My landlord tried to evict me over a $35 late fee, told me to 'read the fine print'

Back when I rented from a big complex they'd just waive the first late payment, but this new guy sent a 3-day notice over something that small. Has anyone else dealt with a landlord who weaponizes every little clause in the lease?

2 comments

2 Comments

samward14d ago

A $35 late fee triggered a 3-day notice... that's just insane to me. Most places would at least call or email you before jumping straight to eviction paperwork. It makes you wonder if this landlord is looking for any excuse to get someone out and find a higher paying tenant.

alice80814d ago

Oh man, I've been there. It wasn't a late fee for me, it was a parking spot issue in my old apartment complex. I got a three day notice over my car being in the wrong spot for like two hours. What finally worked was I went straight to the property manager in person, not email or phone, and just talked to them like a normal person. I told them I was sorry for the mistake, and asked if there was a way we could work it out without an eviction on my record. I also offered to set up automatic payments for my rent right then and there, just to show I was serious. It really helped that I was polite and showed I was willing to fix things, because most landlords just want the money and the headache to go away.