What is included in a Rent Demand Letter?

This Rent Demand Letter template covers: the amount of the unpaid rent the date the rent was due requests for immediate payment by the tenant

Why do I need a Rent Demand Letter?

Issuing a demand for rent reminds a tenant that rent is due and warns them that further failure to pay may lead to eviction . Communicating with your tenant by sending them a Rent Demand Letter may be enough to solve the issue and avoid eviction. The document also provides valuable evidence in case of further legal action. Use this Rent Demand Letter when your tenant has missed paying rent on the due date. You could also discuss the rent arrears with your tenant and consider creating a Rent repayment plan to set out a realistic, formal plan for your tenant to follow to repay the rent that they owe.

When is rent considered overdue?

Rent is considered overdue as soon as a tenant has not paid their rent on the date specified in their tenancy agreement. However, a slight delay in paying rent can sometimes happen. As a result, the first Rent Demand Letter should normally be sent on the 7th day of arrears (ie the 7th day after the rent was due).

How much notice should I give the tenant to make the rent payment in full?

This will be for the landlord to decide. However, this Rent Demand Letter indicates that payment must be made immediately . This can help you deal with rent arrears quickly and efficiently.

Can an agent serve a Rent Demand Letter on the landlord's behalf?

If the tenancy agreement under which rent is due was signed via an agency, a Rent Demand Letter can be issued by the agent on the landlord's behalf.

What processes should be followed if rent remains unpaid after issuing the Rent Demand Letter?

If, after sending a first Letter to your tenant, rent remains overdue and unpaid, you can serve the tenant a Final rent demand letter to request immediate payment of the outstanding rent. After this, the next step is serving your tenant with a notice of your intention to repossess the property (ie an Eviction notice ). For more information, read Managing residential rent arrears .

Are there reasons why the landlord may not be able to claim outstanding rent?

If a tenant refuses to respond to a Rent Demand Letter, their landlord may need to take the matter to court. It will then be up to the court to determine whether a landlord is entitled to claim compensation for the rent arrears. Factors that will work against a landlord in court may include that they: acted dishonestly or unscrupulously (eg if they were aggressive during the demand and/or eviction processes) are partly responsible for the rent arrears (eg if the property was in disrepair or if they failed to carry out any repair works they were responsible for ) did not attempt to settle the dispute informally first (eg using Rent Demand Letters or via mediation )

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Other Names: Rent Arrears Letter Late Rent Notice Rent Request Letter Late Rent Letter Demand for Rent Payment Letter Demand Letter for Unpaid Rent Demand Letter for Rent Payment Rent Demand Demand for Rent Payment

What is a Rent Demand Letter?

A Rent Demand Letter requests immediate payment of outstanding rent from a tenant (or ‘contract holders’ in Wales). Rent Demand Letters notify tenants of their failure to pay rent and take the first step towards recovering overdue rent.

For the avoidance of doubt, references to ‘tenants’ also apply to ‘contract holders’ unless otherwise specified.

When should I use a Rent Demand Letter?

Use this Rent Demand Letter when:

your tenant did not pay their rent on time
the tenancy is residential (and not commercial)
the rent remains overdue, and
you have not already requested immediate payment of the overdue rent

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Dear ,

Re: ,

DEMAND FOR OVERDUE RENT

writing to inform you that from our records your rent is currently overdue as follows:

Outstanding rent: £
Rent due date:

Please arrange for the outstanding balance to be paid immediately and please make sure that all future rent payments are made in full on the date that they are due.

If you have any problems in making the overdue rent payment please contact to discuss the matter.

Yours sincerely,

About Rent Demand Letters

Learn more about making your Rent Demand Letter

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How to make a Rent Demand Letter
Making a Rent Demand Letter online is simple. Just answer a few questions and Rocket Lawyer will build your document for you. When you have all of the details prepared in advance, making your document is a quick and easy process.

To make your Rent Demand Letter you will need the following information:

Party details
- What are the landlord’s details (ie legal structure and name)?
- If the landlord is a business, will the Rent Demand Letter be printed on headed paper including the business name and address?
  - If not, what is the landlord’s address?
- Is an agent sending this Rent Demand Letter on behalf of the landlord?
  - If so, what is their name?
  - If not, if the landlord is a company, LLP or partnership, who will sign the Rent Demand Letter on behalf of the landlord’s business?
- What is the tenant’s name?
Property and rent
- What is the address of the rented property?
- How much rent is outstanding?
- On what date was the rent due?
Letter
- On what date will the Letter be sent to the tenant?
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Common terms in a Rent Demand Letter

A Rent Demand Letter is used by a private residential landlord to formally request that a tenant pays outstanding rent. To achieve this, this Rent Demand Letter template covers:

Sender and recipient details

The start of the Rent Demand Letter provides details of the landlord and tenant and identifies the property to which the rent request applies.

Demand for overdue rent

The body of the Letter sets out the landlord’s demand for overdue rent. It sets out how much rent is overdue and when the rent was initially due. The Letter also requests that the tenant arranges for the outstanding balance to be paid immediately and reminds them to make all future rent payments in full on the due date. The Letter also encourages the tenant to reach out to the landlord to discuss their options if they cannot make the rent payment.

If you want your Rent Demand Letter to include further or more detailed provisions, you can edit your document. However, if you do this, you may want a lawyer to review or change the Rent Demand Letter for you, to make sure it complies with all relevant laws and meets your specific needs. Ask a lawyer for assistance.

