Two different opinions in this..

Like all of you I screen very carefully for my rentals in B/C area.

I am very firm and consistent about charging a late fee as I am very consistent about meeting the tenant's needs according to the rental agreement.

I received a notice from DSS stating that one of my tenants who lives with her adult daughter will no longer be getting rental assistance AKA her share of the rent. I sent a letter stating that they will meed to send the full amount of rent because of this.

Today the mother texted me and said she had a snafu with DSS and that they will pay her share 10 days late of which I have no documentation of at this time from DSS.

They are very good tenants otherwise. Also when they first rented with me I let them know that I am taking the chance on the daughter and she was formerly incarcerated.

The mother seemed appreciative.

I texted her back saying that she can pay me up front and when DSS sends me the daughter's share I will reimburse her or she can pay the $25 late fee.

Hubby thinks this is being unreasonable that I need to "work with people" aka not charge a late fee.

Hubby is somewhat a soft-hearted person and does not do the business side of the rentals nor his own business. He thinks I am being too hard nosed although I have experience in the rental business and he does not.

I think you are not allowed to charge a late fee IF you eventually evict after the "moratorium" is finished...IF it ever ends. I have my doubts.

I don't charge late fees to dss tenants because the payment comes late from dss. I also would like clarification if you can charge a late fee anyway in NY right now.

Aha! The check is in the mail!

I never believe tenants about payments until I actually receive the payment and the check clears the bank.

Follow your standard procedure, start all the paperwork for filing an eviction, notices and whatnot. If the rent is actually there in 10 days, you can stop the eviction process.

If you wait until the 10 days are up and there is no rent check, you are 10 days behind.

We have a moratorium here until at least the end of August so no eviction can be filed. I expect it to be extended probably for another year as they will run with the "cancel rent" crowd (election year next year)

I ended up stating my standard policy and then said I would waive the late fee one time due to her paperwork issue with DSS as long as she can prove she is reinstated.

We have a moratorium here until at least the end of August so no eviction can be filed. I expect it to be extended probably for another year as they will run with the "cancel rent" crowd (election year next year)

I ended up stating my standard policy and then said I would waive the late fee one time due to her paperwork issue with DSS as long as she can prove she is reinstated.

I have buildings that I own myself and other properties with partners. My partners are strict, they don't allow for late rents and always charge late fee's. These partnership apartments and homes are all "A" and "B" properties. My "C" properties I own myself. These are the units I get laughed at constantly for working with my tenants.

Situation. One year I purchased 3 buildings with terrible tenants, half of them were paying late, 20% weren't paying at all. If I didn't work with those inherited tenants, I would of had 70% vacancies. Instead I had 85% occupied and 75% rents by the end of the month. Making enough income to pay the bills while I evict the non-payers and fix up the units to be re-rented.

Then all of a sudden a tenant renting a nice home in an "A" area lost his job. I had two partners on this house. I called up my partners and discussed the tenant paying rent in installments. Half now on the 1st and the balance by the 10th, no late fee's. My partners screamed at me. I'm an idiot! If rent isn't paid by the 5th, I have to evict! SO I EXPLANED these tenants were with us over 15 years. The house is a mess! It wasn't that nice when they moved in. I had only painted and installed new carpet. But now we'll have to remodel the entire kitchen and 2 bathrooms. Install hardwood flooring, new roof, interior and exterior painting. New appliances and windows.

So my partners said, "NO PROBELM since we can now charge more rent"! Next question, how much is the remodeling going to cost? I said only $70,000 to $80,000 with new appliances, new landscaping, sprinklers and SOD! How much rent can we then get? I said around $2,500 per month. And what is the tenant paying now? I said $1,750. It will only take 9 years to recover the cost. I told my partners to please have $25,000 each ready for the remodel and the eviction. They BOTH said, I don't have an extra 25 grand right now, can't you work with the tenant?