Late Notices

So your tenant’s rent is late (again). Do you call them? Do you go over to the property with a baseball bat? Unless you’re looking for a fight (or a jail term), consider a written notice instead.

As long as the grace period has not ended yet, a polite reminder works better, and leaves a paper trail of communication). Save yourself the time and headaches and simply send them a notice via snail mail, e-mail or fax.

Not only does it get the job done without confrontation, but it protects you as well (and if you haven’t noticed, we’re all about protection).

Warning: These are not eviction notices! If the grace period has expired, use one of our Eviction Notices to comply with local laws for filing an eviction.

Your late notices should:

• Be sent immediately following the last day payment is due
• Have clear and specific instructions on when, where and how to pay (cash or certified funds only). Be specific about any changes to location, will payment be picked up, etc.
• Specify any late charges due and if they are to be included with rental payment
• Indicate whether it is the first, second or third notice
• Be sure your notices correspond to your lease agreement and is in compliance with your local and state laws
• Indicate only late payment amounts that are in accordance with the law

A friendly reminder is sometimes all that’s needed to get your tenants to pay on time. It shows them you’re paying attention and that you have every intention of collecting on time, every time.