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  1. #1

    Default Excessive Late Fee After Being 14 Days Late on Rent

    My boyfriend and I pay rent every month on the 1st. (We live in Ventura, CA) This is the 1st time we have been late on rent. We paid exactly 14 days late & brought a money order to our leasing office which had the rent on it plus the $50 late fee. Then we get a call the next morning saying we must come pick up the money order because they won't accept our rent unless we pay them $735 in "legal fees." $735 is more than half of our rent. The office manager is refusing to tell us what the $735 is going to be paid towards. She just keeps saying "legal." This seems extremely high for being 2 weeks late on rent. We have not received anything from any kind of lawyer whatsoever so I'm wondering if it's even legal for them to do this. We have never been in this situation and don't know what to do. Legal advice would be much appreciated.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
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    Default Re: $735 Late Fee After Being 14 Days Late on Rent

    Have you looked over your lease to see if it says anything about "legal fees" in the event of a late payment? That would be the first place to start.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    Default Re: $735 Late Fee After Being 14 Days Late on Rent

    Quote Quoting AlexisLaCroix
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    My boyfriend and I pay rent every month on the 1st. (We live in Ventura, CA) This is the 1st time we have been late on rent. We paid exactly 14 days late & brought a money order to our leasing office which had the rent on it plus the $50 late fee. Then we get a call the next morning saying we must come pick up the money order because they won't accept our rent unless we pay them $735 in "legal fees." $735 is more than half of our rent. The office manager is refusing to tell us what the $735 is going to be paid towards. She just keeps saying "legal." This seems extremely high for being 2 weeks late on rent. We have not received anything from any kind of lawyer whatsoever so I'm wondering if it's even legal for them to do this. We have never been in this situation and don't know what to do. Legal advice would be much appreciated.
    I agree that getting out your lease and reading it carefully is the best way to determine whether or not the lease allows that.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
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    Default Re: $735 Late Fee After Being 14 Days Late on Rent

    Quote Quoting llworking
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    I agree that getting out your lease and reading it carefully is the best way to determine whether or not the lease allows that.
    Whatever the lease says, the fee can't be charged unless it has actually been incurred by the landlord. The late fee covers the administrative costs of dealing with the late rent.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    1,179

    Default Re: $735 Late Fee After Being 14 Days Late on Rent

    During those 14 days did you or he do any type of communication letting them know when you expected to pay late? If not, it is possible after a certain # of days late that they would start legal eviction proceedings, even if you hadn't been served yet. And even if you did, I cant' tell you the # of times that residents say they will pay and then don't at all. So generally their processes are going to be pretty standard.

    A late fee isn't a pass to pay late with no other consequences of doing so.

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