How landlords and tenants can work together to avoid late rent in 2026

k9bmkDEC@?8mw@H =2?5=@C5D 2?5 E6?2?ED 42? H@C< E@86E96C E@ 2G@:5 =2E6 C6?E :? a_aek^DEC@?8mk^9bm

kAm{2E6 C6?E A2J>6?ED C6>2:? @?6 @7 E96 >@DE A6CD:DE6?E 492==6?86D :? C6?E2= 9@FD:?8] %96J 5:DCFAE 42D9 7=@H 7@C =2?5=@C5D[ 4C62E6 255:E:@?2= 25>:?:DEC2E:G6 H@C<[ 2?5 42? DEC2:? E6?2?E C6=2E:@?D9:AD] u@C E6?2?ED[ 6G6? 2 D9@CE 56=2J 42? 3C:?8 DEC6DD[ =2E6 766D[ @C 2H<H2C5 4@?G6CD2E:@?D[ 6DA64:2==J H96? 2 =2E6 A2J>6?E :D 5F6 E@ 2 AC6G6?E23=6 @G6CD:89E C2E96C E92? 2? :?23:=:EJ E@ A2J]k^Am

kAms2E2 7C@> k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^C6?EC65:]4@>Qm#6?E#65:k^2m DF886DED E92E >2?J =2?5=@C5D 2C6 255C6DD:?8 E96 :DDF6 3J C656D:8?:?8 9@H C6?E A2J>6?ED H@C< :? E96 7:CDE A=246] x?DE625 @7 C6=J:?8 D@=6=J @? 6?7@C46>6?E[ E96J 2C6 FD:?8 DJDE6>D E92E C65F46 7C:4E:@?[ 4=2C:7J 6IA64E2E:@?D[ 2?5 :?E6CG6?6 62C=:6C H96? D@>6E9:?8 8@6D @77 EC24<]k^Am

k9bmw@H =2?5=@C5D EJA:42==J C6DA@?5 H96? C6?E :D =2E6k^9bm

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^C6?EC65:]4@>^3=@8^2FE@A2J\C6>:?56CD\4C65:E\C6A@CE:?8\hh\@?\E:>6\C6?E\A2J>6?ED^Qmp C646?E #6?E#65: DFCG6Jk^2m :?5:42E6D E92E >@DE =2?5=@C5D 3F:=5 :? E:>6 2?5 4@>>F?:42E:@? 367@C6 E2<:?8 7:?2?4:2= 24E:@? @? =2E6 A2J>6?ED] (96? #6?E#65: A@==65 :ED =2?5=@C5D[ :E 7@F?5 E92Eik^Am

kF=mk=:m}62C=J e_T 2AA=J 2 8C246 A6C:@5 367@C6 492C8:?8 2 =2E6 766]k^=:mk=:mpC@F?5 adT 492C86 2 =2E6 766 :>>65:2E6=J]k^=:mk=:mp3@FE a_T DE2CE H:E9 4@>>F?:42E:@? @C ?68@E:2E:@?]k^=:mk=:mp D>2==6C A6C46?E286 WeTX @776C A2J>6?E A=2?D @C @E96C 2AAC@2496D]k^=:mk^F=m

kAm%96 52E2 DF886DED E92E >2?J =2?5=@C5D C6DA@?5 7:CDE E@ 62C=J D:8?2=D[ =:<6 >:DD65 5F6 52E6D @C C6>:?56C 6?8286>6?E[ C2E96C E92? :>>65:2E6=J :>A@D:?8 A6?2=E:6D] vC246 A6C:@5D @776C C@@> 7@C >:?@C 56=2JD H9:=6 DE:== AC6D6CG:?8 :?4@>6 6IA64E2E:@?D[ 2?5 4@>>F?:42E:@? @7E6? D6CG6D 2D 2 7:CDE DE6A H96? D@>6E9:?8 2AA62CD @77]k^Am

