Sorry for joining so late but I just signed up on this website. In my opinion tenants fail to pay rent because they can ie you are softer than the electricity company.

Most intelligent people can see throught the movie ticket thing. In my experience people will not agree to an extra $20 a fortnight rent, with a clause stating that they will get a $20 discount if the rent is paid on time.

The way to go is to be by the book and send a nice letter saying how reluctant you are to do this etc etc but here is your ‘notice to remedy breach’ and I will be removing you at the appropriate time (this is not a threat but because you are such great people and I want you to stay I wanted to make sure that you fully understand etc)

They will come back with the sick kid or whatever story but I give them the same ones back ie I have a wife and kids to support/if the rent doesn’t go into the account the bank can’t take out the repayment and they charge me a fee.

I manage my own properties of course.

If they think you or your agent are soft you will be the last to be paid.

You can read ‘how to win friends and influence people’ and realise that if you stay nice at all times people will cope anything that has to be said bluntly.

My last tenant who had not paid the rent and cheerfully stated over the weeks 1. we were out of town so could not pay it. 2. Oh, didn’t we pay(The rent was $588 a fortnight so apparently they didn’t notice a lazy half a grand sitting in their account) 3. I was working on the car and didn’t have time.

The tenant had been a preacher/pastor for the last 20 years. I sent a wonderful letter to him stating how much I liked him and his family. I mentioned the times they helped me do some repairs etc and added that ‘sadly I have now come to the conclusion that you are now no longer being honest with me’. (..and here is your notice to remedy breach)

By some apparent miracle he came up with the almost $2000 in a couple of days.

Anyway. Be firm and be consistent I say.