Steps to Take If You Can't Pay Your Rent on Time

3/1/2024

Woman crouching in doorway reading letter.

The following is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

There are few feelings worse than having bills come due when you know you can’t pay them. It’s even worse when those bills are for your mortgage or rent.

If you don’t make your rent payment on time, your rental agreement should spell out quite clearly what will happen. Laws vary from state-to-state, but it’s very likely a late payment will cost you – first in additional fees, and eventually in a potential eviction.

So if your due date is coming up and you aren’t able to pay, here are a few steps you should take in order to protect yourself as best as you can.

Don’t assume a grace period

Many landlords offer a grace period of a few days after the due date to make your payment. This means that if rent is due on the 1st, you may be okay waiting until the 3rd to pay.

However, landlords are not required to offer any sort of grace period. If there is a grace period, that should be stated in your lease. Don’t assume you have more time to make a payment unless your landlord has specifically told you otherwise.

Don’t send a check that won’t clear

Bouncing a check will not buy you time. Sending an unsigned check won’t buy you time, either. Making an intentional “mistake” will likely only dig the hole deeper.

There’s a very good chance that your rental agreement contains language covering what happens if you bounce a check – usually a fee.

Reach out to your landlord immediately

Contact your landlord as soon as you know you won’t be able to pay your rent on time. You can make a formal request in writing for an extension on your due date. Your landlord isn’t required to grant your request, but if you give them plenty of warning they may be able to work with you.

Remember – landlords also have payments to make on your property. Failure to pay without warning can put them in a difficult position.

Offer to pay a portion of the rent on time

Again, if you’re looking for leniency, the more you can do to accommodate your landlord, the better. If you can pay a portion of the rent on time, and you’re able to provide a firm date when you can pay the rest, that shows you’re making a good faith effort to meet your obligations.

Request a waiver on your late fee

If you’ve taken the steps to inform your landlord well in advance of the issue and made good on your promise to pay at a later time, your landlord may be willing to waive the customary late fee, especially if you’ve never had any issues before. At the very least, it never hurts to ask.

Connect with an eviction counselor

Eviction counseling exists to help renters understand their rights, find applicable resources, and resolve disputes with their landlord. If you've missed one or more payments, or if you're worried that you won't be able to manage your rent going forward, consider connecting with an eviction counselor. MMI offers foreclosure and eviction counseling for free.

Tagged in Renting, Managing a loss of income, Laws and legal questions

Jesse Campbell is the Content Manager at MMI, with over ten years of experience creating valuable educational materials that help families through everyday and extraordinary financial challenges.

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