Great tenant story!!

[Kevin Starkey]

This is how you know you have a great tenant! He went to write his monthly rent check and realized he was out of checks. So he sent a letter to me stating he was going to order new checks and would send the rent as soon as he could. In the letter he said he would also go ahead and add the late fee to the amount.. 1 week later, sure enough I receive the check with late fee already added, without me prompting him. I want him to stay forever so I’ll buy him Christmas gifts every year! I could also raise rent on him around 50$ to compete with market value, but it’s not worth losing him as tenant so I leave it where it’s at! Too often I’ll look at the bottom line in regards to dollars then I remember why I started this process. I’m beginning rental properties to do less work to spend time with my family, and that’s exactly what this tenant provides!

[Alexander Wardell]

This is great that this tenant added the late fee without you having to tell him. I must say buying this tenant Christmas gifts every year because they were late on rent and paid the required late fee (because they were late) might be a little over the top. I might give a tenant a gift every year if they did the Heimlich maneuver on me because I was choking on a sandwich but not for paying a late fee without me having to tell them.

Yes they seem like a great tenant but rewarding a late payment might be setting a bad example. I am also curious as to why a personal check was the only way they could pay the rent. I know if I was going to be late because I ran out of checks (that's a good one), I would consider each possibility to get the funds to the landlord on time. How long has he been renting from you?

[Ned Carey]

@Kevin Starkey I would look at the Christmas gift as more of a tenant retention program than a reward for a late payment. 

I happen to agree with you. The fact the tenant contacted you to tell you the rent would be late and included the late fee is something most tenants wouldn't do. That is far above the average actions for a tenant.

[Kevin Starkey]

@Alexander Wardell I should probably clarify, this tenant has been in the rental for 5+ years and has never been late or missed a payment. When I say a Christmas gift I mean like a tray of cookies and a card saying thank you which I have done in the past not just on this specific instance. It’s not rewarding bad behavior it’s a continued thing to show I’m glad he’s there.