Pay for Play

A landlord, tired of chasing down tenants who don't pay their rent on time, is giving them incentive to pony up -- the chance to win a free vacation. Douglas Rau, who has more than 100 tenants in Massachusetts, held a drawing for tenants who pay their rent in full. The vacation package cost about $1,000, but compare that to the $5,000 it can take to have someone evicted and fix the damage a disgruntled tenant can do to an apartment. "They don't sweep up and vacuum on their way out the door, if you know what I mean," Rau said. Four chronically late tenants quickly paid their rent after the drawing was announced. 'Bout time.