I Messed up!

[LubeDude]

Being somewhat the Apt Manager where I work on the cars for my boss, I accepted a rent payment from one of the tennants yesterday afternoon. I have done this before, he puts the cash into an envelope and hands it to me and I give it to the owner of the appartments. This day however, I was busy and just layed the envelope on a shelf next to the door of the shop and went about what I was doing. He saw me lay it there. It was warm that day and I had the door open. There is "NO" other foot traffic in this area. Sometime durring the afternoon I think that he came back and picked it up when I wasnt looking. Anyway, Its gone. Now It looks like I took it. There was knowone else around, and knowone else would have known what it was or what was in the envelope. I will confront him tomorrow about it.

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: I Messed up!

At first I read your title as "I'm Messed up" <br /><br />But now that I see the whole story.... that sucks! I hope you figure out what happened and get the money back. I hate when stuff like that happens!

 

[11 footer]

Re: I Messed up!

I assume it was cash? That puts you in a bad spot. All you can hope for is your boss knows your honest and wouldn't screw him.<br /><br />I've been there, my dad has a lot of rentals. Once I was near one of his buildings with a friend of mine when he called me, for whatever reason. When he found out where I was he said "perfect, could you pick up so-and sos rent for me?" Well I did, the guy came to the door, saw it was me, went back inside, leaveing me in the hall. He came back with an envelope, cash inside. I never looked inside, just brought it home and put it in my dads office. The next day my dad wants to know where the rest of it is.The envelope was VERY light. My dad calls the guy, the tennet says that It was all their and "your son must have it" my dad knew I wouldn't rob him, and made that very clear to the tennet, I guess after a bit of arguing the tennet realized that he "might" have made a misstake and to "come get the rest of the rent."<br /><br />Since then whenever I'm accepting rent for someone else (always my dad) I count the money right in front of the tennet, and know ahead of time how much should be there.<br /><br />Good luck

 

[LubeDude]

Re: I Messed up!

Yes, the guy I work for knows I didnt take it, but it make me feel like an AZZ anyway. All he said was that I shouldnt have left it where he could get back to it, and thats a "Duh".

 

[Xcusme]

Re: I Messed up!

Yikes, that's really a bummer for sure. I guess if the tenant denies taking the envelope, it's your word against his. Either way , the boss will be out the bucks, if you don't stand good for it. It's a tough call, if you're more than just sure it could only have been the tenant, you could try something just as bold. Grab a webcam and temporarily mount it on the wall pointing at the door area. Make it visible but not obvious. Ask the tenant why he took back the envelope, perhaps to recount the amount , or hand it to the boss himself. Give him a way out. Mention the camera and video tape , that's why you're asking. You don't have access to the VCR, only the boss has access to it for security reasons. Walk away and leave it at that. If he was the thief, he may realize that there's more to lose, especially if he thinks he was recorded. Dropping a note in his mailbox may be a better approach, this gives him time to get his story straight and swing back with the envelope. You won't be catching him off guard with a face to face confrontation where he would have to deny anything for lack of time to think up an excuse on the spot. <br /><br />The other senario is that you're dead wrong and he wasn't involved at all. I only mention this from experience. I've been so sure that someone has done something that I refused to consider other possible options. Turns out I was as wrong as 2 left shoes. <br />It's a tough spot to be in, Good Luck.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: I Messed up!

I have no real evidence that it was him, it only seems logical. I turned the place upside down and looked under everything I could think of it could have fallen to if the wind caught it. It was full of cash and was quite heavey so the wind wouldnt have been able to carry it far. I will at least, (Being the person that I am) offer to repay it as it was my fault for leaving it there, only the right thing to do. Boy, will that set me back.

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: I Messed up!

Originally posted by LubeDude:<br /> Now It looks like I took it.

No it doesn't. <br />At least not to anyone that knows you. <br /><br /><br />However; <br />after accepting the envelope- without inspecting it first- <br /><br />you became resonsible for whatever the person who gave it to you said was in it.<br /><br />I'd be courious to see how this story ends...

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: I Messed up!

One thing is for sure LD, I wouldn't accept anymore payments. Make they go directly to the owner to make their payment. Did the tennant get a receipt? If not then you didn't get the payment. Be decietful like the tennant is. However, knowing you from this forum, I know your not that type of person. Good Luck and hope you get stuff sorted out.

