How to Pay Rent Late
Tight on cash? Paying one month's rent a little late shouldn't cost you your apartment. With some luck and tact, you can work out an agreement with your landlord.
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Instructions
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Review your lease or rental agreement for clauses about late fees. Find out exactly what action your landlord may take under the terms of your contract.
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Resolve to pay a late fee if your contract explicitly states that your landlord may impose them. Otherwise, your landlord cannot legally require you to pay a late fee (see Tips).
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Write a letter to your landlord explaining your situation and asking for some extra time. If possible, try not to ask for more than a few days.
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Emphasize that your problems are temporary and reassure the landlord that in the future you'll be able to pay the rent on time.
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Agree to pay a portion of the rent immediately, if possible, and promise to pay the balance by a specific date.
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Tips & Warnings
Read up on your state's specific laws regarding eviction, late fees and late rent payments.
Even if your contract doesn't mention late fees, it may be better to pay a small fee to avoid problems in the future. Chances are that if you refuse to pay $10 extra for handing in the rent a week late, the landlord will evict you at the next legal opportunity.
Tell the landlord you can't pay on time before you send in a late check. In most states a landlord can file for eviction if the rent is even one day late.
Don't write the landlord a bad check.
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Comments
View all 10 Comments-
Mohan Kandari
Oct 02, 2010
dear sir or madam i want write a letter for rental person becouse they have not given me one month rent. what i write them please help me and send me full letter thanks -
retiredcop357
Feb 27, 2010
Try attempting to avoid paying a mortgage, "that is if you are all intelligeant to know the importance of responsibility is!" You gotta wonder why we are currently in a recession; if you don't think that deadbeat tenants are part to blame, "don't believe me, but go about your business and think about what I said when we fall into a deeper recession next time." Please remember, "history repeats it self!"
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umpatan
Dec 09, 2009
I think that a 50% rent hike is an absoluate must since such an unreliable tenant is like owning junk bonds and toxic assets, and thus need to be compared to a high risk stock. You cannot compare a rate with someone who never fails to pay on time like a market mutual fund vs a high risk junk bonds and toxic mortgage back securities. They are just not tripple A.
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djmom0521
Nov 19, 2008
If you have been paying your rent on time for the last 4 1/2 years and the last few months have been paid late including the required daily late fee of $25, (4 days, 6 days, 1 day, 3 days) and now this current month only 1/2 the rent was paid on the 17th and the balance will be paid by the 20th with the required daily late fee, does the landlord have the right to start eviction proceedings. It is a private home that we rent.
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Shellfish789
Oct 30, 2008
What about late fees form the tenant when landloard is late fixing things...do tenant get to charge a late fee for late fixing things......?
