Rent,, why bother paying on time

[Reality]

Hello all my friends. Hope you can help me undersand why people think they should get a free ride on someone elses back. For anyone who has read my posts before I do own rental property. I try to be a good landlard and keep things in a good order. I am just like you though. I work 40 - 50 hours a week at a job and than come home and work on my place, have time with my pet Tazz and when called to I tend to the rental needs.

So here it is,, my tenents who have been late before are late with the rent once again. This is starting to be a bad habit. So the other day I meet someone new who actaully knows my tenents ( they didn't reaize I was the land lord) and makes a statement that, so and so, isn't worried about it, their landlord lets them away with it,, and besides,, the landlord doesn't need the money.

Well guess what folks,, when my tenent doesn't pay on time I have to cover 2 morgages out of my paycheck that I work hard for. I get frustrated because I try not to be an a hole landlord but seems like no one respects someone trying to be a fair person. Sorry, just so frustrated with why people think renting means free ride ,, or being late with the rent, is no big deal. I have to put off anything extra for me, so I can cover their bill,, because I"m the landlord and I don't need the rent,, if I didn't need the rent, why would I be renting it out,,

[ancientgirl]

I can understand your frustration. I'm a renter, and I've only ever been late on my rent twice. The first time I was 6 days late, and paid my landlord an extra $50, and the second time was last month. I paid my rent, but asked my landlord if it would be a hardship for him if I paid him $100 less, then I would make it up to him this month. I just couldn't do it last month, I had literally no money.

Since I've been renting from individuals I've always been conscious that the rent I'm paying is going towards someone else's mortgage. While everyone can have a bad situation here and there, I can't see why they keep paying their rent late all the time.

If anything, that's the one thing I've always tried my hardest to pay on time. Perhaps if you start telling your tenants you will charge them an extra $50 or $100 when they are late, they will start paying you on time. Do you have anything about on time payments in their lease? Before I started renting from actual condo owners and lived in apartments, my lease would clearly state, I had from the 1st to the 5th of the month to pay my rent, and if I paid it after that date, I would be penalized extra money.

[Reality]

Nice to hear there are renters who understand the landlords not living high on the hog off their rent. Yes I do have a clause there that after being late 2x's I can have them evicted. It's not something I would normally do. I understand hardships, and I've felt the tenents have been trying to put the rent first, but after hearing the comment I have to admit I'm feeling less compassionate and angry that my kindness is interpertated as it's ok to make me a door mat. I just don't understand that kind of thinking. When someone is kind to me or helpful, I try to return that behaviour. I am seriously concidering sending them their notice. Being a door mat isn't something I care to be.

[ancientgirl]

I totally understand you feeling the way you do after hearing that comment. I'd feel the same way. I rent from a friend I've known for years, but I'd never dream of taking advantage of our friendship just to constantly be late. I actually deposit my rent money into his account on the first of every month, just so it's there on time.

It sounds like you need to send out some sort of flier, just so everyone is reminded when their rent is due, and reminded of the clause in their lease. There are plenty of people out there looking for a nice place to live who won't take advantage.

The problem with our world today is everyone has this sense of entitlement, and that's not right.

[Elizabeth Ann]

Originally Posted by Reality

Nice to hear there are renters who understand the landlords not living high on the hog off their rent. Yes I do have a clause there that after being late 2x's I can have them evicted. It's not something I would normally do. I understand hardships, and I've felt the tenents have been trying to put the rent first, but after hearing the comment I have to admit I'm feeling less compassionate and angry that my kindness is interpertated as it's ok to make me a door mat. I just don't understand that kind of thinking. When someone is kind to me or helpful, I try to return that behaviour. I am seriously concidering sending them their notice. Being a door mat isn't something I care to be.

Don't forget that you heard that second hand and not right from your renters (not that they would ever say that to your face).

I think that ancientgirl made a good suggestion by saying give them a informal reminder. If they are late again then give them a formal notice, then proceed with eviction.

They could be having hard times and just made that comment to the third party as I cover-up... you never really know. A little note left in thier mail box might help the lines of communications open up.

[shane 123]

Have to agree with everyone on this one. Rent should be the no.1 option when you rent from someone. When a tenant has the decency to at least explain being short and pays $50 more then that shows respect for the landlord. But to be late with no explanation is just plain rude. They've had two chances, I would give them a warning and remind them of the clause and let them know that being late doesn't cut it anymore.

[Reality]

Thank you for the support. I was just so frustrated yesterday and feeling very taken advantage of for being kind. I have had a notice made up and sent that this is the 5th time this has happened and according to the agreement after 2 they can receive an eviction notice. I have stated that although I could take action today I will look past this incident but if this happens again notice will be sent to them within 5 days of rent due.

I really appreciate the understand from you all. It's hard, because even when you try to give and be ( more than ) reasonable, people seem to take that as an open invite to take advantage. It's reasuring to hear that most ( well all) that replied to my thread consider rent a important obligation.