two weeks grace per 6 months

[zliminator]

What is the name of your state? FL

I am writing a lease agreement and I was thinking about giving the renter 2 weeks of grace to use for late rent. Not every month, but over the entire lease. That way, they are covered if they are a few days late, but that keeps me from worrying every month. IOW, If they are 2 days late the first month, then they have 1 week and 5 days. If they are 3 days late the next month, they now have 1 week 2 days and so on until they are out of grace, at which point I charge 10 or 15 bucks a days late fees and issue the 3-day notice of eviction. Can I do that? I've read the L/T statues and I don't see why not.

 

[Jeani]

Why would you want to make so much work for yourself in having to keep track of that? It may not be an onerous task if you only have one or two tenants, but certainly could become a point of haggling if they claim later that they had no control over the USPS delivery ten days late or some such excuse.

My suggestion is your lease reflect that rent is due on the 1st with a five day grace period. Rent received after 5 p.m. on the 5th (or first business day thereafter if the 5th falls on a weekend or holiday), then a specified late fee is incurred. My lease provides for a flat amount of $30 on the 6th, $30 again on the 11th and 16th. Of course, this does not preclude me from filing a dispossessary action on the 6th if I feel the necessity.

 

[FarmerJ]

Unless your state laws grant a grace period you dont have to you know . I never did My leases used to say rent was due on the first with zero grace period . Or look into electronic rent collections so there is no mailing you anything .

 

[Jeani]

Yes, I know I don't have to grant a grace period, but I choose to. The majority of my tenants are college students on joint leases and it usually only takes imposing a 'joint' late fee once to get the message across that rent is due on time as the roomies put the pressure on each other.