The importance of paying rent on time

Paying rent on time is one of the main obligations of a tenant. 

You may have others you share the house with. Regardless of how many other people contribute, it’s still the responsibility of every person who signed the lease and tenancy agreement, to make sure the rent is paid on time, every time.

Once you’ve signed the tenancy agreement, this is a legal obligation. If you fail to pay rent when you should, it’s a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. This is the case even when you’re not happy with something in the property.

When just starting out in a new tenancy, your tenancy agreement will set out how often the rent has to be paid, and how you’ll pay it. 

It’s important to think ahead and budget for times that might be harder to pay your rent, such as Christmas or holidays. If you think you may have difficulty paying the rent, it’s important to talk to the agency/landlord about it in advance, rather than miss a payment.