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Original poster

Tenant Always Pays Late

128 replies

el1zabeth · 03/08/2019 22:40

I have a tenant who, for the last 8 months is always late with the rent. When she moved into the house 2 years ago, she would pay in 6 monthly chunks which was great.

At the beginning of this year she had a nasty altercation with her boyfriend (who also lived at the house) and he left. I asked if she wanted to remain living there with her 2 little children, and did she want to continue to pay in 6 month lump sums. At the time she said that she did want to stay, but would it be okay if she paid month to month until she decided what to do, so I agreed.

Since then, I have always had to text /email /phone her to remind that it's time for the rent (due on 1st of each month) and each time I try to make contact it takes days before she responds, and there's always some excuse such as "sorry I didn't see your text, one of the kids must have got hold of my phone and read it" or "I tried to transfer the money but someone has hacked into my online account so I need to go to the bank to sort it" and other similar scenarios. I am always having to pretty much beg for the rent, and it's making me pissed off. It's MY house and she already underpays (according to the going rate by around £100 monthly) I have bills to pay from the monthly rent, which ok, I usually have sufficient in my account to cover them, but it's not the point.

She's now late again, and her latest excuse yesterday was that she was out for the day and the (alleged) standing order that she set up, she'd accidentally set it for the 9th of the month which is eight days over the contract due date.

My husband thinks perhaps it's time to give her notice to vacate, but I'll feel bad knowing that she did have a terrible time at the beginning of the year and she has two very young children to take care of alone. I know she loves living there plus she said the schools where she wants her kids to attend are in the right district, but this is a business and I'm not a charity and I shouldn't have to be the one who feels guilty asking for what is our money.

Would it be unreasonable to give her notice to get out, or do I simply carry on calling emailing texting and ultimately going to the house to collect the rent, late, each month?

OP posts:
StupidlittlepricknamedRick · 05/08/2019 15:36

I'm surprised at how many people are criticising you OP! I'd be mortified if my landlord had to ask for late rent, even once.
Our rent goes straight into our bills account, standing order comes out every month without fail.
I hope she pulls her socks up.

purpleleotard · 05/08/2019 16:01

To be practical.

  1. The tenant is paying the rent, Ok late, but she is paying.
  2. Finding a new tenant will probably result in a void of at least 1 month, loss of income.
  3. Getting a court order to evict with a section 8 ground 11, for late payment will probably be impossible. No judge will evict a mother and 2 children on such minimal problem.
  4. If you did go the court route it will take on average 5 / 6 months to complete and a complete loss of any good will result. read no rent at all.
  5. Court processes are expensive. 1st hearing, 2nd hearing, bailiffs, solicitors, etc.
  6. If you really want her out, can afford the void, then offer her money to go and find another home ( I've just given bad tenant £890 to vacate when the rent arrears got to £2500).
  7. probably best to smile. This is being a landlord. It is the lack of consistent income.
Coralfish · 05/08/2019 16:12

A lot of the advice here is very good in theory but perhaps not that great in practice. If you need to evict her and she really is that low on funds she will be advised to stay put until evicted, as PPs have said, and you will have to stump up court costs. She is paying, she is just paying late. How much of an issue is this for you? Would you be willing to change the payment date, stressing that this is her last chance? It may save you a lot of money and hassle.

Coffeeandcherrypie · 05/08/2019 16:30

No, @Butters83 OP said she ‘usually’ las the money, that’s not a licence for CFs to take the piss!

Butters83 · 05/08/2019 16:33

Coffeeandcherrypie Its not, but I dont know if we can plead poverty and sympathy over someone making profit off a second home they own...not really a Greek tragedy is it.....

AnneLovesGilbert · 05/08/2019 16:38

She's in a rental property paying someone else's mortgage.

No, she’s paying to rent a property. When I was renting privately my landlord didn’t even have a mortgage. Property rentals were his business, I doubt he’d have suffered if I was late with my rent but that’s not the point. I didn’t own a house so I rented a flat, set up a standing order and prioritised my rent payment over everything else, then council tax, then utilities, then everything else. I was skint, my landlord was bloody minted, but it was a business arrangement, he wasn’t a charity and I doubt he’d have let it go on for 8 months if I’d started dicking around.

The infantilising of this woman because she happens to rent where she lives and no longer has a man in her life is laughable. One wonders how the rest of us coped.... Hmm

ElizaPancakes · 05/08/2019 17:07

Either she’s a mate you’re doing a favour for or the property is your business or retirement plan.

If she’s the first, then carry on as is. If it’s the second, then either give her an ultimatum (asking if a change of date might help) or just serve her notice.

beefthief · 05/08/2019 17:14

There's a lot of glee from some posters here. Throw her out! Make her sleep on the streets with her children! Don't stand for a small inconvenience!

