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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask landlord if I pay the rent late?

112 replies

needtogobacktowork · 02/03/2018 08:34

Hi, our rent is due today but we are a little short after paying an unexpected bill and also DH taking a week off work when the babies were ill to help look after them.

I have enough to pay it but it will leave us with nothing to live off for the next to weeks. Do you think it's a reasonable request if I ask to pay £100 less and catch up in 2 weeks when I get my maternity pay?

We have no previous rent arrears and have been in the property did over s year but he was also out landlord ar our last property so we have known him s while.

OP posts:
Dancingmonkey87 · 02/03/2018 09:40

Also having a credit is not a bad thing and are usual for times like this.

bluebells1 · 02/03/2018 09:44

"Not that it should make a difference to me paying the rent on time but he is the owner of an estate agency and has a lot of properties so I don't think it will affect him too much if I pay some of the rent late. "

How the heck would you know? And even if he is minted, it is none of your business!

stayathomegardener · 02/03/2018 09:44

As a landlord myself I would be fine with this.

But when it came to making any future decisions regarding you or the property I would assume finances were an issue for you. And may take decisions based on that assumption.

Katedotness1963 · 02/03/2018 09:46

Pay the rent. A roof over your head is the most important thing. Don't do anything to jeopardise that.

Purplerain101 · 02/03/2018 09:47

If it’s just a one off then I think it should be ok unless he’s depending on the money (but you’ve said you don’t think he will be). If it happens again then I’m sure he would say no and also try to evict you

EssentialHummus · 02/03/2018 09:48

As a landlord - if it was genuinely a one-off, with a clear repayment date and a very short explanation of what's happened (showing that it's a one-off) I'd be fine with it. But if it happened again or the money didn't turn up when you promised, that'd be that for references etc.

Original poster
needtogobacktowork · 02/03/2018 09:48

We had to spend what we had saved on things like a new cot as ds1 is still in his, and a double pram, I also got a travel cot for the living room so I can keep an eye on ds2 while he naps. Other small things like sleeping bags as its so cold, (ds1 was a summer baby so never had one.) a few clothes, breast pump and bottles. And to cover our expenses while :'DH was on paternity leave as he didn't get his full pay just statutory like me.

The unexpected bill was an old store card of mine which offered me a settlement which was a lot less if I paid it within 7days, at the time it seemed the sensible thing to do but obviously now I am regretting it.

Please don't make me feel bad about our financial situation, or our choice to have a family. I understand it's not ideal or would be everyone else's way of doing things, but it is what it is, I am where I am an there is no going back now.

I would would jut appreciate advice on this topic and not my life choices if possible.x

OP posts:
Snowysky20009 · 02/03/2018 09:50

Funny how the non LL are saying no, and the LL are saying yes ask.

specialsubject · 02/03/2018 09:51

Because landlords know what evictions and voids cost, and that non payment of rent doesn't mean the tenant is out.

SavoyCabbage · 02/03/2018 09:59

ThanksSorry, I did think when I replied that it wasn't what you had asked.

I'm a landlord and it would concern me that you couldn't afford to live there.

Really what landlords want is tenants who stay there in the long term as that's better for them. Long term tenants will look after the property more and landlords don't want their property empty as then they aren't getting any money at all. You've been there a year already and you rented a property from him before that so he knows it's not a common occurrence

Mummyoflittledragon · 02/03/2018 10:00

Snowsky
I’m a LL and I concur. I wouldn’t have a problem with this. It sounds as if you have a long term relationship and are normally good payers. You’re also not putting your head in the sand.

Regarding the credit card. I’m not trying to tell you these are the best thing since sliced bread. But for situations such as these, they can be a lifeline. Another alternative is get an overdraft but the interest is sky high. I hope you manage to get a loan from family.

rogermooresfifthwife · 02/03/2018 10:02

I would ask. I had similar with my tenant yeas ago and agreed to it - and it started a slippery slope of her asking every single month - her mum was guarantor for her rent so I wrote to her and then suddenly it began to be paid on time again (I suspect her mum was paying it to her and she was spending it instead of paying rent.) I would be very wary of agreeing to anything like that again now so it may depend on your landlord's previous experiences.