k9bm$>2== ?F586D[ >62DFC23=6 :>A24Ek^9bm

kAm%96 DFCG6J 7@F?5 E92E 2FE@>2E:4 C6?E C6>:?56CD 2C6 @?6 @7 E96 >@DE H:56=J FD65 E@@=D 7@C 6?4@FC28:?8 @?\E:>6 C6?E A2J>6?ED] |@C6 E92? 92=7 @7 =2?5=@C5D DFCG6J65 D2:5 C6>:?56CD 2C6 E96:C AC:>2CJ >6E9@5 7@C <66A:?8 C6?E @? D4965F=6] p>@?8 E6?2?ED[ C6>:?56CD 2=D@ C2?<65 9:896DEi c`T D2:5 2FE@>2E:4 C6>:?56CD 2C6 E96 >@DE 96=A7F= E@@= 7@C C6>6>36C:?8 E@ A2J C6?E 367@C6 2 =2E6 766 2AA=:6D]k^Am

kAm(9:=6 C6>:?56CD 2C6 @7E6? 5:D4FDD65 2D 2 AC6G6?E:G6 >62DFC6[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^C6?EC65:]4@>^3=@8^9@H\2FE@>2E:4\C6?E\C6>:?56CD\:?4C62D6\@?\E:>6\A2J>6?ED\:?\a_ae^Qm#6?E#65:’D 52E2k^2m DF886DED E96:C G2=F6 6IE6?5D 36J@?5 E92E] %@ 36EE6C F?56CDE2?5 9@H C6>:?56CD 27764E A2J>6?E 3692G:@C[ #6?E#65: 2?2=JK65 C6?E A2J>6?ED 7C@> E6?2?ED H9@ >:DD65 E96:C :?:E:2= 5F6 52E6[ 7@4FD:?8 @? H92E 92AA6?65 5FC:?8 E96 8C246 A6C:@5 WE96 H:?5@H 36EH66? H96? C6?E :D 5F6 2?5 H96? =2E6 766D EJA:42==J 368:?X]k^Am

kAmp7E6C 244@F?E:?8 7@C 724E@CD DF49 2D AC:@C A2J>6?E 9:DE@CJ[ 2FE@A2J 6?C@==>6?E[ 2?5 C6?E 2>@F?E[ E6?2?ED H9@ 5:5 ?@E C646:G6 2 C6?E C6>:?56C H6C6 afT =6DD =:<6=J E@ A2J 5FC:?8 E96 8C246 A6C:@5] ~G6C2==[ dgT @7 E6?2?ED H9@ >:DD65 E96:C :?:E:2= 5F6 52E6 3FE C646:G65 2 C6>:?56C H6?E @? E@ A2J H:E9:? E96 8C246 A6C:@5[ 4@>A2C65 E@ bgT @7 E6?2?ED H9@ 5:5 ?@E C646:G6 2 C6>:?56C]k^Am

k7:8FC6mk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^:>286D]DE24<6C]4@>^H^`ag_^:>286D^DE@C:6D^a_ae^_a^_e^3=@8\A@DE\8C2A9\7@C\C6?E\C6>:?56CD]A?8Q 2=ElQp 52E2 8C2A9:4 D9@H:?8 E92E dgT @7 E6?2?ED C646:G65 2? 2=6CE[ H9:=6 bgT 5:5 ?@E C646:G6 2? 2=6CE AC:@C E@ 6?5 @7 8C246 A6C:@5]Q DEJ=6lQH:5E9i `__TQ ^mk7:842AE:@?m#6?E#65:k^7:842AE:@?mk^7:8FC6m

kAmq642FD6 >@DE C6>:?56CD 2C6 D6?E @? @C 27E6C E96 5F6 52E6[ E96 7:?5:?8D 9:89=:89E C6>:?56CD ?@E ;FDE 2D 2 H2J E@ AC6G6?E =2E6?6DD[ 3FE 2D 2 C64@G6CJ E@@= — @?6 E92E 42? C65F46 6D42=2E:@? 27E6C 2 A2J>6?E :D 2=C625J =2E6]k^Am

