Right now, in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, people are struggling. Being ordered to stay-at-home has meant that millions of people are now without paychecks, and as a result, they are unable to pay rent.
Chances are very likely that you might be currently experiencing this dilemma personally. At this point, it would be very beneficial to contact your landlord to discuss this predicament. Here are some tips and things to do to help remedy this situation.
What to Do Before Talking to Your Landlord
Re-examine your finances. Write down all of your expenses and bills and prioritize them. If you’re reducing your food budget, or you have cut your cable, or you are putting some stuff for sale on craigslist, it might help to present this to your landlord. Put yourself in his/her shoes. Saying something as simple as, “I’m having a difficult time with finances right now, can you work with me?” could have surprisingly beneficial results.
Consider if there is anything you can do to improve the property in lieu of rent. Can you improve the landscaping, paint the outside, or fix a broken appliance? If you can, make sure you can do a high-quality job and don’t fix anything without having an agreement in writing first.
Consider getting a roommate. Many rental agreements may have restrictions against subleasing but if you talk to your landlord you might be able to get an exception to share a room with a friend who can help pay part of the rent. If you do get an exception, make sure to get it in writing.
Understand those eviction proceedings won’t begin immediately. Almost all court proceedings in Colorado are currently closed and many Sheriff Departments are not carrying out evictions. To evict you, your landlord needs a court order and the support of law enforcement to remove you from the property.
Brainstorm further…is there anything else you can think of doing to turn this difficult situation into a positive one?
Now that you have done some planning, it’s time for the hard part…calling the landlord. When you reach out, be direct and let them know that you have been thinking about ways to make up for it. If your landlord knows that you have taken the steps to come up with solutions, they may be more willing to work with you.
Remember, we are ALL in this together, and your landlord is very aware of this.
What to Consider When Talking to Your Landlord:
They’re struggling too. They too have bills to pay, and right now they’re paying a mortgage on the property they are renting to you, so forgiving rent isn’t that simple. Acknowledge that this is a hard time for everyone.
Present them with that list of things you can offer in lieu of rent. Don’t simply say “so what do you want me to do?” Take the responsibility to lead the conversation. “I’m open to other suggestions and here are some ideas I came up with…”
Ask (very politely) if the property owner has applied for/received any forbearance for their mortgage. If so, perhaps you can negotiate a lower rent/no rent for a few months with a higher amount to pay back what you owe after the low rent/no rent period ends.
Be nice. Even if they act defensively at first, be nice. Landlords are not necessarily used to that. If you’re nice, they’ll usually calm down.
Be genuine and honest.
Get everything in writing. At the very least exchange emails after your conversation to document what was discussed.
If none of this works, it may be worth engaging the support of a neutral third party. Mediation may help and it is possible to mediate online so that you can still comply with current physical distancing requirements.
Whatever your situation, ignoring it and not paying rent all together will not improve the problem or make it go away. Communicating with your landlord/owner will not guarantee your landlord will work with you, however, it does give you information about what your situation is and what your options are.