As a landlord, collecting rent from your renters is one task you’ll continually need to tackle. This task is easy enough when you have responsible renters who make complete payments that adhere to the schedule you agree to in a lease. What if you have a renter who misses a rent payment? That’s where a late rent notice comes into effect.
A late payment of rent letter can offer a courtesy reminder to let a renter know the individual has missed a rent payment, which hopefully leads to the renter quickly resolving the issue. If the renter still doesn’t pay, the late rent notice can serve as a start to more serious legal proceedings. Learn what every landlord needs to know about creating late rent notices.
What is a late rent notice?
A late rent notice is an official document notifying a renter that rent is past due. You can use a late rent letter to communicate to a renter that he or she is late on rent payments following the rules stated in your lease agreement. A late rent notice should also formally inform the renter of the next steps, including payment of late fees and when you’ll need to move forward with eviction proceedings.
An initial letter to a renter about past due rent isn’t usually legally required, but it offers a useful tool before you take action against a renter. You may get the resolution you want and have the renter pay rent right away. The late rent notice will also serve as a record if the renter does not pay rent and you need to pursue further legal action.
If you need to serve an eviction notice, you’ll typically need to send a renter a pay rent or quit notice first. State laws set different requirements for the notice you must give to renters before you start eviction proceedings.
How to Write a Letter to a Tenant for Late Rent
You’ll use different types of late rent notices depending on the situation. Consider the following templates of three common types of late rent letters you might use.
Initial Notice of Failure to Pay Rent
You can send a rent is late notice letter to remind a renter that rent is overdue. You’ll want to promptly deliver the letter after a renter misses a payment, such as between the sixth and 10th days of a month if rent is due on the first. This approach can minimize the overdue amount. Keep in mind that this type of notice doesn’t have a legal impact but offers a courtesy to a renter.
To: [Name of Renter]
Date:
Dear [Name of Renter]:
Notice of Failure to Pay Rent
I am sending this notice to remind you that your rent is due. Rent is payable on the first day of every month, and it is late if paid after the fifth day of the month. I have not received your full monthly rent payment for [insert rental period].
Currently, you have an amount due of [insert amount]. Please pay this amount immediately.
Sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Name]
Final Notice of Failure to Pay Rent
A final late rent notice offers another courtesy reminder that a renter risks losing housing due to nonpayment of rent.
To: [Name of Renter]
Date:
Dear [Name of Renter]:
Final Notice of Failure to Pay Rent Before Legal Action
I am sending this notice to inform you that you have failed to pay rent promptly. Your continued failure to pay rent due will require me to pursue legal action to reclaim possession of your rental unit.
If you do not comply with payment requirements, the next notice you receive will be a Three-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit. Failure to adhere to that notice will result in immediate legal action to terminate your tenancy.
Sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Name]
Notice to Pay Rent or Quit
A notice to pay rent or quit alerts a renter that you will file a summons and complaint if the renter doesn’t pay overdue rent within a specific number of days. Keep in mind that the format and amount of notice you must give vary from state to state. You should carefully check your local laws to ensure you comply with them.
Although this type of late rent notice can start legal processes, sending the letter doesn’t automatically lead to eviction. A renter may come to you with payment or a plan for payment that you could accept to avoid losing a renter and paying court costs. If it comes to it, you may need to use this eviction letter template to evict your tenant.
To: [Name of Renter]
Date:
You are notified that rent is now due and payable on the premises at [insert address of property including unit number] that you hold and occupy.
Your account is delinquent in the amount of [insert amount] for the rent for the following periods: [list rental periods].
You are required to pay the rent amount described above in full within three (3) days or remove and deliver your possession of the premises. If you neither pay rent in full nor vacate the premises, we will institute legal proceedings against you to:
- Recover control of the premises mentioned above
- Declare forfeiture of lease or rental agreement under which you occupy the premises mentioned above
- Recover rents and damages
- Recover court costs and attorney’s fees
Payments must be made to [include full details for making payments].
[Include contact details]
As required by law, you are notified that, if you fail to fulfill these terms of your credit obligations, we may submit a negative credit report reflecting on your credit history to a credit reporting agency.
[Date]
[Your Signature]
[Your Name]
You should always check state laws and consult with a legal professional to ensure the notices you send will fulfill legal requirements.
Understanding how late rent notices work gives you an essential tool if you have a renter who misses rent payments. These notices can serve as the start to further legal action if needed, but they also might be what you need to get a renter to catch up on the rent.
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