Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick Lee
Just sent another very firm email and will call again first thing in the morning. I know plenty of landlords let rent get backed up for quite a while, as eviction is no picnic. At what point do I decide they're totally lying to me and may never pay again? I just don't get the point of lying about it. They can't think I'm gonna let this slide indefinitely, at least not after my last email.
|
I concur that it sounds like a fairy tale. You should really stand firm, and start the eviction process shortly after a missed payment. Leave the 30 day grace period to the actual mortgage companies. Otherwise, you will become a doormat, and your tenant will do it again, guaranteed.
That is why I advocate steep late-payment penalties for landlords. If there are none, or they are small, your tenant will invariably get in the habit of paying late. If they are good tenants, getting stung once by a steep late payment will usually condition them to never be late again. Or, they will end up not paying it, in which case it exposes them as deadbeats, or just folks who really can't afford to rent in that price range.
If it turns out to be an honest mistake, maybe insist on electronic bill pay/direct deposit for future payments? You might even set up a dedicated account at THEIR bank, just to make it easier to receive rent payment deposits each month. Depending on the bank, they may even be able to go online and quickly transfer funds. No "check's in the mail" excuses or delays.