Rent Being Late

[bub1]

I RENT MY PROPERTY MY RENT LEAVES MY BANK ACCOUNT AND GETS TO MY LANDLORD ABOUT 4 DAYS AFTER (it leaves my account on the 14th of every month and gets to him about the 19/20 i think).

THIS MONTH THE RENT MAY BE ABOUT14 DAYS LATE AS I HAVE CASH FLOW PROBLEMS JUST FOR THIS MONTH.

 

CAN HE EVICT ME? I DO NOT INTEND NOT TO PAY THE RENT AND IT WILL BE PAID IN FULL. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SINCE I HAVE BEEN RENTING FROM 2006 THAT IT WILL BE LATE.

 

YES, I DO HAVE A WRITTEN TENANCY AGREEMENT ETC., MY RENT IS PAYABLE MONTHLY.

 

 

ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED, I AM VERY WORRIED THAT I WILL LOSE MY HOME.

[ShortlyTdwarf]

Firstly, don't panic. Before a landlord can seek possession of a property there has to be 2 months (8 weeks) rent arrears at the time of the notice. And even then there still has to be the same arrears at the time of the court hearing for it to go ahead.

 

Ring your landlord and explain that you have a cashflow crisis this month, explain your reasons if you wish, and let him know that you will be paying your rent, but that due to the problems you face then it may take up to 14 days to sort it out.

 

Most landlords will be understanding of any problems as few of us have ever had a completely hassle-free financial life. As long as he knows that he will get paid then he shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure it doesn't happen too often. The problems arise when someone doesn't talk to their landlord and the landlord starts to think they may have a problem tenant on their hands.

 

On the other side of this, make sure your bank aren't going to charge you for a returned standing order. If it looks like you will get charged for it, cancel this months S/O before it goes out.

[bub1]

Firstly, don't panic. Before a landlord can seek possession of a property there has to be 2 months (8 weeks) rent arrears at the time of the notice. And even then there still has to be the same arrears at the time of the court hearing for it to go ahead.

 

Ring your landlord and explain that you have a cashflow crisis this month, explain your reasons if you wish, and let him know that you will be paying your rent, but that due to the problems you face then it may take up to 14 days to sort it out.

 

Most landlords will be understanding of any problems as few of us have ever had a completely hassle-free financial life. As long as he knows that he will get paid then he shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure it doesn't happen too often. The problems arise when someone doesn't talk to their landlord and the landlord starts to think they may have a problem tenant on their hands.

 

On the other side of this, make sure your bank aren't going to charge you for a returned standing order. If it looks like you will get charged for it, cancel this months S/O before it goes out.

 

 

Thank you for your help.

 

I would let him know if I could get hold of him but I cant. It is the first time this has happened and I know it will be the last. He does know that I always pay and have never been late etc., I will cancel the s/o as suggested I forgot about that.

 

My landlord knows that it is paid on time and I am not the sort of tenant that doesnt pay or keeps getting in touch with him for silly things like tap washers etc.,

 

In fact the last time I actually got in touch with the landlord was Nov 07 about a problem.

 

I was just worried as I hate owing money on anything and I love my home.

 

Shall I email him as well as leaving messages etc., on his phone. I know he does go abroad alot as he has properties there as well as here?

 

Thank you again.

 

 

I am new on here and I have found that the posts are very very helpful.

[ShortlyTdwarf]

If he is abroad a lot then getting hold of him may be a problem. Although, to be fair to you, he should have a number where someone in authority can be reached in emergency if he is out of the country and unreachable by his tenants. Can't imagine the problems he would be faced with if something serious went wrong in a property and he could not be contacted to put things right. Actually, I can imagine, I just don't want to.

 

Yes, by all means email him if you have that option. Also ring and leave messages on his home, business and mobile phones. Make sure they convey the fact that his response to your messages is of utmost urgence to you. He may well not see it as urgent that you want to tell him his rent may be late, but it does put you in good stead. As a belt and braces sort of bloke, I'd be inclined to post a letter to him too, or deliver by hand if he's near enough. But that is your choice and by leaving phone and email messages you have covered yourself anyway.

