Tenant keeps paying rent $10 short every month
Tenants often pay rent slightly short while refusing to pay accrued late fees, leaving landlords stuck between letting small balances accumulate or filing for formal eviction over minimal amounts. Because standard lease terms and late fee structures accumulate daily charges on unpaid balances, property managers face a frustrating deadlock where they cannot force payment without triggering major legal action.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1sending a 5 day notice
- 2filing for eviction in court
- 3deducting the short amounts and fees from the security deposit upon move-out
- 4letting the lease run out and choosing not to renew
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Tenant has a great rate on a studio apartment, probably the best in town. However they have been renting 4 months now, and always pay $10 less than the rent amount, despite the rent amount clearly stated in the signed lease.”source ↗
“But this month now, she again paid late AND $10 short.”source ↗
“She refuses, and pays no more. Days go by.”source ↗
“She pays nothing.”source ↗
“What else can you do? You can fine them, but you can't make them pay. File for eviction over $10?”source ↗
“If tenant does not pay $70, do I keep charging $10/day? My understanding is, until full amount including late fees is not paid, I have to keep charging the late fees even when $1 is due.”source ↗
“Basically first money goes towards repairs and fees and late fees and then rent. Correct? Hence I should keep charging $10 untill all fees are paid?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 2When should I hire a process server for an unresponsive tenant?
- 2Why do property managers still have to collect rent in person?
- 12Clients who ghost after you finish the work and don't pay
- 2Should I say anything if my landlord lowered my rent by mistake?
- 3Why am I getting eviction notices for paying rent a few days late?
- 3Why do Airbnbs have cleaning fees and chore lists?