New tenant moved in late September... paid pro-rated rent for Sept and full rent for Oct.

November 5... no rent, new tenant, Deborah not happy... debate just shocking the pee-willy out of her by posting tomorrow or being a better customer service person and calling.

Call.  "Gee - I was wondering how to pay the rent."  Me "Well, it says in your lease, which I made certain you had a copy of, to mail it to the P.O. Box.  But since you didn't, the only way to not be late is to pay it online TODAY...if you'll send me an email, I'll set it up"

Me mentally - WTF, just pay the rent already - you're a professional

Some days I wonder how these people think thing the world really works. I'm getting ready to change the late policy to late fee on second day.

@Deborah Burian  

I hear you!  Lately it seems, every second tenant want to test our late policy.   

We clearly state that rent is due on, or before, the first day of the month.   A late fee is assessed if there is a rent balance outstanding as of 17:00 local time on the 4th day of the month ... for the first offence.   For repeat offenders, the late fee is assessed at 17:00 on the 2nd day of the month and a Notice to Vacate is posted on the 4th of the month.

Thus far, only two tenants (both inherited), in almost 4 years have made it to the Notice to Vacate stage.

"Me mentally - WTF, just pay the rent already - you're a professional"

The question is, a professional what?

@Jon Klaus - no kidding

@Roy N.  - I like the progressive late.  We're posting on the 6th and the late fee doesn't change.  I feel myself getting cranky... people routinely push it to the 5th,

I am having the same issues only with break leases. If you wan to break lease  fine pay the fees give the notice were good. Can't afford it don't break the lease! 

Originally posted by @Deborah B.:

@Roy N.  - I like the progressive late.  We're posting on the 6th and the late fee doesn't change.  I feel myself getting cranky... people routinely push it to the 5th,

Isn't the rent due on the 1st? Then it's late on the 2nd, late fees start on the 2nd, 5 day notice goes in the mail on the 2nd. Then if the rent shows up on the 3rd or 4th I can choose to waive or collect the late fees. Giving a grace period of 2 days or 5 days is almost guaranteeing that the rent will be 2 to 5 days late... always!

We give a 5 day grace period then charge a 10% late fee.   I actually like getting the late fees!   ...Doesn't happen to often though.   Its all about screening.   Usually if someone is a late payer you can find out through their tenancy reference.   Sometimes you can't though:(

I used to do "due on the 1st, late fees after the 5th" however now I'm transitioning to "due on the 1st, late fees after the 3rd".

Yeah, I also shortened my grace period. It's late if not received by the 3rd rather than the 5th because I got tired of them treating the due date as the last day possible. Now at least the 3rd isn't as long.

late after the 5th. that way no excuse exists on the 6th. Renters, largely, are ****. id throw all of them into the middle of the pacific ocean if given the opportunity.

Here's to a better time next month!  Hopefully it was just honest confusion -- is she expecting a statement or something?   You could buy a book of stamps and send a statement on the 20th or something for the next month, if it gives you peace of mind and prompt payments.  Or maybe even just a little coupon sheets 1x a year that has your po box number and the rent amount on it??   Some people are disorganized.  Maybe online payment or ---HEY -- auto-payment would help??   Good luck. 

@Deborah Burian   'S lead and stipulate in lease that rent is late if not received by 3rd (or even 2nd), once we (hopefully) close next month.  Good luck!!!

@Julie Greene  - it was a great month and December will be too.  I was just momentarily agog that on the 6th of the month a well-qualified tenant was starting to think about how to pay her rent :-).  

@Deborah Burian  get this tenant on a ACH debiting service. ClearNow and erentpays (I have no affiliation with either) do that. Then on the 1st business day of the month the money disappears from the tenant's bank account and then appears in yours. Magic. No action required by either party. It happens automatically. Take charge.

BTW no grace. Period. What purpose does it serve? None that benefits the LL. Some states require it by law but those that don't, there no reason to provide it. Rent due on the first and late on the 2nd. Notice posted on the 2nd. 

I currently rent, my first months rent I payed via wire transfer per the landlords instructions...turns out it was a digit off on the account number but I didn't notice the transaction not going through and he called me around the 13th of the month. I'm sure that made a great first impression with the landlord haha

You get my vote for best heading. Alternate option: spray yourself in the eye with bug spray, hurts like a mother, possibly less damaging, don't ask how I know.

And @Bill S.  is right, auto pay all the way.

I do the same as Dawn is transitioning to. Rent is due on the first, late on the second so I can post notice to pay or quit on the 2nd. Late fee of $25 on the 3rd, an additional $5/day starting on the 5th.

One thing the property manager used to do at the apartment complex I currently live at to encourage early rent payment, was to have a monthly drawing. Anybody who paid their rent early would be entered to win a $25 grocery store gift card.  He would draw the name on the 1st.

The new PM (she just started late August/early September) doesn't do this, but I thought it was pretty cool. You'd get a notice on your mailbox if you won that month.

Obviously this wouldn't work for every type of situation, but given that this property is pretty large and has two buildings, I think his thought was that $25 was a small price to pay as an enticement to get people to not only pay on time, but to pay EARLY!