Late rent notice 2024 (guide + free templates)

This post overs late rent notice.

Late rent payment is a common problem that you are facing as a landlord ( it is unavoidable problem, I may say)

Why?

According to Census Bureau data, approximately 15% of US renters are behind on their payments.

This equates to 8.4 million Americans who were unable to pay their monthly rent between June 1 and June 13, 2022, according to the Census survey. (source)

So if you think your renters are letting you down, you are not alone, and kicking them out may not be the ultimate solution to your problem, so sending them a Lease violation notice or past-due rent notice might be helpful.

Here I will guide you in everything you need to know about late rent notice  including

• What is a late rent notice?
• Is a past-due rent notice legally binding?
• Why do you need a late rent notice
• When to send past due rent notice
• What if your notice did not work?
• How to write a strong late rent notice
• late rent notice template
• late rent notice pdf
• etc.

Let’s get started

Related:

• Rent payment request letter (guide + free samples)
• Letter of commitment to pay rent (guide + samples)

What is a late rent notice?

A late rent notice is a brief statement of facts written by a landlord to a tenant informing the tenant that rent has become past due and requesting that the overdue rent be paid as soon as possible.

This notice is sent by a landlord to a tenant when that tenant fails to pay rent on time.

It is less formal than an Eviction Notice and can be a polite first step in collecting rent before starting the eviction process.

A late rent notice is alternatively known as a late rent letter, notice to pay rent, past due rent notice, demand for payment of rent, etc.

Is a late rent notice legally binding?

Other than your notification to pay past-due rent, a late rent notice has no legal authority.

Because it lacks legal authority, the police or court will be unable to enforce your notice.

If the tenant’s response becomes more unfavorable, you may need to take additional legal action (you will see them later in this post).

Why do you need a late rent notice?

A notice to pay rent is a simple letter through which you remind the tenant to pay the past-due rent.

It serves as a reasonable and fair reminder that the tenant should pay his or her due rent as soon as possible before you resort to coercive measures.

As a result, an effective late rent notice can help you;

• Maintain a good relationship with your tenant
• Avoid the time-consuming, costly, and stressful eviction process

When to send a late rent notice

As soon as the rent payment is past due (and outside of the grace period), the landlord should send a notice to pay rent, giving the tenant the opportunity to cure the breach and pay.

When to send a late rent notice depends on local laws and the lease terms, but tenants typically have five to seven days after the rent due date before incurring a late rent fee.

What if your notice did not work?

If your late notice letter doesn’t work, you will almost certainly need to end your lease agreement by taking the following legal action.

• Send a notice to pay rent or quit
• initiate an eviction process

NB: Your state, city, or town may have its own laws and regulations on this subject; therefore, before taking action against a tenant, consult a local attorney.

How to write a late rent notice

A late rent notice is written in the format of a business letter. Begin your letter with your address and contact information, then a date and the tenant’s address, and state that you are writing to demand immediate payment of the overdue rent. Finish with “With Regards,” followed by your name and signature.

REMEMBER! Your late rent notice’s purpose is to remind the tenant to pay the past-due rent.

So, in order to write a strong notice to pay rent, do the following.

• Provide your name, address, and contact information
• Include the date of the letter
• Include the tenant’s  names, addresses, and contact information
• Provide the rental property address, including the unit number  if applicable
• Cleary states the amount due.
• Provide any late fees or pending late fees for failing to pay within the lease’s time frame.
• Provide the details on how the tenant should pay the money
• Explain what will happens if he fails to heed your notice
• Maintain a professional tone
• Be honest

additional helpful hints

• Send the letter by certified mail so that you have proof that it was delivered. (use the service address provided under your lease agreement.)
• Keep a copy

Format of late rent notice

The format for your late rent notice is as follows:

• Your Address/ property manager’s address
• Date
• tenant’s address
• Subject line
• Salutation
• [opening paragraph]- State clearly how much rent is owed
• [body paragraphs]- A statement that he should pay his due rent as soon as possible
• [closing paragraphs] – provide the time to act, explain what is next if he will not heed your letter
• name and signature

Late rent notice template

[Your Name]
[Address as Provided on Lease Agreement]
[City, State, ZIP Code]

[Date]

[Tenant’s Name]
[Address as provided on Lease Agreement]
[City, State, ZIP Code]

Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms/ [tenant’s last name]

Re: Late rent notice

I’m writing this notice pursuant to clause [clause number] of our lease agreement entered on 01/01/20… to inform you that we have not received your rent payment in relation to House No. 1 located at 101 Street avenue which was due on ___(insert date due)___. This payment is owed for the time period of ______ to ______.

You are also responsible for a $_______ late rent fee, according to the terms of your rental agreement. The total amount of _______ is due by __(date)__ when combined with the rent payment.

Please send the total amount owed to the following address:

[your address]

I respectfully request that you pay the entire balance due within ten (10) calendar days of receiving this letter, otherwise, I will end our lease agreement by taking further legal action.

If you have any questions or believe there has been an error, please contact me at [email] or [phone].

Sincerely

[signature]

[your name]

Late rent notice pdf