Rent Collection
Collecting is the heart of the job. A tenant pays a small amount towards their Rent Plan, you record it, and their balance comes down.
There are four ways to take a payment. Which one you use depends on how the tenant is paying.
The four ways to collect
You hold the cash; your float clears their instalment.
They show you a codeThe tenant generates a payment code in their own app.
They paid Welile directlyThey sent Mobile Money themselves and have the SMS.
They use your linkFor recording rent without the tenant needing to sign in.
Four different actions, not four names for the same thing
Before the methods, be clear on what each one actually does. Mixing these up is how a tenant ends up thinking they have paid when their plan says otherwise.
Crediting a tenant from your float. You hold their cash; money moves from your operational float onto their plan. Their instalment is cleared.
Confirming a payment token. You enter a code the tenant generated in their own app. Their instalment is cleared.
Matching a reference. You find a payment the tenant already sent to Welile and allocate it to their plan. Their instalment is cleared once it is matched and allocated.
Recording rent history through your link. You log what the tenant says they paid, for checking. This does not clear an instalment.
The first three move or allocate real money. The fourth records a claim. Keep that line clear in your own head, because the tenant will not.
They give you cash
The most common one. The tenant hands you notes; you clear their instalment from your float.
- Tap Top up tenant, or Top up beside their name in your tenant list.
- Search for them by name or phone number.
- Check the outstanding balance shown, so you both agree on where they stand.
- Enter the amount they are paying.
- Review the breakdown — the amount, the landlord's portion, and what you earn.
- Confirm.
Your float goes down, their Rent Plan is credited, and your commission lands in your earnings immediately.
You need float available to do this. If you are empty, move some earnings across — it is instant and free.
They show you a code
If the tenant has the app, they can generate a six-digit payment code themselves.
- Tap Collect rent.
- Ask for their six digits and enter them.
- Choose how they paid: cash, Mobile Money, or from their Welile wallet.
- Submit.
The code is checked, the instalment is marked paid, and your commission is worked out on the spot.
They paid Welile directly
Sometimes a tenant sends money straight to Welile and shows you the confirmation message.
- Tap Collect from a receipt on the Home tab.
- Paste the whole Mobile Money SMS, or type the transaction ID.
- Tap to match it.
- Confirm which tenant the payment belongs to.
The app finds the payment in Welile's records and allocates it to that tenant's plan.
They use your link
Every agent has a personal link for recording rent. Share it by WhatsApp or as a QR code, and a tenant can enter their details and the months they have paid without signing in.
Submissions arrive in your dashboard queue for checking. This is useful when onboarding someone, or capturing rent they paid before joining Welile.
A rent record is the tenant telling us what they say they paid. It is not proof of payment and it does not clear an instalment or reduce a balance.
Never tell a tenant they are "paid up" because they filled in the link. If money is due today, take it with one of the three methods above.
Reading the collection picture
Today's collections shows what you have brought in today against what was expected.
The collection calendar shows your recent days at a glance: fully paid, part paid, missed.
Statuses on individual payments tell you where each one stands — paid, part paid, unpaid, missed, pending, completed. Trust what the app shows over what anyone remembers.
Part payments
If a tenant pays less than they owe for the day, record exactly what they gave you.
Do not round it up to a full payment. A part payment recorded honestly is a true picture of that tenant; a full payment recorded falsely hides a problem that will grow.
Missed payments
Follow up using the agreed process, and log a promise to pay with the date and the reason. The tenant gets a reminder on the morning they promised, and it appears on your board to chase.
Do not create a payment to make a tenant look up to date. Collection records feed the tenant's history, the landlord's records, your own performance and your commissions. A false entry damages all four, and it is traceable.
Receipts
Where a receipt is available, it is the proof of what was recorded. A receipt can show the tenant, the landlord, the agent, the amount, the house type, the address and the date.
If a payment cannot be found
- Confirm how they paid.
- Check the transaction history.
- Confirm you have the right tenant.
- Confirm it is the right Rent Plan.
- Do not record it twice while you are looking.
- Contact support with the reference if it still cannot be traced.
Related articles
- How your rent repayment is calculated — what a tenant's repayment is made of.
- Payment codes explained — which code does what.
- A commission is missing — when a collection earned nothing.
- How tenants repay — the same payment from the tenant's side.
- Understanding Your Dashboard
- Registering a Tenant & Posting a Rent Request
- Understand your balances
- Field Agent Commissions
Still need help?
Contact Welile Support on WhatsApp at +256 777 607640, call +256 748 747134, or email info@welile.com.
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