My Tenant Messaged Me and Asked for 2 Weeks Extension

My Tenant Messaged Me and Asked for 2 Weeks Extension

Lowell, MA · Member since 2014 · 335 posts · 52 votes

My BP Landlord Community,

One of my tenants messaged me and told me that she won’t be able to pay her rent on the due date. She will need two weeks extension. She sounded very confident as she had done something like this before.

She told me her husbands lost his job and just found a new one. She said that her car did not have a plate and had cost her an arm/leg for it.

My wife told me to send in the written notice to start the paper trail. I told her that to give the tenant a week – in my stomach I know that when the one week came around I won’t see the money.

I can smell this tenant and I think she is going to be the trouble one with rent due issue.

Ideally, I can start the eviction process immediately with 1 day late in MA, because we don’t have a grace period. She is a TAW with a small baby. I don’t charge her late fee, because MA is not allowed to.

Should I tell her to move on if she is late again next month?

She was late last month too – 5 days

In general, I am a passive and aggressive. I let thing slight here and there, then I bite on it aggressively when it reaches a certain point.

Do you have any thought? Let's here it.

0Reply
177 views

Most Popular Reply

Investor · Middletown, NJ · Member since 2008 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
12y

When a tenant tells *you* when they'll pay the rent, you can be fairly certain they won't. Clearly, paying the rent isn't their priority - getting a license plate is. We evicted a tenant last month that had this outlook. She was late several times, paid the late fees (allowed in FL), and finally got to the point where she didn't pay at all. She gave 2 future dates that came and went, and we filed after the 2nd one...and she again gave us another date that she would pay. She was evicted in a month.

Right now we have a tenant that hasn't paid this month, here in NJ. She's been late several times before, always paid the late fees, and has been a good tenant so I let it go until last week. She claimed her bank account was compromised and a loved one was in the hospital. The attorney is filing the Pay or Quit tomorrow and will follow with the eviction.

If tenants believe there are no consequences to paying late, they will always pay on their own schedule, and in your case, you can't even collect late fees. We've gotten 3 new tenants in the last 6 months, and each one was told upon lease signing that the rent is due on the 1st, and the Pay or Quit will be served on the 3rd. No exceptions. They can borrow the money from friends or relatives.

I don't know what TAW is (rental assistance?). Is she on a month to month? If so, give her the 30 day notice or whatever is required and/or file the Pay or Quit. Paying rent when it's due is not a choice; it's a legal obligation.

See this reply in the discussion

63 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Investor · Fort Lauderdale, FL · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 465 votes
    12y

    I was doing some yard work this weekend and fixed a few busted sprinkler heads. So yesterday and today I have a sore back.

    I saw the subject title of this thread and misread it. I thought it said "My tenant mAssaged me and asked for 2 weeks extension"...

    Amazing how your own conditions sometimes affect how you read things.

  • Homeowner · Havertown, PA · Member since 2013 · 85 posts · 16 votes
    12y

    @Aly W.

    ^^Well put! Every landlord should have this statement hung over the desk and use it as their mantra!

  • Bill S.Pro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2013 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    12y
    Originally posted by Aly NA:
    From eRentpayment:
    "After the renter submits the payment and we start processing the payment the renter's account ...

    That right there is the problem. The renter must submit the payment. In my mind a true debiting service is a one time authorization by the tenant to reoccurringly TAKE the money at predetermined intervals from the account. The key is no tenant action is required. They can be in the middle of the Sahara and you still get rent.

    Sounds like erentpayment messed up and sent the money too soon. Seems like ClearNow's system is a little tighter with the hard and fast 3 days.

    Did not know they could stop an ACH.

    Even with the tenants directly making a deposit into your bank account, if they use a check you can still get a NSF. Cash or MO are the only means of payment that don't have recourse. Some banks do allow you to limit the deposits into your account as cash only.

  • Investor · Middletown, NJ · Member since 2008 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    12y

    @Sam Leon , the tenants that have caused all the headaches owe us massages for 2 weeks! Gift certificates only please :)

    Thanks @Kris Taylor , it's unfortunate that sometimes the consequences cost the landlord more than the tenant.

  • Investor · Middletown, NJ · Member since 2008 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    12y

    @Bill S. , I still had a tenant stop a payment and she was on the recurring/auto debit. If the ACH rules are that the tenant or the bank can take 3 days to return a transaction, it just doesn't seem that any ACH method is totally bulletproof. Except the direct cash deposit to a bank account. I'm seriously considering the sequential numbering system for our next tenant :)

  • Bill S.Pro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2013 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    12y

    @Aly W. I agree it does seem like ACH maybe a bit less bulletproof than I had in my mind.

    I still prefer debting because, again, it takes the money and requires zero initiative from the tenant.

  • Investor · Middletown, NJ · Member since 2008 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    12y

    Zero initiative sounds about right ;)

  • Investor · Middletown, NJ · Member since 2008 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    12y

    @Bill S. , I never actually thought about a tenant depositing an actual check into my business account. My assumption was they cashed their own paycheck and then stopped at my bank. I don't really know if they're driving from bank to bank with a pocketful of cash. Good point - I'll ask my bank if they can (or have) done that, thanks.

  • Lowell, MA · Member since 2014 · 335 posts · 52 votes
    12y

    Quick update from me -

    The tenant agreed to give me 75% of this month rent, and she will send the rest to my POBox when she got her next pay check.

  • Investor · Middletown, NJ · Member since 2008 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    12y

    That's great @Chan K. , something is better than nothing. I hope my tenant decides to pay before her court date.

  • Lowell, MA · Member since 2014 · 335 posts · 52 votes
    12y

    @Aly W. Usually I tried to work with them. I tried to convey certain information, so that they can picture themselves in my shoes. Sometime, I met someone who understands.

  • Investor · Tallahassee, FL · Member since 2014 · 246 posts · 89 votes
    12y
    Originally posted by @Chan K.:
    @Aly W. Usually I tried to work with them. I tried to convey certain information, so that they can picture themselves in my shoes. Sometime, I met someone who understands.

    glad to hear you made headway!

  • Investor · Middletown, NJ · Member since 2008 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    12y

    It's a good feeling when your tenant can try to see your side as well. We had an amazing tenant once who ran into financial problems. She paid the rent every month, even when the gas/electric was shut off for non payment. She moved in with her parents until she could afford to turn them back on. She let us know eventually, but never missed a rent payment even though she wasn't even living there for several months.

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.