50+ Sample Past Due Rent Notices

What Is a Past Due Rent Notice?

A past due rent notice is both a warning and a reminder. This letter document provides the clear statement that the renter is already delayed when it comes to paying his or her rent for a given time period. More so, a past due rent notice can also serve as a tool where particular consequences will be specified should the renter still decide to neglect the delivery of his or her payment responsibilities within the time frame set by the landlord and/or the property owner.

In a survey from Statista, 77.3 percent of respondents claimed that the reason for evictions in a rental property is the non-payment of rent.

The metropolitan area with the highest eviction rate in the United States is Memphis, Tennessee with 6.1 percent between the years 2015 and 2017, based on Statista.

Statista stated that there are 900 thousand elections that took place in the United States from 2000 to 2016.

Purpose of Past Due Rent Notice Development

It is not all the time that you need to put your message to your tenant into writing. But when you do, you have to make sure that it is purpose-driven. Know the objectives of the formal letter that you will be making as well as the reasons why it is necessary to write one in the first place. Being able to focus on the reason/s for the document’s development can enable you to ensure that your content are aligned and relevant to what you would like to happen, to occur, or to share. Do you know why a past due rent notice needs to be made? Here are the purposes of developing the specific document:

1. To Give a Warning About Possible Eviction

Your past due rent notice or past due rent letter can help you provide a formal warning to your tenants. With the usage of the particular document, you can make sure that you have done your part which is to signal that the late payment should already be made. With this, it will be easier for you to demand the tenant to leave the property if he or she was still not able to pay since you have already warned him or her about the consequences that will be given to him or her should the notice be neglected.

2. To Specify The Things That the Involved Tenant Has to Deliver

Tenants who spend an amount of above 30% of their income for housing are considered to be tenants who are “cost-burdened”. Actually, the number of individuals who fall into the percentile or category of not being able to afford their rent has already reached record numbers (source: jchs). If you are a landlord and you need to deal with this kind of tenants, you have to develop a past due rent notice whenever they were not able to provide their rental payments on time. With the help of the specific document, you can make sure that you can have an in-depth discussion of the responsibilities and obligations of the tenant to the property. Through this, you can be objective especially when making decisions not only as a landlord who knows a specific tenant with records of late payment but also as a business unit.

3. To Ensure That the Tenant Is Reminded of the Past Due Rent

There are times where a tenant has a lot of things to do and so many things to think of that he or she might forget to pay his or her rent. As a landlord, developing a past due rent notice is a part of your responsibility not only to the property but also to your renters. By developing the specific document, you can help your tenants to know that they are already behind rental payment schedules. Hence, it is necessary for you to develop a past due rent notice as it is a tool that can enable you to assure the management and the tenants that essential warnings and reminders have already been made with regards past due rent.

7 Steps for Writing an Effective Past Due Rent Notice

Developing a past due rent notice from scratch is relatively easy. However, what if you do not have any idea about the quality standards of your business when making this document? What if you are not sure on how you can say that you came up with a complete and relevant document? These questions can be answered only if you are confident that you have taken all the necessary steps which can lead to the development of a comprehensive past due rent notice. With this, we recommend you to follow a process rather than to immerse yourself in the document’s creation with a blind eye. Here is a step-by-step procedure that you can follow if you already want to write an effective past due rent notice:

Step 1: Download a Past Due Rent Notice Template

Use a past due rent notice or a late rent notice template so you can properly format the specific document that you will be writing. Having the right and effective layout for the document can help you easily develop a discussion flow that is organized and presentable. Place your letterhead on the header portion of the past due rent notice template so you can let people know that the specific document is official.

Step 2: Put the Date When You Have Written the Past Due Rent Notice on Top of Your Chosen Layout

To follow a business letter format, first put the date of the letter’s writing on top of the letter document. Having the date of the letter’s development and sending can be very useful for purposes of referencing. With the availability of this date, you can count the number of days moving forward up until the deadline that you have set for the payment of late rental.

Step 3: Write an Inside Address Followed By a Subject Line and a Salutation

Write an inside address which includes the name; contact information; and unit or address of the tenant who is also the letter recipient. It is your choice on whether you still will include a subject line or not. After this, you can already provide a salutation which can allow you to formally address the recipient of the letter.

Step 4: Make an Introduction Which Deals With the Issue at Hand

To begin the main body of your discussion, introduce what the letter is for. State that there is a past due rent that needs to be paid within a specific date. State the name of the tenant and describe the property that he or she is renting so that the tenant can be sure that the letter is truly intended for him or her. All of the key points of your content presentation should be in the introduction for it to be as strong and as informative as possible.

Step 5: Give More Information About the Past Due Rent

The next paragraphs have to deal with the additional information that the tenant should be aware of with regards the past due rent. It can be the number of month/s that he or she was unable to pay. It can also provide the details about the number of days which already passed by where the rent should’ve been paid. Once all of these details have been specified, use a separate paragraph that can showcase all of the consequences that will be given to the tenant should he or she decide to totally ignore the notice and not pay the rental fees for a given time duration.

Step 6: To End the Notice, Tell the Renter or Tenant What to Do

Let your conclusion be meaningful and essential. State all of the call-to-actions that you would like to see materialize. You have to guide the tenant with the activities that he or she must do for his or her tenancy to smoothly continue. State that you expect the participation and coordination of the tenant in relation to the given matter. Provide the deadline for the implementation of actions that you have written for purposes of clarification.

Step 7: Use a Complimentary Close and a Signature Block Before You Finalize the Letter Document

End the letter with a complimentary close. Write your name and designation after this. Then, affix your signature in the letter document. Make sure that the final draft of the past due rent notice is already excellent, updated, and free from any mistakes in content and layout.

