With all of life’s surprising and constant ups and downs, it would not be uncommon to have the inconvenience of not being able to pay the rent for the apartment or home within the time stipulated in the lease at some point.
Leases are specific about payment deadlines, and there can be legal consequences if the tenant consistently breaks the rules of the lease. Read on if you want to know how to draft this letter properly.
If I pay late, can my landlord sue me?
Generally, in the lease of the property are specified clauses for the reasons for which the landlord could sue the tenant. One of these clauses is the non-payment of the monthly rent.
This aspect turns out to be so important that some landlords send rent payment reminder letters to the tenants sometime before the date stipulated in the contracts.
If you turn out to be a tenant who consistently pays rent late, you may be sued with an eviction petition. On the other hand, if the late payment is occasional (no more than twice a year), you may be able to send a letter reporting the late payment to the landlord.
The letter sent well in advance should be more than enough to avoid inconvenience or legal consequences. Still, it all depends on how flexible the landlord is about late payments and the tenant’s payment history.
Usually, a landlord will prefer to give a rent extension to a tenant who has proven to be punctual in the past rather than start looking for another tenant to occupy the premises or initiate legal eviction proceedings.
How difficult is it to draft a late rent letter?
Even when they turn out to be strictly formal letters, they are easy to write.
Unlike frequent formal letters, this one does not need to add the tenant’s address or specific information at the beginning. The letter can begin with the landlord to whom it is addressed’s information and continue directly with the date and the body of the letter.
The letter should begin with a respectful greeting to the landlord. It continues with the reasons for sending the letter, reporting the impossibility of paying the rent on time during the current month, and indicating the room’s address.
It is necessary to add why it is difficult for you to make the payment on time and, if possible, to add evidence of the financial inconvenience. Furthermore, it is recommended that you also put the date on which you think you will be able to pay the rent.
To finish the letter, you should add a thank you and the tenant’s information, such as name and contact number. Below, we leave you a format ready to download.
When should the rent arrears letter be sent to the landlord?
This type of letter comes in two forms. One is when you know in advance that it will be impossible to pay this month’s rent on the agreed date, and the letter is drafted and sent at least one or two weeks in advance.
The letter should be written and sent at least one or two weeks in advance, letting the tenant know or requesting the opportunity to pay the rent ahead of the date indicated in the lease. It would be ideal to attach evidence that you do not have the financial means to pay the rent, such as letters from employers or financial status.
The other form is more common and is presented when, suddenly, the tenant finds themself in a situation of financial problems that prevent them from paying his rent on time.
Because of this, the letter will be sent after the late payment of the rent and will be a letter of apology for the late payment, stating that the rent has been paid.
To record the payment, the letter should have an image of the bank transaction executed to the landlord attached or add the reference number of the transaction.