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Legal tips for making a Rent Demand Letter
Give your tenant time to pay

While tenants should pay their rent on the due date, as set out in their tenancy agreement, payment delays can happen. For example, the tenant’s bank system may not be working, causing a delay. As a result, you should wait a few days before sending a Rent Demand Letter. Generally, it is prudent to wait around 7 days before sending a Rent Demand Letter. For more information, read Managing residential rent arrears.

Consider entering into a repayment plan

If your tenant is unable to pay their overdue rent, and you have a good relationship with them, you can consider entering into a Rent repayment plan. This is a temporary adjustment to the rent and/or a way to spread out the repayment of any accrued overdue rent. Rent repayment plans are designed to be short-term solutions that give a tenant the opportunity to get back on their feet. For more information, read Managing residential rent arrears.

Understand when to seek advice from a lawyer

Ask a lawyer for advice:
- if this document doesn’t meet your specific needs
- if a tenant has ignored previous requests to pay the overdue rent
- if a tenant has informed you that they cannot pay their rent
- if you need to end a tenant's occupation of your property
- if your commercial tenant has not paid their rent
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Rent Demand Letter FAQs

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What is included in a Rent Demand Letter?
This Rent Demand Letter template covers:
- the amount of the unpaid rent
- the date the rent was due
- requests for immediate payment by the tenant
Why do I need a Rent Demand Letter?

Issuing a demand for rent reminds a tenant that rent is due and warns them that further failure to pay may lead to eviction. Communicating with your tenant by sending them a Rent Demand Letter may be enough to solve the issue and avoid eviction. The document also provides valuable evidence in case of further legal action.

Use this Rent Demand Letter when your tenant has missed paying rent on the due date.

You could also discuss the rent arrears with your tenant and consider creating a Rent repayment plan to set out a realistic, formal plan for your tenant to follow to repay the rent that they owe.
When is rent considered overdue?

Rent is considered overdue as soon as a tenant has not paid their rent on the date specified in their tenancy agreement. However, a slight delay in paying rent can sometimes happen. As a result, the first Rent Demand Letter should normally be sent on the 7th day of arrears (ie the 7th day after the rent was due).
How much notice should I give the tenant to make the rent payment in full?

This will be for the landlord to decide. However, this Rent Demand Letter indicates that payment must be made immediately. This can help you deal with rent arrears quickly and efficiently.
Can an agent serve a Rent Demand Letter on the landlord's behalf?

If the tenancy agreement under which rent is due was signed via an agency, a Rent Demand Letter can be issued by the agent on the landlord's behalf.
What processes should be followed if rent remains unpaid after issuing the Rent Demand Letter?

If, after sending a first Letter to your tenant, rent remains overdue and unpaid, you can serve the tenant a Final rent demand letter to request immediate payment of the outstanding rent. After this, the next step is serving your tenant with a notice of your intention to repossess the property (ie an Eviction notice). For more information, read Managing residential rent arrears.
Are there reasons why the landlord may not be able to claim outstanding rent?
If a tenant refuses to respond to a Rent Demand Letter, their landlord may need to take the matter to court. It will then be up to the court to determine whether a landlord is entitled to claim compensation for the rent arrears.

Factors that will work against a landlord in court may include that they:
- acted dishonestly or unscrupulously (eg if they were aggressive during the demand and/or eviction processes)
- are partly responsible for the rent arrears (eg if the property was in disrepair or if they failed to carry out any repair works they were responsible for)
- did not attempt to settle the dispute informally first (eg using Rent Demand Letters or via mediation)

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Check and agree

Read your Rent Demand Letter to make sure it meets your needs. Check that the landlord and tenant details and the property address are all correct. Remember that if you have any questions you can easily Ask a lawyer.
Sign to make it legal

The landlord (or their agent) should sign the Rent Demand Letter. You can sign your Rent Demand Letter online using RocketSign or in print.
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Send the Letter

Make a copy of the original signed Letter for the landlord and, where relevant, their agent. Send the original signed Rent Demand Letter to the tenant(s). This can be done in person, by post or by email (if the tenant’s Tenancy agreement expressly allows this).
Store your document

The landlord (and their agent) should store safely away their copy of the Rent Demand Letter, alongside any proof of delivery (eg proof of postage or read receipts). A copy of the Rent Demand Letter will also be automatically stored in your Rocket Lawyer account ‘Dashboard’.
Important details
- If the Rent Demand Letter is posted, allow at least 3 working days for delivery when you use Royal Mail to post your Letter. Consider using a recorded delivery service, which allows your Letter to be tracked. Ask for proof of postage and keep it in a safe place.
- If you wish to send the Letter by email, you can only do this if the tenant(s) have expressly agreed to receive communications by email. Check your Tenancy agreement to see what it says about emailing notices (eg letters). Request ‘read receipts’ as proof of delivery if you do email the Letter.
- If you hand-deliver the Rent Demand Letter, this involves personally posting the Letter into the postbox of the rented property or giving the Letter to the tenant(s). This gives you the security of knowing when the Letter gets to the tenant(s) and removes uncertainty about the method of posting.
- Consider asking a witness to come with you if you hand-deliver the Letter. Your witness should not be related to you, must have mental capacity and must not be under the age of 18.
- After you have delivered the Letter, write a note of the time and date of delivery. Sign and date the note and ask your witness to sign and add their name, address, and occupation and the date directly underneath your signature.

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