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.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1sending a 5 day noticeDid this help you?
- 2filing for eviction in courtDid this help you?
- 3deducting the short amounts and fees from the security deposit upon move-outDid this help you?
- 4letting the lease run out and choosing not to renewDid this help you?
- 5Creating rent payment plansDid this help you?
- 6Serving appropriate legal notice to pay or quitDid this help you?
- 7Filing an FED with a legal company to serve court papersDid this help you?
- 8Hiring a property management company or an eviction lawyerDid this help you?
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 ↗
“Tenant did not pay rent June, July, and September.”source ↗
“Tenant paid August because I created a Rent Payment Plan, but did not follow the plan for September.”source ↗
“I am the owner and feel I’m not handling this properly. Should I hire a property management company or hire an eviction lawyer?”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
- 3When should I hire a process server for an unresponsive tenant?
- 2Why do property managers still have to collect rent in person?
- 20Clients who ghost after you finish the work and don't pay
- 2Should I say anything if my landlord lowered my rent by mistake?
- 4Why am I getting eviction notices for paying rent a few days late?
- 3Why do Airbnbs have cleaning fees and chore lists?