What was the excuses your tenants used to not pay the rent?

Question

1. My husband changed jobs. 2. My husbands job wont pay him. 3. My husband just started a new job. 4. I havent got paid yet. 4. My grandmother is sick. 5. My grandmother passed away. 6. I have to pay my gas bill 7. I still cant pay my rent because I am still paying my gas bill. 8. My daughter is in the hospital. 9. My daughter made me sick and now I cant work 10. My job wont pay me for my sick leave 11. I was going to call you but I still havent got paid. 12. I didnt know it was such a big deal on paying my rent late. 13. Its your fault because I cant pay my rent you wont fix the roof. we fixed it twice.

Answer 1

LOL. If your tenants are putting up with a leaky roof you are lucky they are paying at all.

Answer 2

I'm with Acermill. I've heard enough to write a book.

Most of the excuses are the same old, same old lame and boring, some are not even believable, none are creative. If the tenant cannot even take the time to come up with some elaborate story, I don't want to hear it.

I've become a smarta$$ when the BS detector starts tweaking. I like to leave them with that look of absolute bewilderment.

"It's my daughter's birthday and I want to get her a cake and a present."

- my reply, "You'd think having a roof over your head would be gift enough."

"My father died."

- my reply, "I'm sorry. Are you paying for the funeral?" - Of course she wasn't, she just thought it was a good enough reason to not pay rent.

"The gas is being shut off and I needed to pay it"

- my reply, "What good is gas when you don't have a place to live?"

"My money ain't straight."

- my reply, "I take crooked money too."

"I need to fix my car."

-my reply, "Good, you will be able to pack your stuff in it to move out then, right?"

"The bank made a mistake. I don't know why the check bounced."

-my reply, "Oh, it's their mistake, I see then. You should have no problem getting the rubber check fee of $35.00, plus the late fee of $75.00 out of them ..."

Answer 3

My girlfriend is renting her house in the Midwest because they can't seem to sell it and her husband's job moved.

She said the last woman said- she couldn't pay her rent because her grandmother died and she had to fly down to Florida to collect a huge sum of money her grandmother left her.  She need all her money for the plan ticket and hotel  My friend Amy replied- Then you will be paying your rent and your back rent when you return?  And the women said- Oh, my grandmother left that money to me so I could do something fun with it!  My girlfriend said she almost fell off her chair- and then legally pursed getting her out of the house.

They had a heck of a time getting her out of the house, and I don't believe they ever got the money out of her.

Answer 4

I said "but I'm tired.... I been walkin all day..."

She said "that don't concern me! As long as I have my money by next friday!"

Now next friday came along, an I didn't have the rent... so out the door I went.  

Answer 5

Wow, I think you just about got them all. How about the car problem excuses?  

Answer 6

The best one I ever got was when my tenants went to Hawaii for two weeks and lost all their money gambling on the cruise ship.  I hadn't been able to take a vacation in 5 years because I was trying to pay off the mortgage.

Answer 7

I've heard them all.  I don't fall for any of them.  Business is business. However, if the roof leaks, I make sure it's fixed.

Answer 8

I've heard them all. It's always someone else that is causing there problem. Until these people figure out the problems are  there own fault they will always be looking for a new place to live.

Answer 9

As a landlord, I could write a one inch thick book of the excuses I've been given over the years.  I listen to ALL excuses politely, and then ask when the rent will be paid.  I am not in the business of deciding which excuse deserves merit.  IMO, NONE of them deserve merit.  I rent premises as a business.  If the tenant can't pay, it's not my issue.  They need to leave so I can replace them with a tenant who WILL pay.

Answer 10

I hear "I was mugged" at least once a year, usually for Decembers rent.   I have never received a copy of any police reports.

"My paycheck has not arrived, it will take another week to find out what happened." is another favorite.

From my drug addict, "The church ran out of money.   I can't reach my mother".  

My cat died.

YOU did not come to get it.

The postman must have lost it.

I spent the money on a new (insert appliance here).