 

[arfaname]

Re: I Messed up!

by offering to repay the money it may be seen as acceptance that you took it by your boss. I would simply be asking him how he would like it handled and what he requires from you. Ask him for a sytem to put in place for future circumstances that will be similar.

 

[oddjob]

Re: I Messed up!

I like Xcusme's ideas. Also Lubedude, Paying the rent in a cash envelope is completely unbusiness like. If I were the tennant I would expect a receipt for my records in case land lord lost memory. And ditto for the land lord. I also dont think that offering to pay it back was a mistake. I think all parties made a mistake and you should never be asked by either party to facilitate the transaction. You should have never been involved. It sucks.

 

[KaGee]

Re: I Messed up!

Boss or not, unless it's in your job description (and from the sounds of it, it is not) I wouldn't accept money for him.<br /><br />As someone here used to put in his signature No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

 

[Twidget]

Re: I Messed up!

Doh! Im sorry to hear that LD. KaGee hit the nail on the head.

 

[POINTER94]

Re: I Messed up!

You are in a tough spot. It is difficult to point a finger at the tenent without any other evidence than it seems logical. I too would be interested to see how this plays out, because making you the heavy on this deal is not right either. It is very true that an honest man never has to make excusses, and accidents do happen.<br /><br />Please update us when this is over.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: I Messed up!

Talked to the Boss this morning about it, he knows I didnt take it, he also knows that the tennant has a gambling problem. I did ask him how he wanted to handle it, and this is what he said.<br /><br />When you see him ask him if he came back and got the envelope figureing to give it to Gordon, (Bosses Name), If he says "NO" then tell him that him and Me were the only people that new it was there and that there wasnt anyone around but You me and Gordon durring that time frame and see what he says. He doesnt expect me to pay it back and feels like I did, (We have never had a problem here like this ever and thats why I was so trusting). Who would have thought?<br /><br />I still feel sick about it though!

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: I Messed up!

Suggest to the owner that he mount a lock box on the wall with a small slot on it. Then when someone comes to pay, tell them to drop it through the slot on the lock box.<br /><br />Ken

 

[LubeDude]

Re: I Messed up!

I had the face to face with the tennant, and of corse he deniged it. what are ya gonna do?<br /><br />I never used to have anything to do with the rent, just all of a sudden people started dropping it off. Saving a stamp I guess. I like the lockbox Idea. but I think it will come to a hault anyway. Gordon has money and wont even miss it, but that isnt the point, and I cant make myself think like that.<br /><br />I cant seem to leave it alone, I still keep looking around anywhere it may have fallen, but its a vacant area and if it would have slipped off the shelf by the wind or something it would just be laying there on the floor.

 

[Parrott_head]

Re: I Messed up!

LubeDude,<br /><br />Yes, there has been a mess up but the person who messed up is neither you nor the tenent.<br />Granted it looks like the tenent most likely lifted the envelope but there could have been someone passing through that you never saw that got it.<br /><br />The person who messed up was the landlord.<br />The landlord should have a policy of NO cash payments. Payments should only be in the form of a personal check (with proven track record) or a certified check or money order purchsased from a local source.<br /><br />If you put a drop box in and everyone know you accept cash then sooner or later the business gets broken into and the envelopes come up missing. You can bet every tenent will hear of this and will claimed to have just dropped off that months rent the day you were burglerized.<br /><br />Been there, done that.

 

[dolluper]

Re: I Messed up!

Was anything written on the envolope if so you might want to do a little trash surffing Id the envolope in a bag with other ID things maybe like pizza delivery slip just might get luckey and find a thief{messy business]See if it was the tennant check his trash could possibly give you some peace Good Luck sorry about your deleama

 

[LubeDude]

Re: I Messed up!

There isnt any traffic in this area, its a residential area and Im way in the back. There just isnt any people around back here. Besides, like I said, knowone else new what was in the envelope but me and the tennant. Knowone else would have even looked at it or paid any attention to it. Im sure things are going to change. I doubt that I will be accepting rent payments from now on.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: I Messed up!

Im convinced now that it was the tennant that grabbed it.<br /><br />I was thinking about how I would have replied having heard that my rent disapered and it wouldnt have been just, "I dont know anything about it"! I would have said something like, "No kidding, how did that happen, can I help you look for it? I didnt see anyone around that day". Then when I saw the manager the next day, I would want to know if it turned up or not. I would have been as worried as the landlord was. So far there has been no comunication about it from the tennant, none.