Emailed lessor signed lease and haven't heard back since. Wondering if they're waiting for my payment, but I thought to pay when I get the completed lease with their signatures too, no?
I'm signing for a small office space and we've been doing most of the communication over email. I signed everything and emailed them back, but it's been three days since I heard anything, and the lease is supposed to begin October 1. 

Was I supposed to send my signed portion of the lease along with payment? I would've thought to do that once they send me back the completed lease which should only take a second for them. 

First time doing this so I'm not sure of all the customs. But I did ask them specifically about this point and they haven't responded. Landlord is really old and I don't think communicate that well. 

I figured since the pandemic nobody's meeting in person otherwise I would've thought if we met we'd both sign and I bring the payment and receive the keys all in one encounter.
[{"id": "g6kndg2", "text": "Why not ask them?", "replies": [{"id": "g6knm22", "text": "He said they haven\u2019t responded.", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g6knl6i", "text": "\u201cHi mr landlord,\n\nJust checking in to make sure you\u2019ve seen the lease with my signature.\u201d", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g6kp1gs", "text": "We typically ask for Tenant-signed lease, check(s) and COI from Tenant, all at the same time.  It's very rare, even procovid, for parties to sit down and sign at a closing-type scenario.  Usually it invloves some fedex-ing back and forth, and once fully executed you'll meet with the property manager or something similar to receive keys, coordinate move-in, etc.\n\nYou didn't ask but one issue that happens all the time: make sure the check is made out to the LL entity in the lease, and from an account that matches the Tenant entity on the lease (unless you are personally guaranteeing it, which essentially makes it a lease in your name as an individual anyways).\n\nProbably not a uniform protocol but is good practice.", "replies": [{"id": "g6kq936", "text": "Okay I wasn't sure. Hopefully I didn't look resistant to paying or something, but it sounds like you specifically ask so I wish they did that.", "replies": [{"id": "g6kqgtb", "text": "I wouldn't worry about it, they don't sound very communicative.  Which in itself is a little  worrisome.", "replies": [], "depth": 3}, {"id": "g6kqryv", "text": "God is this my former boss?!  Just always...late. With *everything*. With *everyone*. ADD / ADHD / dyslexia. Drove me batty. IMO stay after him to fully execute, pay and get keys.", "replies": [], "depth": 3}, {"id": "g6lm1hj", "text": "How do you know the owner is really old?  Because they told you over email?\n\nI would be a little concerned about a scam.  I would just bring a check when I got the keys.", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g6kr7mt", "text": "Have you called them?", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g6kt610", "text": "Deposit and lease must go hand to hand. Then you pay 1st month at the time they hand you the keys.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g6kuczd", "text": "Call text email. Repeat.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g6lamnu", "text": "Generally a lessor won\u2019t countersign until they\u2019ve received payment &amp; deposit plus insurance from the lessee. In California at least, a contract requires execution, consideration (ie payment) and delivery to be enforceable so even if a lease is executed by both parties but no consideration is made it could (debatably) be contested. Some lessors will even wait until the check clears to countersign...it\u2019s been rare but I\u2019ve had a few tenants sign the lease and either write a bad check or send a false wire confirmation, have the landlord countersign and then use the fully executed lease for unscrupulous purposes such as defrauding investors.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g6ldzlb", "text": "I would not sign the lease until deposit was in hand. Source: commercial landlord. \n\nTechnically, signing the lease is a promise to pay. That said, a tenants first payment behavior is usually indicative of future payment behavior. I suspect the response will be more to your liking once all amounts due are paid.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}]