 

If you have a fairly good relationship with him you won't have a problem. Good luck and let us know how you get on or if you need any more help.

[bub1]

If he is abroad a lot then getting hold of him may be a problem. Although, to be fair to you, he should have a number where someone in authority can be reached in emergency if he is out of the country and unreachable by his tenants. Can't imagine the problems he would be faced with if something serious went wrong in a property and he could not be contacted to put things right. Actually, I can imagine, I just don't want to.

 

Yes, by all means email him if you have that option. Also ring and leave messages on his home, business and mobile phones. Make sure they convey the fact that his response to your messages is of utmost urgence to you. He may well not see it as urgent that you want to tell him his rent may be late, but it does put you in good stead. As a belt and braces sort of bloke, I'd be inclined to post a letter to him too, or deliver by hand if he's near enough. But that is your choice and by leaving phone and email messages you have covered yourself anyway.

 

If you have a fairly good relationship with him you won't have a problem. Good luck and let us know how you get on or if you need any more help.

 

Thank you again for your help.

 

He has said to me in the past if anything does go wrong get it done and get the company or whoever to send him the invoice or I pay and he sends me the money. He has also said that I am one of his best tenants (maybe because I dont cause problems?)

 

I do have his mobile number etc., and have left messages. He lives to far from me to drop a letter in I could send one. What happens if he doesnt get in touch with me? I of course will have copies of everything (i always keep copies of emails, letters etc.,) Do I just carry on and pay on the day (3rd April) in full which is my original plan. I dont want to leave it and really get in arrears which is not what I want to do. I will of course have a receipt for the moneys paid and rent payment will be back to normal in April.

 

Thank you again.

 

(forgive me for asking are you a landlord by any chance if you are would this be ok for you)

[ShortlyTdwarf]

Yes I am a landlord. And yes, in my opinion, if one of my tenants came to me with a hardship story after being a model tenant then the fact that it would be late wouldn't bother me at all. Letting property is not all about contracts. There has to be a modicum of trust between a good landlord and a good tenant for the relationship to work.

 

Carry on and pay the rent on the first day you have it if you haven't heard from hin beforehand. And then reinstate your S/O to continue payments on the normal date. The worst thing in this situation would be to plead hardship and then not pay when you could just becausehe hasn't contacted you about it.

 

Sounds like you have a good relationship with him, so don't worry. The best tenants are the ones who pay on time and you very rarely hear from.

[bub1]

Yes I am a landlord. And yes, in my opinion, if one of my tenants came to me with a hardship story after being a model tenant then the fact that it would be late wouldn't bother me at all. Letting property is not all about contracts. There has to be a modicum of trust between a good landlord and a good tenant for the relationship to work.

 

Carry on and pay the rent on the first day you have it if you haven't heard from hin beforehand. And then reinstate your S/O to continue payments on the normal date. The worst thing in this situation would be to plead hardship and then not pay when you could just becausehe hasn't contacted you about it.

 

Sounds like you have a good relationship with him, so don't worry. The best tenants are the ones who pay on time and you very rarely hear from.

 

 

Thank you, that has put my mind at rest. I do intend to pay and I will be paying. I have never missed a payment and infact when I first started renting from him I paid a years rent in advance (to be fair it was easier for me).

He rents most of his other properties via agencys and I do know that this is the first one he has managed his self.

To be honest I think I have only contact him about 3 times since I have been renting. I do like to email him and give him an update on things every 6 months to let him know that everything is fine. Also, ball cock went on tank in loft could not be bothered to send receipt to him for £50 so just got it done myself.

 

At least now I will be able to sleep at night. I hate owing money on any bills.

 

I hope I didnt sound rude when I asked if you were a landlord if I did I am sorry.

 

What happens if my nice landlord turns nasty over this?

[ShortlyTdwarf]

Shouldn't imagine he would turn nasty. Like I said, most people go through financial problems at some point. If he does, then just let him know that it was a definite one-off occurance and you guarantee it won't happen again. He'll probably keep an eye on the payments closely for a while but will eventually see that it was just that.

 

And you didn't sound rude, so no apology needed.

