my apartment complex didn't tell me my rent was late now I have to pay a court fine even though I had the rent check made out 3 days before ...

Question

my apartment complex didn't tell me my rent was late now I have to pay a court fine even though I had the rent check made out 3 days before rent was due and recieved no warnings stating my rent was late. What can I do to avoid more costly penalties that I cannot afford?

Answer

There is no duty on the landlord to tell a tenant when they are late. If you have a lease, that is established in the lease. If you do not have a lease, rent is late after the 5th. If you are saying you made out the check but never turned it in, then you need to devise a system to make sure you confirm when your rent is paid. If you are saying that you did pay, then you need to submit evidence to the Court that you paid on time.