Hacker News Reader

Comment by rmc | Hacker News Reader

Where we've seen a ton of transactions right now is with people paying monthly rent.

I don't understand this. Perhaps it's an American thing, but here in EU, I just put my landlord's account numbers into my online banking and I can transfer them money for essentially free. I even set up a standing order so it'll pay the same amount at a fixed day per month. I don't have to worry about paying rent. How does a landlord accept money via their credit card?

View on HN

If somehow I can check exactly who send me the money it would be great, however times are, banks don't always show you who is sending you money in the statements (at least happen to me with my non-EU non-US bank). If one uses such service, the statement would have clear indication of who makes the transaction and would be much more traceable.

Yeah that would be a problem. Here you're allowed to put a ~ 20 character string to appear on the receipients bank statement that you should use to show who's paying.

For reasons unknown to me, the local property oligopoly accepts debit/credit rent payments only through an outsourced web service which charges $50 per payment. Perhaps they've convinced the property owners that they have a patent on paying rent online or something. Maybe there's some sort of risk involved. Maybe there's some sort of arrangement with credit card companies to discourage people from earning reward points on their rent every month.

My bank's website doesn't list the company as one that it knows how to pay bills for, and wants you to send them a copy of the physical bill to get it added (there are no "bills" for the rent, so nothing to send). A direct transfer might be possible, but they don't seem to be advertising their account number.

Every bank I've ever tried bill pay on (ING, Bank of America, E*Trade bank, Citizens Bank, Kennebunk Savings Bank) offers an option where you simply enter the account number and bill address, and they cut a check for it. No hassle. Maybe try some other bank, then?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com