Tenant has decided to change the day she pays her rent?
Hi everyone, I was just wondering if someone could give me a bit of advice. I have a tenant who is on benefits and has been late with her rent on several occasions as her money has not come through. She always pays as soon as her money arrives.
The rent for the property is about £400 below the norm for the area.
The rent was due on the 8th, and I have had a message saying that, unfortunately, her money has not come through due to her making a change to her claim. She has told me that in future, her money will not come through until the 12th of the month, and she proposes to change her rent payment to that date.
She says she does not have the money to pay for the extra few days from the 8th to the 12th. This will mean her rent will be late every month.
If I leave it and let her pay late each month, where does that leave me regarding the contract?
I want to keep all the paperwork legal so that if I want to give her Notice to Quit, I will not be caught out with the paperwork being wrong.
Arthur
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Member Since May 2014 - Comments: 195
8:55 AM, 15th March 2025, About 1 year ago
Keep away from benefit tenants full stop
Member Since January 2015 - Comments: 1431 - Articles: 1
10:04 AM, 15th March 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Mike Thomas at 11/03/2025 – 16:29
Obviously lol.
Member Since July 2024 - Comments: 6
11:17 AM, 15th March 2025, About 1 year ago
I have a non benefit tenant that started paying rent late only because his pay day came after the rent due date, so we moved the rent due date by calculating 4 days rent for him to pay so then the landlord was not out of pocket. Then if the tenant decides to vacate, depending on when he leaves will depend on whether he gets reimbursed back the 4 days rent. If your tenant is upfront and pays exactly when they get the money, I dont see an issue, even if they are on benefits.
As to the rent, if its below market value its best to try and keep it close. £400 under value is alot. But if you increase the rent then they can go to the council for an increase. The council cant expect owners to loose out when you are helping them by taking someone on UC.