Consistently Late Rent - Landlord Forum thread 359355

Consistently Late Rent by Jason on June 3, 2019 @00:08

Tenants moved into 3-bedroom apartment Sept 2018.
1. Rent was late in December because mother's car needed repaired (PAY OR QUIT NOTICE POSTED IMMEDIATELY; $35 late fee paid)
2. Rent was late in May because mother lost job ($35 late fee paid; advised me that it would be another week for the remaining $150; $35 late fee paid again)
3. Texted tenant to remind them that rent is due 6/1; tenant's response "well it's gonna be late then" and I informed her of another $35 late fee. Then she proceeds to complain about poison on the property that hasn't been dealt with it. Felt like she was giving me shit since I was giving her shit.

My Questions:
1. Do I continue to accept this behavior from this tenant because they have always paid the late fees?

2. Lease expires August 30, 2019. Should I send them a certified letter stating that I have decided NOT to renew their lease? (I've never had to do this before...)

Thanks in advance. -Jason

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Re: Consistently Late Rent by lpadave on June 3, 2019 @06:25	[ Reply ]

Sounds to me like your tenant has some family problems tha t they are trying to deal with.. Family is family so they get some positive points there. Assuming it's a legit reason. They haven't given you rubber checks yet so that's positive points also, as is the fact that they're paying the late fees without negotiation or whineing. I would have a calm, sympathic conversation acknowledging the Family circumstances and inquiring when the tenant felt that the added financial demands on them might be expected to ease up so they could return to paying the rent promptly. Vacancies and re rents are expensive and time consuming, but DONT LET THIS GUY FALL TOO FAR BEHIND. a commitment for partial rent at a stated dollar amount on a date certain is a good plan. FOLLOW THE TERMS OF YOUR LEASE STRICTLY AND CONSISTENTLY regarding late payments of rent. Regarding the """poison"" on the property,...please give more information here.. You need to address that statement PROMPTLY , calmly and professionally with your tenant, IN WRITING. assume they are laying a groundwork. If it's pest management, per your contract with a licensed exterminator,.....as it should be, state that. If this tenant is indeed a crazie or a wise guy,....that will prove itself up, soon enough. I've had tenants with transient problems that were worked with in good faith (on both sides) that turned out ok. Follow the lease regarding notice of intent to renew, extend or not renew. No need to stir that part of the pot prematurely. Assume your tenants knows the law.

Re: Consistently Late Rent

Re: Consistently Late Rent by Garry on June 3, 2019 @12:07	[ Reply ]

Boy, Jason, you are one TOUGH landlord. You're willing to discard a tenant because they are willing to pay you extra each month for the privilege of being a few days late? You must be looking for the PERFECT tenant. Well, guess what? there are NO perfect tenants anywhere in this country-----and there are no perfect LLs either, including you, me, and lpadave. Have you never been late, even 1 time, in your entire life, on anything? Life happens! How much money will you lose if you decide to get rid of this T, and find a new one? How much money did you lose a year ago to find this T? Here's my suggestion: keep this T and allow your lease to go M2M at the end of it. Since your T apparently can afford the $35 late fee each month, you could if you wanted to, increase the actual rent by $25-$35/mo, and still keep the $35 late fee in the lease? Yes, you do take a chance that the T will move out in the winter months when it would be hard to find a T. But if you hassle your T too much over the piddly little $35 late fee, they will start bring up all kinds of thing that they feel you should be taking care of, and they could even decide to break a year's lease at any time, and move, and you won't be able to stop them. Ease up. When their family problems slowly get settled, they will go back to being on time again. Besides, according to you, they have been with you for 10 months now,(including this June), and this will only be the 3rd time they have been late,(of which they have been more than willing to pay you the late fee). As compared to the low-income T's that I deal with, I would consider your T to be an EXCELLENT T in regards to paying on time. By the way, cursing on this forum is prohibited, so please refrain from doing so.

Re: Consistently Late Rent