Free Late Rent Notice

A Late Rent Notice or Notice to Pay Rent is a written letter from the landlord to the tenant informing the tenant that rent is past due and requesting the tenant pay the overdue rent immediately.

This notice is more informal than an Eviction Notice and can be a courteous first step to collecting rent before beginning the eviction process.

Table of Contents

• What is a Late Rent Notice?
• Why Should I Use a Late Rent Notice?
• When Should I Send a Late Rent Notice?
• Late Rent Notice Sample
• What to Include in a Late Rent Notice (How to Write)
• Late Rent Notice FAQs

What is a Late Rent Notice?

A late rent notice is a document a landlord sends to a tenant whenever that tenant has failed to pay rent.

A late rent notice is also known as a:

• Notice to Pay Rent
• Failure to Pay Rent Notice
• Demand Notice for Nonpayment of Rent
• Demand for Payment of Rent
• Demand for Past Due Rent
• Notice to Cure
• Notice to Demand Payment for Failure to Pay Rent
• Notice to Pay Rent

Late rent notices should include the amount of rent due plus any late fees owed.

Additionally, landlords are smart to list all other expenses the tenant may owe (such as parking or storage fees) and a warning about legal action to follow unless the tenant pays the rent by the stated deadline.

If a tenant has only been late one time, landlords often send this notice as a courteous and formal reminder that rent is due. When a tenant continues to be delinquent or is late on multiple occasions, the landlord may send a notice to pay rent or quit, or an eviction notice, to end the Lease Agreement.

Most state housing laws provide a grace period for a tenant to pay their late rent. Check the laws in your state before filing a formal eviction.

Why Should I Use a Late Rent Notice?

A simple letter reminding the tenant to pay past due rent may be all the landlord needs to get paid.

Perhaps the tenant forgot to send a check that month and doesn’t need to be threatened with an eviction notice. A notice in the form of a letter is fast and easy, and it can maintain a good relationship between the parties

Without this notice, the landlord may suffer the following preventable consequences:

When Should I Send a Late Rent Notice?

A landlord should send a late rent notice as soon as the rent payment is past due (and out of the grace period), giving the tenant a chance to cure the breach and pay.

To begin eviction proceedings, the landlord must typically provide the tenant 3 to 5 days to pay late rent or leave (confirm with your state and local housing laws).

Most state housing laws agree that tenants should pay their rent on time.

Three states require a 10-day eviction notice for late rent (Indiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania), while three states require a minimum 14-day eviction notice (Massachusetts, Tennessee, Vermont).

The District of Columbia (D.C.) provides the most generous amount of time to tenants and requires a minimum 21-day eviction notice.

Of note, 6 states empower landlords and tenants to decide on the notice requirements and refer landlords back to the original lease or rental agreement.

The Most Common Late Rent Notice Situations

Perhaps the tenant was traveling, became ill, or lost their job. The landlord wants to give the tenant a chance to rectify the situation quickly and peacefully while still maintaining a record of their communications.

In this case, a landlord might find a late rent notice acceptable.

At some point, however, the landlord and tenant must face the facts — the landlord is running a business and there are consequences for not paying your rent. In situations where the landlord wishes to proceed with legally putting the tenant on notice to pay rent, a notice to pay rent or quit might be a better option.

How Should I Send a Late Rent Notice?

The lease agreement may describe how landlords should send late rent notices. Our lease agreement template, for example, says notices must be in writing and should be either be:

• • delivered in person
  • sent by overnight courier service
  • sent via certified or registered mail

Whenever you need to send a late rent notice, consult your lease agreement and your state laws for the legal and most appropriate method of delivery to your tenant.

Late Rent Notice Sample

Below you can find what a late rent notice typically looks like:

Late Rent Notice

Late Rent Notice Example

The example late rent notice below is a record of a notification given by landlord ‘Howard J Dismuke’ and tenant ‘Myrtie H Cisneros.’

Howard J Dismuke wishes to let Myrtie H Cisneros know that the lease is terminated because of past due rent and she needs to leave the premises.

Use our step-by-step document builder to easily and quickly create a customized late rent notice that you can send to your tenant.

What to Include in a Late Rent Notice (How to Write)

A simple late rent notice should generally identify:

• The rental property address
• The currently overdue rent
• When the tenant should pay the late rent or leave
• Who the Landlord and Tenant are and their contact information

Additionally, a simple notice of late rent letter will identify the following essential elements:

• Premises: address and location of rental property
• Overdue rent: the amount of money the tenant currently owes the landlord
• Late Fee: the late fee, if any, due in addition to the rent
• Effective Date: when the tenant must start paying the new rent amount
• Tenant: name of the person currently renting the Premises
• Landlord: name of the person who owns the Premises

Late Rent Notice FAQs