Benefits of Developing a Detailed Past Due Rent Notice

The past due rent notice that you will be writing can benefit not only the tenants but also your organization. There are different ways on how a past due rent notice can be utilized which can bring all the positive effects that it can provide to a variety of entities. If you want to appreciate the specific document event more, you have to be aware of the ways on how it can impact your operations and your relationship with your tenants or renters. A few of the many benefits of developing a detailed past due rent notice are as follows:

A past due rent notice can help a landlord be reminded of the tenants who have not paid their rents yet: It is not only the tenants that should be reminded of their past due rent. Landlords should also be aware of the tenants who he or she needs to reach or contact because of the specific matter. By developing a past due rent notice, a landlord can become more familiar with the name of the tenants who need to pay late rental and other fees.A past due rent notice can incorporate formality with how the late payment will be asked from the renter: There are times where asking for a past due rent may be deemed as something that is rude especially when the tone of a landlord’s statement reflects this so. By using a written past due rent notice, you can have the time to still make your statements and messaging as formal and as business-appropriate as possible. your past due rent notice can help you maintain the brand and image of the business since you have already refined its content before you hand it to particular recipients. You may also be interested in our Letter Notice.A past due rent notice can let a renter understand that he or she is running behind his or her obligations: The past due rent notice is a very important tool for tenants. If they receive this document, it only means that they have a responsibility which they were not able to fulfill. Specific actions can be done if tenants or renters are reminded of payment duties especially at times when they have unintentionally overlooked the date when they are expected to give their rental payment.

Do’s and Don’ts for Creating an Excellent Past Due Rent Notice

Making a past due rent notice is not as a tedious process as you think it to be. Aside from knowing the basics of this specific document’s creation, there are also a number of guidelines and tips which can make it easier and faster for you to develop a past due rent notice that you and other involved entities can surely benefit from. The things that you must and must not do as you create an excellent past due rent notice include the following:

Do’s

1. Do Make Your Past Due Rent Notice Formal 

A past due rent notice should be formally developed so to avoid any subjectivity to take place. If you will follow a standard format, renters or tenants can be sure that the document is official; authorized; and has only been written because it is necessary. The formality of your past due rent notice matters a lot as this can help your tenants and other stakeholders be aware of how you handle specific situations like late rental payments.

2. Do List All of the Information Needed to Be Known by the Tenant About the Concern on Late Rental Payment 

Your past due rent notice should informative and relevant. As much as possible, ensure the completion of your discussion. Make it a point to review the document for a number of times so you can see if there are still items that are missing in the content that you have presented. Having a comprehensive past due rent notice can enable you to lessen possibilities of misinterpretation and misunderstandings. More so, you can eliminate further inquiries and questions from the involved tenants if you can already provide them with all the details that they have to be aware of.

3. Do Ensure That All Details in the Past Due Rent Notice Are Fact-Based

Use your short term rental agreement, rental contract letter, or any other kinds of documentation to your advantage. Gather as much references as you can when making a past due rent notice. All of these items can help you assure the tenant that you are not making things up and that you have all the evidences and proof to say so. Through this, you can protect your business interests and image especially during court cases caused by disputes about the past due rent. It is important for you to first review the clause in the rental agreement or residential lease which focuses on the discussion about late rent as this can enable you assure all involved entities that the information in the past due rent notice are all based on the agreement which you have made with the involved tenant. This is very essential as it allows you to stand by your statements and decisions with credibility.

Don’ts

1. Don’t Overlook the Timeliness of the Past Due Rent Notice’s Creation 

With regards writing a past due rent notice, timing is very important. You can already provide this letter as soon as the actual date of payment rental passed by. There are rental properties that wait for three to five days before sending this letter or document. Hence, you have to consult the management and look into your regulations so you can be aware on how to measure the timeliness of making a past due rent notice.

2. Don’t Use a Past Due Rent Notice as a Threat

Never threaten your renters with a past due rent notice. Again, this document is not a demand for eviction but rather a tool that is used to remind tenants to pay. Do not use foul words and messages that can hurt the feelings of your tenants. Just imagine the awkwardness that will take place if the tenant was able to pay the past due rent and you’ll see him or her in the property for the coming days.

3. Don’t Write a Poorly-Develop Past Due Rent Notice Content

You need to make sure that the past due rent notice is at par with the quality standards of your business with regards document development. Do not use a substandard content and layout as these can negatively impact your brand. Polish the entirety of the document so you can let your stakeholders see that you truly took the time to come up with an excellent past due rent notice.

FAQs

How many late payments before eviction?

Generally, this depends on the agreement between the property owner and the tenant. But typically, property owners do not pursue eviction during one late payment if the tenant usually pays on time. However, if the late payment issue is common, then they can evict the tenant immediately.

How many late payments before eviction?

A past-due rent notice should include basic information about the tenant, property owner, and the rental unit. Specifically, it should include the full rental property address, the full name of the tenant/s, date issued, balance due, agreed forms of payment, consequences of failure to pay, and the property owner’s name with signature.

How do I send a past-due rent notice?

The sending out of past-due rent notice should be discussed in your landlord-tenant lease agreement. But usually, sending out late rent notice is done personally, through the mail, or email. However, in some states, using email is not an acceptable method, so past-due notice is delivered person-to-person or certified mail.

A past due rent notice can be easily done with the help of the right references. With this, make sure to download any of the samples and templates that we have put together alongside the discussion above. Use these document development guides to the maximum so you can have higher chances of developing a high-quality letter document, which your rental property business can optimize for a long period of time.