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Original poster

Landlord asking why we don’t have emergency funds

198 replies

JustDrained48 · 10/04/2019 23:52

We’ve rented the same property for 2 years.
We’ve always paid bang on date.
I’ve recently changed jobs which meant a change to my pay dates for the first month.
I immediately emailed our landlord to tell him this monthly rent would be a day late but would follow the original date here after.
Obviously I said I was sorry & hoped this was ok.
He sent a v long email by return stating that we needed to explain to him why we didn’t have emergency funds to cover these one off occurrences.
Should I even grace him with an answer?

OP posts:
wotsittoyou · 11/04/2019 10:36

CuriousaboutSamphire, you can serve a section 8 anytime you like, it doesn't mean it's valid or that a judge will grant possession on the basis of it. Yes, it's within the court's discretion to order possession for 'persistently' late payments, but they don't have to, and 'persistently late' does not mean what you are implying it does. A couple of late payments in a few years would not be considered 'persistently' late. A penny late for a day, would not even be considered a late payment.

Is there a reason you're insinuating that landlords have rights that they don't? Are you misinformed, or are you exaggerating to intimidate tenants?

Patroclus · 11/04/2019 10:36

absolute fucking lol at some people on here. Allow me to point you towards the real world, in which we struggle to eat

Alsohuman · 11/04/2019 10:46

Your mistake was telling him. I doubt he’d have even noticed it was a day late if you’d kept quiet.

FriarTuck · 11/04/2019 10:46

Mightskys, not sure how you can 'ask if it's okay' to pay late when you literally do not have the money until the later date. What if they say no? It's not going to enable you to pay it sooner.
It's good manners. If you make someone feel as if they're in control of a situation they're far more likely to be pleasant about it. If you say 'Sorry but I'm paying a day late because...' you're basically saying 'I'm paying a day late and I don't give a shit what you think' whereas 'Is it okay if I pay a day late because...' is really 'I'm paying a day late but I really do feel bad about it and hope you're not going to be pissed about it'. The first will get the landlord's response, the second 'no problem (as a one-off), thanks for letting me know, good luck for the new job'
Treat people how you want to be treated.

Bluesmartiesarebest · 11/04/2019 10:47

I’m a landlord and I would be fine about you paying one day late. I’d appreciate the fact that you told me. You sound like a good tenant to me!

AnotherEmma · 11/04/2019 11:06

"Is there a reason you're insinuating that landlords have rights that they don't? Are you misinformed, or are you exaggerating to intimidate tenants?"

I wondered that too.

PCohle · 11/04/2019 11:09

Why would she want to intimidate someone else's tenant?

Is it part of an illuminati plot?

buttermilkwaffles · 11/04/2019 11:16

Imagine if you had bills to pay and your employer said "sorry but next month we are paying a day late

I don't have to imagine that, as a freelancer it happens all the time. And not a day late but weeks or months late and sometimes not at all. Often big household name companies too, so it's not like it's a small company struggling with cashflow problems...

wotsittoyou · 11/04/2019 11:20

"Is it part of an illuminati plot?"

No, it's much more likely that they've simply used the thread as an opportunity to be unpleasant to people who can't afford to buy.

DontCallMeCharlotte · 11/04/2019 11:20

You could reply saying "I don't have emergency funds because I can't afford to save due to my high rent". Although I've just seen the reply from Shinesweetfreedom which is more pleasing!

People coming from the same place as the Landlord, give the OP a break - it's not an ideal world and not everyone earns enough to save that much.

PCohle · 11/04/2019 11:28

No, it's much more likely that they've simply used the thread as an opportunity to be unpleasant to people who can't afford to buy.

Why would a landlord be unpleasant about people who can't afford to buy? Presumably they represent her livelihood.

Sparklesocks · 11/04/2019 11:37

It’s only a day! A complete overreaction.

Ceci03 · 11/04/2019 11:42

I think if I was you I probaby wouldnt have even said anything and tbh he wouldnt have noticed. or it could easly have been a 'bank glitch' which has happened to me. once there was a really bad bank glitch, and all pay (huge organisation) was 24 hours late. I think some flexibility in life is vital or else where would we all be - everyone needs a bit of a break sometimes - even landlords lol!

3dogs2cats · 11/04/2019 11:46

I would reply that you have no emergency fund because whatever extortionate percentage of your income goes on rent. Ask him f he has an emergency fund that will cover this one-off 24 hours. They don’t own you. He’s not morally superior because he’s a landlord and you are a tenant.

