All Forum Posts by: Bob Romano

Can I add the new late fee to his existing lease or do i have to wait until his one year is up?

@Jill F. The SFH is in a class B neighborhood.

@Kiera Underwood his lease is up Nov 2019. It will be a long wait to change the lease on him now.

I did just check RI Landlord & Tenant handbook.   It states that if 2 - 5 day demand for payment notices are issued within 6 months to the same tenant ,( he had 2 in 3 months!)  this is grounds to evict, even if tenant pays the rent .So I instructed my attorney that even if he pays me late this month, I want him out.

My tenant has been in since Nov 2018. Out of the 4 months, he has been 15 days late for 3 months. My lease states rent is due on the 1st. It is late as of the 5th and there is a $50 late fee as of the 5th. He consistently emails me on the 10th saying he knows he's late and he will pay the rent ( including  late fee) in a few days. So im getting paid on the 18-20th each month now. How do I stop him from keeping paying me this late? This will be the 2nd 5 day demand of payment notice he has received in the last 4 months. He always pays me like 2 days before my lawyer goes to the courthouse to file for non payment of rent. I getting sick of it now. My lawyer says " your main goal is to make sure he pays, so if he is paying late and is paying the late fee each time, just take it and accept it . I don't like this idea . What would you guys do?

Great advise guys, thank you all for your feedback. 

I just like to dbl check on all my tenants that they are still employed, usually every 6 months I will call their employers just to make sure they are still making what they say they were making.

Tenant has been in my rental since Nov 2018. I did a complete background check on him before he moved in, called his employer, spoke to HR dept to verify pay and got proof form his pay stub. I just called his work to dbl check if he still works there and they tell me " he no longer works here". That's all they would tell me.  Should I be concerned that he doesn't work there anymore? He has been paying his rent on time since Nov. Should I ask him where he is currently employed or just let it go since he has been paying? 

@Dale Nesmith all my other tenants do not have a problem with payment on the 1st. I actually have there rent in hand a few days before.he is the only one that pushes the limit on days. My attorney says” then keep collecting the extra $50 each month off him” . For the last 2 months he has been late but I make him pay the late fee.

@Scott Sklare I can only email him. He takes 3-4 days to respond back. I call his wife , who is also on the lease but it goes right to voice mail.