Help! Self managing!

[Jacque]

Help!
My tenants are 10 days in arrears due to a bank deposit that went wrong. They supposedly paid their rent but it never reached our account. We contacted them and recommended a trace, as it's their money lost, not ours! They haven't done this and so, as a result, are now behind. They are now not responding to phonecalls.

What is the next step? A letter- saying what exactly?
I want to do the right thing in case it ends up going further. Would MUCH appreciate professionals advice here

 

[bundy1964]

Originally posted by Jacque
Help!
My tenants are 10 days in arrears due to a bank deposit that went wrong. They supposedly paid their rent but it never reached our account. We contacted them and recommended a trace, as it's their money lost, not ours! They haven't done this and so, as a result, are now behind. They are now not responding to phonecalls.

What is the next step? A letter- saying what exactly?
I want to do the right thing in case it ends up going further. Would MUCH appreciate professionals advice here

Hi Jacque
I take it that it is residential that you are asking about? If so your own state gov department that handles res tenancies may have a standard letter that you can use. In SA you can get a letter off the net.

My legal eagle just wrote to my com tenants that they had 21 days to get there act together before legal action would be taken. But being a com in SA they have to be 6 months behind in a payment

Depending on your agreement you may be able to charge penalty interest on there late payments, evict them with suitable notice and charge them the letting fee or keep their bond - each state has differant rules.

bundy

 

[JoannaK]

Hi Jacque,

Have the tenant's been paying regularly till now?

It there responsibility to chase it up with the bank. Stay on their backs about it, and make sure you serve a notice on the 15th day with a covering letter saying that as soon as they fix them selves up the notice will be disregarded.

I've attached some generic letters I used to send out to my tenants, each one depending on how far in arrears they were.