PolarBearWY
Junior Member
Wyoming.
I'm in Wyoming. Summer 2004 I ran into income and employment problems. I fell behind two months rent @ 550 per month. As per lease, I have been charged $5/day since then. It took me 3 months, but I paid off the 1100 for the 2 months of rent. But, I wasn't also able to pay off the late fees. My landlord is now charging me $5 late fee for the late fees. To this date, I owe her about 800 and I have accrued more than 900 in late fees. So, I have three questions.
1. Is there a max as to what a landlord can legally or fairly charge for a late fee? I have never seen a landlord charge 150-155 per month for late fees. That's 27%. I know I signed the lease agreeing to this outrageousness, but at the time I was employed and never thought I'd have ever paid rent late, let alone two months late.
2. I paid off enough extra each month on top of the normal rent to take care of the back rent months ago. As mentioned above, I am still being charged late fees... for the unpaid late fees. Is this reasonable and legal? I'm only able to pay her an extra 200 per month and I'm being charged 150-155 in fees, so only 45-50 dollars is going to the principle each month. At this rate, it will take me 16 more months to pay this off and I will have paid more than 3,300 in late fees. It just seems like the landlord is happy to be getting an extra 200 per month for this little 2-bdrm apartment.
3. I have asked the landlord to forgive the late fees for the unpaid late fees. She hinted that if I ditch her, we'll have to meet in front of a judge and let him decide. Any idea what a judge would say? I have obviously been fair with her. Reading the forums makes me believe a lot of people would have ditched long ago. I'm trying to stick this out, but cannot pay her an extra 3300 over the next year for late rent that was paid months ago.
Thanks.
I'm in Wyoming. Summer 2004 I ran into income and employment problems. I fell behind two months rent @ 550 per month. As per lease, I have been charged $5/day since then. It took me 3 months, but I paid off the 1100 for the 2 months of rent. But, I wasn't also able to pay off the late fees. My landlord is now charging me $5 late fee for the late fees. To this date, I owe her about 800 and I have accrued more than 900 in late fees. So, I have three questions.
1. Is there a max as to what a landlord can legally or fairly charge for a late fee? I have never seen a landlord charge 150-155 per month for late fees. That's 27%. I know I signed the lease agreeing to this outrageousness, but at the time I was employed and never thought I'd have ever paid rent late, let alone two months late.
2. I paid off enough extra each month on top of the normal rent to take care of the back rent months ago. As mentioned above, I am still being charged late fees... for the unpaid late fees. Is this reasonable and legal? I'm only able to pay her an extra 200 per month and I'm being charged 150-155 in fees, so only 45-50 dollars is going to the principle each month. At this rate, it will take me 16 more months to pay this off and I will have paid more than 3,300 in late fees. It just seems like the landlord is happy to be getting an extra 200 per month for this little 2-bdrm apartment.
3. I have asked the landlord to forgive the late fees for the unpaid late fees. She hinted that if I ditch her, we'll have to meet in front of a judge and let him decide. Any idea what a judge would say? I have obviously been fair with her. Reading the forums makes me believe a lot of people would have ditched long ago. I'm trying to stick this out, but cannot pay her an extra 3300 over the next year for late rent that was paid months ago.
Thanks.