k9bmp DJDE6>D\32D65 2AAC@249 E@ C6?E 4@==64E:@?k^9bm

kAmp4C@DD E96 52E2[ @?6 A2EE6C? 2AA62CD 4@?D:DE6?E=Ji {2?5=@C5D H9@ D66 >@C6 @?\E:>6 A2J>6?ED E6?5 E@ C6=J =6DD @? @?6\@77 :?E6CG6?E:@?D 2?5 >@C6 @? DJDE6>D E92E 8F:56 3692G:@C >@?E9 27E6C >@?E9]k^Am

kAm#2E96C E92? 56A6?5:?8 @? C6>:?56CD[ A6?2=E:6D[ @C 4@?G6CD2E:@?D :? :D@=2E:@?[ >2?J =2?5=@C5D 4@>3:?6 2FE@>2E:@?[ A2J>6?E 7=6I:3:=:EJ[ 2?5 :?46?E:G6D E@ C65F46 7C:4E:@? 367@C6 C6?E :D 6G6C =2E6] t249 6=6>6?E D6CG6D 2 5:776C6?E AFCA@D6i 2H2C6?6DD[ C@FE:?6[ 7=6I:3:=:EJ[ @C >@E:G2E:@?] %96D6 6=6>6?ED H@C< 36DE H96? FD65 E@86E96C]k^Am

kAm%96 D64E:@?D 36=@H 6IA=@C6 9@H E96D6 DJDE6>D 4@?EC:3FE6 E@ >@C6 4@?D:DE6?E C6?E A2J>6?ED]k^Am

k9bmpFE@>2E:@? C65F46D >:DD65 A2J>6?ED 2=E@86E96Ck^9bm

kAmq6J@?5 C6>:?56CD[ >2?J =2?5=@C5D 7@4FD @? 6=:>:?2E:?8 >:DD65 A2J>6?ED 3J 6?4@FC28:?8 2FE@>2E:4 C6?E A2J>6?ED] x? #6?E#65:’D =2?5=@C5 DFCG6J[ c`T C6A@CE65 6?23=:?8 2FE@A2J]k^Am

kAm!2J>6?E 52E2 F?56CD4@C6D H9J] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^C6?EC65:]4@>^3=@8^2FE@A2J\96=AD\E6?2?ED\A2J\@?\E:>6^Qm%6?2?ED 6?C@==65 :? 2FE@A2J A2J C6?E @? E:>6 hhT @7 E96 E:>6k^2m[ >2<:?8 :E @?6 @7 E96 DEC@?86DE AC65:4E@CD @7 4@?D:DE6?E A2J>6?E] qJ EFC?:?8 C6?E :?E@ 2 C64FCC:?8 EC2?D24E:@? C2E96C E92? 2 >@?E9=J E2D<[ 2FE@A2J C6>@G6D E:>:?8 C:D< 42FD65 3J 7@C86E7F=?6DD[ EC2G6=[ @C 4@>A6E:?8 AC:@C:E:6D]k^Am

kAm%6?2?E 7665324< C67=64ED E9:D 36?67:E 2D H6==] }62C=J b_T D2J 2FE@>2E:4 A2J>6?ED H@F=5 >@DE 96=A E96> DE2J @? D4965F=6]k^Am

k9bm!2J>6?E >6E9@5D E92E >2E49 E6?2?E 3692G:@Ck^9bm

kAmw@H E6?2?ED A2J 2=D@ 27764ED H96E96C E96J A2J @? E:>6]k^Am

kAmx? 2 #6?E#65: E6?2?E DFCG6J[ dgT D2:5 E96J AC676C A2J:?8 C6?E G:2 prw @C 32?< EC2?D76C[ H9:=6 bcT AC676C 4C65:E @C 563:E 42C5D] ~?=J gT AC676C 42D9 @C 4964<D] s:8:E2= A2J>6?ED C65F46 AC@46DD:?8 56=2JD 2?5 >2<6 C6?E 62D:6C E@ 7:E :?E@ 6I:DE:?8 7:?2?4:2= C@FE:?6D]k^Am

k7:8FC6mk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^:>286D]DE24<6C]4@>^H^`ag_^:>286D^DE@C:6D^a_ae^_a^_e^C6?EC65:\E6?2?E\DFCG6J\A2J>6?E\AC676C6?46D]A?8Q 2=ElQp D6E @7 52E2 492CED D9@H:?8 9@H E6?2?ED AC676C E@ A2J >@?E9=J C6?E]Q DEJ=6lQH:5E9i `__TQ ^mk7:842AE:@?m#6?E#65:k^7:842AE:@?mk^7:8FC6m