WombatChocolate · 11/04/2019 12:04

OP, I think you are being over sensitive to his reply. I guess you know it's not great to be paying late (and it's good you know that and it hasn't been a regular occurrence).
His reply isn't rude and it isn't even kicking up a fuss or saying he will charge late fees. It's pretty measured and actually the right response in the circumstances. To just say 'fine' would be to suggest it is okay, which it isn't, but he's not going further than that. I'm sure he does acknowledge you have paid on time before and it's because of that that he's not charging late fees or being more heavy handed. But remember he probably has had troublesome tenants who all started with just one late payment and you could be the same. Your response is overly defensive,mperhaps because you know what you're asking isn't great. Now just send a polite reply reassuring him that the money will be with him when you stated and will be on time in future, with another brief apology.

And to those suggesting rude replies about paying extortionate rent, the Op has to maintain a positive relationship with the LL. He may be her all for some years to come,nshes might need a reference and to be honest, life just works better when you are cordial with people. This issue isn't his fault. He has not kicked up a fuss but simply made clear that it's not a great situation,nwhicwhich entirely reasonable and indepdents make Op realise that she shouldn't be in this position again. That's all. He will get his money a day late and perhaps have to make some adjustments to some if his own payments and incur inconvenience. Life will continue and if Op keeps paying her rent on time, they could have this tenant-landlord relationship for many years. If a one off blip, this won't ruin it. Move on. (Not literally!!)

wotsittoyou · 11/04/2019 12:10

Why would a landlord be unpleasant about people who can't afford to buy? Presumably they represent her livelihood.

You tell me. Why would the op's landlord send her an email questioning her qualities as an individual in response to a small payment change which, by itself, is a non-issue?

Perhaps it's because people, in general, are driven to maintain boundaries by allocating the worst qualities of another group's anomic minority to the whole of that group, while attributing the qualities of their own group's most exemplary members to themselves.

This thread is filled will examples of landlords explaining the op's LL's response in the context of other 'bad' tenants who've failed to pay rent. It's quite common to hear LL's insinuate that there's something inherently inferior about renters. Insignificant events are taken as signs that the tenant is finally showing their 'true colours' as a feckless and inadaquate chancer, ready to do them over.

It's unintelligent and offensive, and it harms the landlords by damaging their business relationship with their tenant, but it's clearly apparent anyway.

PCohle · 11/04/2019 12:15

He's not questioning her qualities as an individual. He's questioning her ability to pay the rent she is contractually obliged to pay him. He has been prompted to do so by clear evidence that she has, at the very least, a cash flow issue.

If you look at the OP's other posts on MN it is clear that this "insignificant event" is just the tip of the iceberg regarding her financial issues.

AnotherEmma · 11/04/2019 12:16

I've read the OP's other thread, it turns out they don't have savings because her "D"P has been living off his savings instead of doing paid work, and still doesn't want to get paid work even though they can't afford rent and bills 🙄

So their landlord should be worried!

BloodyDisgrace · 11/04/2019 12:52

He seem to me to have overreacted. In his place I'd say "thank you for letting me know, 1 day late this time is ok, and thanks for reassurances of paying on time in future - that's really important to me".
I'd be glad to have tenants for 2 years who pay on time and look after the place. I think landlords need to treasure such people.

If only my previous tenant said they are struggling/going to delay rent ... Nah, the agent had to chase them. 2nd occurrence of delay - they were asked to leave.

JinglingHellsBells · 11/04/2019 13:52

I've read the OP's other thread, it turns out they don't have savings because her "D"P has been living off his savings instead of doing paid work, and still doesn't want to get paid work even though they can't afford rent and bills

yes, and she also has a terrible credit record and has never had credit cards. I assume this is looked into when anyone takes on a lease?

Xenia · 11/04/2019 14:10

Presumably if that means he has an extra charge from his lender because he paid his mortgage late the tenant is happy to pay that?

Shitonthebloodything · 11/04/2019 14:26

If it's a mortgaged property then the LL probably has the mortgage and insurance payments come out a day or two after the rent is paid. I'd panic too. No need for a big drama just phone them rather than messaging and explain that it's a one off because of xyz, there's no emergency fund to cover because income won't stretch that far etc and keep things on good terms.
Never understand why people send messages about such important things then wonder why relations turn sour through bad communication.

HelenaDove · 11/04/2019 14:28

"They don’t own you."

"hes not your bank"

he dosnt own her. Hes not her pimp either Hes her landlord. I thought the only ones who would kick off about ONE DAY would be pimps or loan sharks It seems that SOME landlords would fit into the same category.

LakieLady · 11/04/2019 14:41

Imagine if you had bills to pay and your employer said "sorry but next month we are paying a day late"

But they never would, thanks to people like my DP who stayed at work until 9 last night sorting out the payroll, because of an IT failure that put everything back a day!

TheChiefBMS · 11/04/2019 15:16

BloodyDisgrace

My thoughts exactly. Tenants like that are a dream.

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