a smoke free environment. The outside second and third floor stair landings have been a favorite site for secret smokers. Smoking at a landing site will trigger an immediate $200 violation charge to the smoker's account.
Anchor 3
Co-pay and special information and what you need to know about assistance from others:
+ SmartSuites does not participate in the Section 8 voucher system.
+ If someone other than the tenant, pays tenant rent, they become the designated responsible party and will be named in SmartSuites records and may be assigned ACH payment authorization responsibility.
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