[bub1]

Hi, I still havent heard from him. But on the other hand I am still worried that he may turn nasty, you do hear that if things are going great then all is well, when things go wrong people turn nasty.

 

This is what I intend to do:

 

By the 27th of March I should have £500 (by my calculations). (this is nearly half my rent) I intend to pay this direct into my landlords account then on the 3rd April I will pay him the other £550. This will clear the rent. Then rent payments back to normal in april.

 

Is it a good idea to pay this amount then the other? Or pay it all at once on the 3rd!

[onemoretime]

dont withhold a payment, prob best to make a part payment (it's better than no payment and makes you look good - that you are trying)

[ShortlyTdwarf]

As above, don't withhold. Pay as much as you can as soon as you can, even if it's in 3 or 4 payments.

 

As for him getting nasty, that is something that only time will tell. But I would say that if he is a decent LL then you won't get that. My former LL from several years back was the same. Never ever spoke to him from one year to the next. And when a problem occurred he understood and was helpful. Believe me, there are actually more GOOD landlords than BAD ones, despite what the number of threads on here may make you think.

[bub1]

Thank you all for your advice.

 

I wasnt going to withold payment. Just didnt know whether to pay half or wait till I had all for the 3rd.

 

I will be paying half then the rest on 3rd april.

 

Thank you all again.

[bub1]

I still havent heard from landlord, he did send a couple of round about re-wiring.

 

I have however, been reading my tenancy agreement, My agreement is for a year and runs from 27th Jan 08 to 27th Jan 09.

 

It states if the rent is 14 days over due then he can seek possession under section 21 of the housing act 1988.

 

Is this correct? I still intend paying the arrears in full on the 3rd April.

 

Please help, I am so frightended now I will be evicted after reading that.

[ShortlyTdwarf]

Yes he can seek possession, but if he uses section 21 then he has to give you 2 months notice to quit the property, and even then he has to allow you to be in the property for a minimum of 6 months.

 

If you pay your rent monthly, shouldn't it not be due until the 27th march? If that is the case then it won't be 14 days overdue until the 11th april. By which he cannot seek possession as it won't be 14 days overdue on april 3rd.

 

Don't panic. If he was going to get stroppy about the rent being a little late you would have heard something by now, since you left messages on home and mobile phones and emailed him too. I'm sure he would have got at least one of the messages by now.

[bub1]

Thank you for your reply.

I am just a worrier I think. Its just that my rent has never been late and I have been renting since 06, when on 27th Jan o6 I paid a year up front.

 

What I dont understand is if he has to give me 2 months notice then how has he got to let me stay in the property 6 months?

 

Can he still use the section 21 if my rent is brought upto date and no arrears are owed? or can I argue it out?

 

As you said technically my rent will not be late but I just want to cover all options in case he has got my emails etc., and just hasnt bothered to get in touch to let me know one way or another.

[bub1]

Hi, just letting everyone know that I have Paid £600 today direct into my landlords bank account. Just to clarify situtation my rent is due on the 27th of everymonth I was referring to feb rent when i wrote post. I have emailed landlord again and told him the amount of money paid today and that I will be paying the remainder on the 3rd april. Marchs rent is on its way and has left my account. So I am not in arrears with that. Can he still evict me if the rent is brought back upto date?

[bub1]

Good News,

 

Have heard from Landlord via email.

 

All he said was: 'No Worries, No Problem'

 

So I am really releived and I thank you all for your help.

[bub1]

I would like to thank everyone for their help on my problem that I had. Everyone was very helpful.

 

Rent has been paid in full now.

 

I did find out that I am always a month in front with the rent eg: Jan is for Feb, Feb is for March, March is for April etc.,

 

So it works out that I wasnt in arrears like I thought I was, but I paid anyway.

 

Have also heard from Landlord that he is now changing the rent back from £1050.00 to £1000.00 and he will be sending me a cheque for: £100 for the extra that I paid.

 

So it has a happy ending.

 

At least I know now that if the situation arises again, I have no need to worry as my rent will be covered, with no need to panic.

 

Thank you all again.

 

Do you think this is why he didnt reply to my first lot of messages and why he wasnt worried because he had already had his rent for that month? please let me know what you think.

 

bub1