tenant did not include late fees

[Jimmy S.]

How do you handle late fees if tenant has paid the rent late but did not include the late fees. Do you send them a letter, call them or how do you handle it?

Rent is due the 1st and 2 day grace, 3rd day $40 late fee starts with additional $5 each day after.

Thanks

[Marcia Maynard]

When someone is late with rent, we call them and hand them (or mail) our "Late Rent Letter" which makes is clear what they now owe.  Here is the content of that letter:

.

 Dear _____________________________,

Your rent is now past due.  Please pay your rent promptly so you may continue to live in the unit that you now occupy.

As per your rental agreement:

·      Rent is due on the first (1st) day of the month.

·      Rent is late on the second (2nd) day of the month.

·      We allow a grace period through the fifth (5th) day of the month to pay your rent without incurring a late fee.

·      On the sixth (6th) day of the month we charge a late fee of fifty dollars ($50.00).

·      If we do not receive your rent in full in a timely manner, we will serve you with a 3-day legal notice, “Notice to Pay Rent or Quit”.  Each time we serve a legal notice, we charge an additional twenty dollars ($20.00).

·      If you do not follow the terms of the “Notice to Pay Rent or Quit” we may then begin eviction proceedings against you and you will be charged with the crime of “Unlawful Detainer” if a judge upholds our claim.

  The amount of rent now due, as of today’s date _________________, is as follows:

  Current Month Late Fee         _______________

  Current Month Rent         _______________

  TOTAL DUE                  _______________

  Time is of the essence.  If you have not already posted your rent via the mail, please call us immediately to make arrangements for us to collect the rent in person.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter!

Sincerely, Fischer Properties – Owners