4 Risks of Check Payments

Still using paper checks? Learn about the risks and ways to mitigate to ensure your business' financial security.
Tree straining in the wind

As a property manager, it is essential to ensure that your business operations run smoothly, including paying your vendors on time. However, the method of payment you choose can have a significant impact on your business's financial security. One common method of payment for vendors is by check (or cheque if you’re Canadian!), but this method comes with certain risks that property managers should be aware of.
Here are some of the risks of paying your business vendors by check:

  1. Check Fraud

Check fraud is a common form of financial fraud that can result in significant losses for businesses. Fraudsters can alter or counterfeit checks, leading to unauthorized transactions and potentially draining your business's bank account. This risk is particularly high when using paper checks as they can easily be intercepted, stolen, or tampered with during the mailing process.

  1. Delayed payments

Paying vendors by check can also result in delayed payments, which can harm your business's reputation and damage your relationships with your vendors. Checks can take several days or even weeks to clear, leading to delays in payment processing and potential late fees or penalties. This can negatively impact your cash flow and your ability to maintain a healthy vendor relationship.

  1. Lack of visibility

When you pay vendors by check, you may not have real-time visibility into your business's financial transactions. This lack of visibility can make it challenging to track payments, monitor cash flow, and reconcile accounts accurately. It can also make it difficult to detect and prevent fraudulent activity, as you may not have access to up-to-date information on your business's financial transactions.

  1. Increased administrative costs

Paying vendors by check can also result in increased administrative costs, as it requires more manual processing and record-keeping. This can be particularly problematic for property managers with large numbers of vendors and transactions. Additionally, checks must be physically printed and mailed, which can result in additional costs for postage, envelopes, and printer ink.


To mitigate these risks, property managers should consider alternative methods of payment, such as electronic funds transfer (EFT) or automated clearinghouse (ACH) payments. These methods are more secure, faster, and offer better visibility into your business's financial transactions. They also typically have lower transaction fees and reduced administrative costs, making them a more cost-effective solution.


In conclusion, paying your business vendors by check can be risky and lead to potential fraud, delayed payments, lack of visibility, and increased administrative costs. As a property manager, it is essential to consider alternative payment methods such as Direct payment (ACH/EFT) or Credit Card to mitigate these risks and ensure your business's financial security.

Want to hear about the payment alternatives that CondoWorks offers? Click here to setup a call with our team!

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