kAmx?G6DE@C\C6A@CE65 52E2 E6==D 2 D:>:=2C DE@CJ] x? 2 ;@:?E #6?E#65: 2?5 q:886C!@4<6ED DFCG6J @7 hce C62= 6DE2E6 :?G6DE@CD[ eeT D2:5 E96:C E6?2?ED AC:>2C:=J A2J G:2 32?< EC2?D76C] $E:==[ >@C6 E92? adT @7 E6?2?ED 4@?E:?F6 E@ A2J H:E9 42D9 @C 4964<D[ DF886DE:?8 E96 :?5FDECJ :D DE:== EC2?D:E:@?:?8 E@H2C5 7F==J 5:8:E2= DJDE6>D]k^Am

kAm~776C:?8 >F=E:A=6 A2J>6?E @AE:@?D 96=AD C65F46 7C:4E:@? H96? @?6 >6E9@5 72:=D @C :D 56=2J65[ AC6G6?E:?8 2G@:523=6 =2E6 A2J>6?ED]k^Am

k9bmx?46?E:G6D C6:?7@C46 4@?D:DE6?4Jk^9bm

kAm(9:=6 2FE@>2E:@? 2?5 7=6I:3:=:EJ C65F46 7C:4E:@?[ :?46?E:G6D C6:?7@C46 3692G:@C]k^Am

kAmp4C@DD A@CE7@=:@D @7 2== D:K6D[ 4C65:E C6A@CE:?8 :D E96 >@DE 4@>>@?=J FD65 :?46?E:G6 E@ 6?4@FC286 @?\E:>6 C6?E A2J>6?ED] #6?E#65: 52E2 56>@?DEC2E6D E92E C6A@CE:?8 @?\E:>6 C6?E A2J>6?ED E@ E96 >2;@C 4C65:E 3FC62FD :D 2DD@4:2E65 H:E9 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^C6?EC65:]4@>^3=@8^C6?EC65:D\4C65:E\3@@DE\:?4C62D6D\E6?2?ED\@?\E:>6\A2J>6?E\C2E6D^Qm`bT :?4C62D6 :? @?\E:>6 A2J>6?EDk^2m]k^Am

kAm%9:D >2<6D D6?D6[ 4@?D:56C:?8 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]72??:6>26]4@>^C6D62C49\2?5\:?D:89ED^A6CDA64E:G6D^C6?E6C\@?\E:>6\A2J>6?ED\4C65:E\D4@C6DQmu2??:6 |26 A@==k^2m :? a_ab E92E D9@H65 g_T @7 C6?E6CD AC676CC:?8 E96:C @?\E:>6 A2J>6?ED E@ 36 724E@C65 :?E@ E96:C 4C65:E D4@C6D] p55:E:@?2==J[ 2 a_ac k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]EC2?DF?:@?]4@>^3=@8^C6A@CE:?8\C6?E\A2J>6?EDQm%C2?D&?:@? C6A@CEk^2m C6G62=65 E92E gdT @7 C6?E6CD D2J E96J 2C6 >@C6 =:<6=J E@ >2<6 @?\E:>6 C6?E A2J>6?ED :7 E96J 2C6 C6A@CE65 E@ 4C65:E 3FC62FD[ H:E9 E92E A6C46?E286 C:D:?8 6G6? 9:896C 2>@?8 v6? + 2?5 |:==6??:2=D[ H9@ 2C6 >@C6 =:<6=J E@ ?665 E@ 6DE23=:D9 2?5 3F:=5 4C65:E]k^Am

kAmu@C E6?2?ED[ 4C65:E C6A@CE:?8 >2<6D C6?E A2J>6?ED >2EE6C 36J@?5 9@FD:?8] ~?\E:>6 C6?E 42? 4@?EC:3FE6 E@ 3F:=5:?8 4C65:E 9:DE@CJ 2?5 :>AC@G:?8 4C65:E D4@C6D[ EFC?:?8 4@?D:DE6?4J :?E@ 2 =@?8\E6C> 7:?2?4:2= 36?67:E C2E96C E92? ;FDE 2 =62D6 C6BF:C6>6?E]k^Am

