All landlords want are good tenants that pay rent on time. However, getting the occupants of their rental properties to pay what they owe, in full and on time, is no easy task. Landlords have heard just about every excuse in the book, and to end a lease agreement when its term expires.
Why Tenants Give Excuses for Late Rent
Every landlord has heard one or more of the same old excuses as to why their tenant hasn’t paid the rent. From forgetting the due date to paying another bill first, tenants seem to think that their problems need to become the landlord’s problems, too.
Tenants seem like they can use any number of excuses for not paying rent. They know they can get away with it because the landlord is bound by rules regarding eviction. Ultimately, tenants that deliver excuses instead of rent know there won’t be any immediate severe consequences.
Some landlords are content to give tenants a break with late rent, allowing dangerous habits to form between landlords and tenants. Other landlords decide it is better to accept late rent than to go through the eviction process. However, many landlord won’t put up with any excuses for late rent and take steps immediately, like sending pay or quit notices and charging late fees.
Landlords Share the Best Tenant Excuses for Late Rent
Most landlords have a ridiculous story or two about tenants they currently have or past tenants. Many of these tales have to do with excuses for late rent.
Lots of excuses have to do with being too busy, such as not being able to swing by the leasing office or not having enough time to buy a stamp. Other excuses center on the money going elsewhere. Examples include paying for a funeral of a distant relative, sending their teen to prom or paying other bills first. A common excuse is that the tenants had to use rent money for something for their children. Tenants often hope landlords will give them a break if kids are involved.
Tenants often expect landlords to give them a break when they want to take a vacation or have other travel needs. Still other tenants give the excuse of problems with paychecks from work or difficulties depositing them at the bank.
Finally, there are always a few silly excuses that landlords have a hard time taking seriously. These include excuses like they were robbed on the way to the leasing office, their dog ate the money order or they didn’t pay because the landlord was on vacation.
RentPrep’s Take On Tenant Excuses for Late Rent
Landlords will hear every excuse for late rent there is, but they should not be swayed from collecting rent. The longer the rent is not paid, the harder it is for the tenants to make up.
Once in a while, tenants have legitimate excuses. Landlords can decide on a case by case basis whether to allow late rent. Mostly, landlords should start the pay or quit process after the grace period for payment has expired.
Landlords can also use social media to figure out whether a tenant is telling the truth. Too often, a tenant gives an excuse for late rent (my hours got cut at work). Then the truth is revealed via photos and content from their social media account (I’m really on a vacation).
What Are Other Landlords Saying About Tenant Excuses for Late Rent
Every landlord must have rent paid on time and in full to make their real estate investment business profitable. Tenant excuses are designed to buy them a little time, hoping the landlord will take it easy on them. However, like all other bills, there needs to be consequences for not paying.
Here’s a screenshot of landlords discussing this question in our private Facebook group for Landlords.
You can see even more comments on that post by checking it out in the group.