TroubledLitchen · 02/03/2018 10:04

Yes I’m sure you know you’ve made a series of pretty terrible choices and that’s why you’re in this mess but people are trying to offer helpful advice as they’re guessing that you don’t want to end up in this situation again (and without wanting to sound too harsh as I know your situation is tough, you seem to have form for making some pretty shit financial decisions). The comments re the choice to have a family are just plain nasty though, there really is no need to go there.

And for what it’s worth I am a reluctant landlord (we rent out our family home whilst temporarily abroad due to a job move) and whilst I wouldn’t evict the OP, I certainly would not be renewing her tenancy. I rely on the rent to pay my mortgage and I would consider her too much of a risk.

butterfly56 · 02/03/2018 10:06

Pay the rent and ask family for small loan to cover you for the basics for the next couple of weeks.

Also are you forced to have pre payment meters in your flat being as they are so very expensive.
Fwiw OP I think you are doing a fantastic job given your circumstances and hope things improve for you over the next few months.

jkl0311 · 02/03/2018 10:10

Go and ask but in hindsight and if this happens again ask a few days before the rent is due, I'm a landlord and had this happen before.

category12 · 02/03/2018 10:11

I just think getting into rent arrears is the start of a slippery slope: you really need to look at your income and outgoings very carefully.

I can understand that the opportunity to pay off the debt seemed a good one, but it seems you couldn't afford it. And that sort of debt is low priority and can be written off if it came to it (if you've only "partially satisfied" it by taking the lower repayment, you still have a note on your credit file).

You need to be budgeting really hard right now and accounting for every penny.

Flockoftreegulls · 02/03/2018 10:15

Yes I’m sure you know you’ve made a series of pretty terrible choices and that’s why you’re in this mess but people are trying to offer helpful advice

Well it's a good job you are here to remind the op of her terrible choices.
OP if family say they can't help then I would ask the landlord as you have a previously spotless account.
These things happen, if we all had a crystal ball then they wouldn't.
Hope you get it sorted out.

thecatneuterer · 02/03/2018 10:16

As a LL I would be fine with this, particularly for a long standing good tenant with no previous issues. The important thing is to say when you will pay the outstanding rent and to stick to it.

VandelayIndustries · 02/03/2018 10:20

I remember seeing a programme on homelessness where the sole wage earner had stopped working to take care of his wife when she was ill and he was asked if he would have paid someone £300 a week to look after her which is really what he had done by not going to work.

BubblesBubblesBubbles · 02/03/2018 10:23

You can ask Op! I’d rather borrow from friends/family/overdraft than ask. That’s just my opinion.

However if they agree make sure you make this extra payment!

It’s hard, we have been in the same situation but we have a mortgage, either pay the mortgage or not eat, we chose not to eat. Luckily dc were small and didn’t eat much at the time, and my dad bless him took me food shopping one week and sent me a Asda delivery with nappies, wipes, bread, milk etc. I never asked (was too proud) Was a hard month! And the month after we were always playing catch up.

Anyone can have a blip with money. We did dh was made redundant and it taken years of planning and living off next to nothing to dig ourselves out. Some people can be really harsh with their answers.

hamburgers · 02/03/2018 10:36

Bloody hell @Mercurial123 have a heart. Be thankful you're not in the position of the OP.

OP it's awful to find yourself in this situation but as PP have said just be as open and honest with your LL.

Good luck Thanks It's not easy choosing between bills, rent and food!

chickenowner · 02/03/2018 10:40

I'm a LL and would much rather my tenant was honest with me about things like this. I would agree to you paying what you have now, and then give you a week to pay the remainder.

Barmaid101 · 02/03/2018 10:42

As a landlord we are wanting to sell our house at the moment but in no rush. We have said while tenants are happy and with no intention of leaving then we will keep the house until they decided they would like to leave.
If we got that request it would make us think that you now couldn’t afford the house and is the start of a slippery we would then most likely give you notice to leave so we could then sell.

Fuckit2017 · 02/03/2018 10:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Witchend · 02/03/2018 10:44

I think though the issue is not just about whether the landlord would mind today, but also whether it will effect future decisions.

If I was a landlord, I wouldn't mind for this month. But at the back of my mind would be "if I say yes, now, is this going to be regular".
Because my experience is often if you say "yes" that one time, then in their mind the person then thinks it doesn't matter if they're a bit short, they can always pay me later and I don't mind. So you go down their priority list of payment.
That often means that £100 a week late, in a few months time has turned into being a whole month behind because each month it's increased both in time overdue and money owed.

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