Q: Can my landlord charge me $50 a day for late fees on my rent?
I got behind a few months on my rent and finally told her that I'm just gonna have to move. I can't afford the place any longer. Now she wants me to pay the 3 months back rent plus an additional $50 a day late fees. The late fee totals are $4500. I understand the back rent and even a few hundred for late fees but that just seems absolutely unreasonable. It is stated in my lease that's what the late fees are but I clearly misunderstood. I thought it was $50 a month late fee. She keeps trying to get me to borrow money or sell my vehicle to pay her. She has not taken me to court but I think I might tell her to. I cannot afford that kind of money or I wouldn't be in this situation to begin with. Also when my lease was up in January she just resigned her name to the old lease and gave it to me. I never signed this year's lease. If that makes a difference.
A: I would suggest moving as soon as you can. If she tries to evict you, I doubt a judge is going to impose that much in late fees as at first blush it seems excessive. But there is a lesson in this: read closely what you sign.
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