kAm(96? A2:C65 H:E9 2FE@A2J[ 4C65:E C6A@CE:?8 4@>3:?6D 4@?G6?:6?46 H:E9 244@F?E23:=:EJ[ >2<:?8 @?\E:>6 A2J>6?E 3@E9 62D:6C 2?5 >@C6 >62?:?87F=]k^Am

k9bmp D>2CE6C A2E9 E@ DE625:6C C6?E 4@==64E:@?k^9bm

kAm%2<6? E@86E96C[ E96 52E2 A@:?ED E@ 2 4=62C 4@?4=FD:@?i {2?5=@C5D H9@ C65F46 7C:4E:@? E6?5 E@ D66 76H6C =2E6 A2J>6?ED]k^Am

kAmvC246 A6C:@5D[ C6>:?56CD[ 2FE@A2J[ 5:8:E2= A2J>6?E @AE:@?D[ 2?5 >62?:?87F= :?46?E:G6D 5@ >F49 @7 E96 H@C< 367@C6 C6?E AC@3=6>D 6D42=2E6] u@C E6?2?ED[ E96D6 DJDE6>D C65F46 DEC6DD 2?5 F?46CE2:?EJ] u@C =2?5=@C5D[ E96J DFAA@CE DE625:6C 42D9 7=@H 2?5 76H6C 7@==@H\FAD]k^Am

kAmx?DE625 @7 C6=J:?8 @? A6?2=E:6D E@ 4@CC64E 3692G:@C 27E6C E96 724E[ >2?J =2?5=@C5D 2C6 7:?5:?8 E92E H6==\56D:8?65 DJDE6>D >2<6 @?\E:>6 C6?E E96 5672F=E]k^Am

k9bm$FCG6J |6E9@5@=@8Jk^9bm

kAm#6?E#65:’D #6?E r@==64E:@? {2?5=@C5 $FCG6J C2? 7C@> $6AE] `f E@ ~4E] `d[ a_ad[ 2?5 925 eg_ C6DA@?56?ED] {2?5=@C5D H6C6 4=2DD:7:65 3J C62= 6DE2E6 A@CE7@=:@ D:K6 2D 7@==@HDi D>2== =2?5=@C5D W`\c C6?E2= F?:EDXj >65:F> =2?5=@C5D Wd\`h C6?E2= F?:EDXj 2?5 =2C86 =2?5=@C5D Wa_Z C6?E2= F?:EDX] #6?E#65:’D #6?E r@==64E:@? %6?2?E $FCG6J 7C@> $6AE] h\af[ a_ad[ 2?5 925 `[a`a C6DA@?56?ED] %96 ;@:?E q:886C!@4<6ED\#6?E#65: #6?E r@==64E:@? DFCG6J A@==65 C62= 6DE2E6 :?G6DE@CD E9C@F89 E96 q:886C!@4<6ED *@F%F36 492??6=[ 42AEFC:?8 36EH66? `___\a[a__Z 2?DH6CD A6C BF6DE:@? 7C@> $6AE6>36C E@ }@G6>36C a_ad] !6C46?E286D 92G6 366? C@F?565 E@ E96 ?62C6DE H9@=6 ?F>36C[ 2?5 E96C67@C6 E96 G2=F6D :? 6249 32C 492CE >2J ?@E 6BF2= `__T]k^Am

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^C6?EC65:]4@>^3=@8^E96\52E2\369:?5\6?4@FC28:?8\@?\E:>6\C6?E\A2J>6?ED^Qmk6>m%9:D DE@CJk^6>mk^2m k6>mH2D AC@5F465 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^C6?EC65:]4@>Qmk6>m#6?E#65:k^6>mk^2m k6>m2?5 C6G:6H65 2?5 5:DEC:3FE65 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^9F3D]=2^"_b<=8$#_Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmk6>m$E24<6Ck^6>mk^2m]k^Am