excellent tenant switched jobs, late rent

[Tracey B.]

hey all i am new here and am inquiring on a situation i have; i own several rental properties and one of my tenants, who has lived in her unit for 1 year, has paid her rent 2 days late the last 2 months and this month she paid 80% of her rent and claims she changed jobs and will have the rest in 2 weeks. Problem is, we had given her a new lease to sign and it will start next month but 3 times late seems to me that she cannot afford to live there anymore. Her situation has changed from when she originally applied and moved in hence the issues. Her sibling was living there too and moved out and shes left holding the ball. I dont have any simpathy for this kind of crap but she was an A+ tenant, the unit is in great shape, she is just going through a change. Do I move forward with filing for eviction due to non payment and cancel her new lease or let her pay in 2 weeks and be stuck with her for another year?

[Jon Holdman]

Do a month to month lease. Perhaps the job situation will stabilize. If not, terminate the lease when you reach your breaking point.

If late means on the third rather than the first, its probably not even late. If your lease says rent is due on the first, later after the fourth (or whatever), and she pays on the sixth, she's late. I'd find out if there is going to be an ongoing issue, and if so, adjust the late period. I'll move back the grace period by a day or two in exchange for a higher late fee if the rent is late. If she needs a longer adjustment, rewrite the lease with be the 7th to 6th or whatever, and have her pay the one week extra.