There are two ways to process payments that have free rent in Express. For example “pay for X number of months rent, get Y number of months free”. The first is to change the paid-to date of the tenant forward the number of months they receive free, and then print a Complete Tenant Report as a form of receipt. The second option is to follow the process outlined below:
Let’s say you have a special that allows someone to pay for 10 months and receive 2 months free rent. A tenant that already has a unit at a $30/month rental rate wants to make use of this special.
First, calculate the dollar value of the rent and charges they will be receiving free of charge. In this case, the tenant’s rent is $30, so the number you want to keep track of is $60.00. Credit the tenant that amount by going to Payment -> Tenant Credit.
Now that your tenant has a $60 credit on their account, you want to take a payment. In the payment screen, go to Make a Different Payment. In the Rent and Charges category, you want to enter the FULL DOLLAR AMOUNT for the rent they WOULD be paying if there were no special. In this case, the total number of months being “paid for” is 12, and 12 x $30 is $360, so you would enter $360.00 into the Rent Field. Click OK. Now that you’re back in the Payment screen, put a check in the box in the highlighted “Use existing credit” line, which applies the credit you’ve already put on the tenant’s account to the current payment. Now you should see a screen that looks like this:
Finish processing the payment as you usually would. The receipt will show the paid-to date moving 12 months, with only 10 months of rent payment being accepted from the tenant.
Which method you use is your choice.
Note: Please remember that while you may choose to discount rental rates as you wish, insurance will have to be paid for as if there were no sale on rent.