Cash rent receipt
When rent changes hands as cash there is no bank record. A signed receipt is the record, and it protects the tenant and the landlord.
Why cash needs a receipt
A check or transfer leaves a trail. Cash does not. If there is ever a question about whether March was paid, the receipt is what both sides can point to. It should be written at the moment of payment, name the month it covers, state the amount in figures and carry the landlord’s signature.
What to put on it
- The date and the exact amount received
- The month or dates the rent covers
- “Paid in cash” and, for part payments, the balance still due
- Tenant name, address, and the name of whoever took the money
- A receipt number, so a missing one is easy to spot
- A signature
Habits that keep it simple
Hand over the receipt in the same moment as the cash and keep a copy. Number them in order. If you take rent in cash every month, the rent ledger keeps a running balance next to the receipts.
Questions
Is a handwritten cash receipt valid?
A written, dated and signed note is evidence of payment. A numbered, typed receipt is easier to read and to keep in order. How much weight it carries in a dispute depends on local rules.
Should the tenant sign too?
Not required. The person receiving the money signs. Some landlords like the tenant to initial their copy.
Do I have to give my tenant a receipt?
It depends on the state, province or city and on how the rent is paid. A written receipt is good practice whatever the rule is, and cash is the case where it matters most. Check your local landlord-tenant rules.
Is the rent receipt maker free?
Yes. Single receipts are free and unlimited, one per page, with a small “Made free at Rent Receipt Maker” line at the bottom. The Landlord Pack ($4.99, one time) adds a full year of receipts in one PDF, a yearly summary, two or three receipts per page, your logo and no free line.