there has been an error in your favor, pass go, collect $200

ed. sidenote, i'm tired of the sticky post: donate!

so when i got my rent bill last month it read: "$1400 due. $1400 paid. balance: $0.00"

this is strange because i hadn't yet paid rent for that month. but it looked to me like they thought i did. now let me say that there's always been a bit of a disconnect between what their computer system prints out on my rent statements and on what is actually going on. this was really obvious when my other friends were on the lease and were choosing to sometimes not pay rent and whatnot. basically, the computer that prints the bills isn't always accurate.

so i decided to wait it out. i wrote out a check for $1400, deducted it from my checkbook balance, but never sent the check in. it's sitting on my dresser as i type. wost case, i thought, was that they'd somehow realize the computer was off and ask for two months rent at the end of march. and if they tried to charge me a late fee, i'd dispute it with the statement that said i didn't owe anything and say i thought i'd paid already.

so i don't get a rent statement this month. but i call the office and ask, "hi, i'm wondering whether i've already sent in a check for next months rent, i never got a statement and i can't remember whether i sent you guys anything yet or not." "you paid already." "for next month?" "oh, no, for last month you paid. you haven't sent in a check for april yet."

so there you have it. i think i've literally been given a bonus month due to some glitch in the system. but, the conscientious person that i am, i feel like they'll still catch it sometime before my lease runs out in november and i'll have to pay then.

how long would you wait before spending that extra money? at what point should i feel safe tearing up that check and putting that $1400 back on my checking balance?