You've been a nice landlord and allowed your tenants to pay late rent in Raleigh for several months, they've gotten used to it and made it a custom to pay late every single month. What now? It's taking you time and money to get these late payments from them.
Below, you';ll find the 5 things you should do if tenants are paying rent late, or not paying rent in raleigh, nc.
FOREWARNING: When it comes to tenants paying rent late, it seems natural to want to hire an attorney right away, but the time and money that takes almost makes it not worth it, there are some options you as a landlord have before it gets to that point.
Step 1: Always review your Lease terms and check past payment records
You wouldn't believe how often landlords bypass this step. I've came across many landlords who couldn't tell me the exact date the tenant was supposed to pay. If you are not organized yourself, and don't know when rent is supposed to be due, per contract, how can you expect your tenant to stick to their side of the deal. This becomes more of a problem when the landlord has multiple properties and it is easier to forget the exact date things are due for each property. Always keep good records!
Step 2: Give them a "late payment notice"
The next step would be to serve the tenant a Late Rent Notice. Hopefully it will jog an honest but forgetful tenant’s memory, but its threat of legal action will make other tenants take it seriously. Basically this piece of paper is a warning that if you have a tenant that is paying rent late in Raleigh, NC, will let them know you are thinking about evicting them. This usually get's the job done if your tenant is thinking about paying at all.
Step 3: Call Them
Landlords usually skip this part because it can get conflicting. But trust me, it is well worth it to speak to your tenants and first find out why they are paying late and get a grasp for what their situation is. You'll also get a better idea if they are planning on paying you at all or if they will be skipping on rent.
Step 4: The Pay or Vacate Notice
This is a more official document, no longer a warning. Usually giving the tenant a few days to come up with the money, if they don't, then the eviction process with be started. This is usually the last step before legal action when you have a tenant that is paying rent late in Raleigh.
Step 5: Evict the tenant
If every attempt from you as a landlord to work with the tenant fails. Take legal action and evict them. If you have gotten to this point it is advisable that you contact and eviction attorney to handle the matter.
Follow the exact rules for North Carolina through the eviction process. Failure to do so may cause delays in the process.
Q&A
Q: How do I handle bounced checks?
A: This should be a provision in your lease. Most landlords consider a bounced check to constitute late rent and charge late fees accordingly. Q: What if the tenant leaves the unit without notifying the landlord?
A: In this situation you may want an attorney on your side. You may be able to sue for abandonment, get past due rent, and money for marketing to get a new tenant.
Q: Will landlord insurance cover eviction?
A: Some policies may add-on features like “rent guarantee”