BurnedToast · 05/08/2019 17:29

Grin at person suggesting a gift card.

Mummyoflittledragon · 05/08/2019 17:42

Interesting that the actual landlords with relevant experience are coming out to say better the devil you know.

@Coffeeandcherrypie
No one should be renting out their property if they are reliant on the rental income being paid on time. Lls need to have deep pockets in order to be able to stump up thousands in case of non payment as the eviction process is long, refurb costs etc.

Original poster
el1zabeth · 05/08/2019 21:40

Thank you to all who've taken the time to respond, both landlords and tenants alike. I laughed at the "buy her a gift card" suggestion, but in reality, I have in the past, taken her children little treats because they're cute and as mentioned many times, I do like her and her little family (although the bf turned out to be a complete arsehole).

I do check the property every six months and so far, I have not seen any cannabis farm, but maybe next time I'll poke my head in to the loft to see !

Anyway, the update is that the email we sent to her the other night must have made her think and she has paid August rent into my account today, with a further text stating she has amended the standing order and it will now be deposited on the correct date, 1st of each month (I have 26 days to find out if this is true)
She'll get her notice if same shit happens again next month, I'm not a charity.

Fascinating though how some people find it despicable that I dare to have a rental property and 'fleece' some poor woman and charge her rent and then worse, expect it to be paid on time !

Anyway, now I think it's time for this post to be removed, so how do I go about taking it off?

OP posts:
underneaththeash · 05/08/2019 22:06

OP - you can’t, but I think it’s a great example of how completely entitled some people are!

We have several rental properties (with no mortgage) and give notice if two consecutive payments have been late - which constitutes a default. Unless they’ve let us know in advance that there is an issue and they’re sorting it out.

With found from experience that if we let it slide, these are the tenants who become problematic.

PinkyPrincessy · 05/08/2019 23:25

Sure you could give her notice but she doesn’t have to leave at the end of that two month period

Moondancer73 · 05/08/2019 23:32

Aside from the email from your husband saying that she must pay on time from now on I'd be telling her that it must be in full and all arrears must be brought up to date and that she will incur charges on them and on any future arrears. She's taking the piss.

Moondancer73 · 05/08/2019 23:32

Aside from the email from your husband saying that she must pay on time from now on I'd be telling her that it must be in full and all arrears must be brought up to date and that she will incur charges on them and on any future arrears. She's taking the piss.

Moondancer73 · 05/08/2019 23:32

Aside from the email from your husband saying that she must pay on time from now on I'd be telling her that it must be in full and all arrears must be brought up to date and that she will incur charges on them and on any future arrears. She's taking the piss.

Moondancer73 · 05/08/2019 23:32

Aside from the email from your husband saying that she must pay on time from now on I'd be telling her that it must be in full and all arrears must be brought up to date and that she will incur charges on them and on any future arrears. She's taking the piss.

Moondancer73 · 05/08/2019 23:32

Aside from the email from your husband saying that she must pay on time from now on I'd be telling her that it must be in full and all arrears must be brought up to date and that she will incur charges on them and on any future arrears. She's taking the piss.

Moondancer73 · 05/08/2019 23:32

Aside from the email from your husband saying that she must pay on time from now on I'd be telling her that it must be in full and all arrears must be brought up to date and that she will incur charges on them and on any future arrears. She's taking the piss.

cstaff · 05/08/2019 23:39

Some of the posts on here are hilarious. Send her a "Hope you're ok hun" card and don't forget those gifts for the kids. Ffs get with the real world people.

As for you OP well done. Hope it works out and if she messes you around again contact the guarantor and let them know what is going on. They won't want their credit fucked with and should have words.

Moondancer73 · 06/08/2019 10:46

Apologies to anyone else seeing my post that ended up here five times- no idea why that happened

Moondancer73 · 06/08/2019 10:46

Apologies to anyone else seeing my post that ended up here five times- no idea why that happened

zackly · 06/08/2019 13:35

@Moondancer73 Mumsnet was having some serious issues yesterday Smile

Rubbinghimsweetly2 · 06/08/2019 13:42

I hope you gave her a little reduction on rent for paying 6 months in one go?

Can't you just have a chat with her face to face and find out it's a date thing?
No need to go in guns blazing threatening eviction.

And do it yourself op don't cop out hiding behind your husband.

cstaff · 07/08/2019 09:12

@Rubbinghimsweetly2
Why would she give her a reduction for paying in advance - it was the tenant's choice to do that as it obviously suited her for whatever reason. The OP didn't request her to pay in advance.

OP - hope you go sorted with her paying on time.