Collecting rent when tenant says they don't have it

[Peter Christensen]

I self manage a single family home as a rental in St. Paul, Minnesota.  Three women signed the lease together last summer and have been good tenants since then for the most part.  About a week before January 1st, one of the three let me know she was laid off and "her portion of the rent might be late", meaning, she wouldn't pay January's rent on the first.  Rent is $2100 a month, and the three of them likely split it evenly, $700 each, since sure enough, on the first I was paid $1400, not $2100.  I let her know that it doesn't work like that really.  Rent is $2100 a month, and how they split it up is their business, not mine.  I told her I was sorry she lost her job, and hoped she'd find work again soon.  She took a few days to respond, but then promised me that it would be a little late like she expected, but I'd have the rent by the first week of January.  Well, it's January 9th now, and I still haven't been paid the remaining rent, and she didn't respond to my latest message or answer the phone when I called.

If all $2100 wasn't paid, I'd be looking to take my appropriate legal action right away.  However, I am still cash flow positive even with only 2/3 of rent, so I'm trying to coax this remaining rent out of them without alienating the two of them that paid their "share" of rent because there are six months left of this lease, counting January, and I'd rather not go through an eviction if I can avoid it.

I just texted all of them for the first time to remind them that I am owed that remaining amount and that they are subject to a late fee.

How hardball do you have to play these situations?  Have I already been too lenient?  I feel bad for my tenant if she lost a job but I see "help wanted" and "hiring" signs practically everywhere I go so I'm not too sympathetic to the idea that she can't get a job to make rent.  She's an able bodied grown woman.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Peter Christensen]

Thanks everyone for your advice.

**Update**

Texting the whole group and mentioning the late fee seemed to do the trick.  The other two tenants have already reached out and promised that I will receive rent today.  It hasn't come through yet, but I can tell they are serious and very apologetic.  I suspect they will kick their roommate in the butt if necessary to not screw up their living situation.

I think I should have involved those roommates from the moment I only received 2/3 of the rent and reminded them that they all owe rent in full, and there are no "portions" of rent from my perspective.  I will provide more updates as they happen.