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Hi,

There is an old saying: Better late than never!

While I understand your frustration, I would look at this from a slightly different perspective.

If your tenant has been consistently paying the rent, albeit 5–7 days late, I would first check whether your tenancy agreement provides any grace period for payment.

If the payments fall within the agreed grace period, and you are receiving your rental every month, I personally would not make a big issue out of it.

After all, a tenant who pays slightly late may still be better than one who does not pay at all.

Sometimes, in trying to enforce every contractual obligation strictly, we may unintentionally strain an otherwise good landlord-tenant relationship.

What happens if the tenant decides not to renew? You may have to deal with vacancy, marketing expenses, agent commission and the uncertainty of whether your next tenant will be equally reliable.

Of course, this does not mean you should disregard the tenancy agreement or allow the delays to become progressively longer.

If the payments are outside the agreed terms, a friendly reminder may be sufficient without escalating the situation unnecessarily.

May I know whether your tenancy agreement provides a grace period, and whether your tenant has otherwise been responsible in maintaining the property?

Also, did you engage a property agent for this tenancy? If so, has your agent advised you on the relevant clauses and whether the delay actually constitutes a breach?

Sometimes, preserving a good tenancy relationship is worth more than insisting on punctuality at the expense of everything else.

Geryl Lim
 9278 7772  Read More

Hi, since you want to preserve the tenancy, I would start with a written reminder of the agreed due date and a conversation about why payment is repeatedly late. Keep a simple record of due dates and actual receipt dates.

If it is an administrative issue, a standing instruction set early enough for payment to arrive on time may help. If the tenant wants a different payment date, consider your own commitments and have any agreed change properly documented rather than letting the arrangement drift.

Check the full agreement for payment, notice and late-payment provisions. Do not assume a period before enforcement means the due date has changed, and do not introduce new fees unilaterally. If reminders do not improve things, get advice on the next contractual step without jumping straight to termination.

Silas Tan | Huttons | TRIBE
Free property guides and calculators: https://tribesg.com Read More

**Since you want to preserve the tenancy rather than terminate it, treat the 5–7 day delay as a cash-flow alignment issue rather than a hostile breach.** In Singapore, most standard Tenancy Agreements (TAs) include a **7-day grace period** before formal default clauses kick in—which may explain why your tenant assumes paying on the 6th or 7th is acceptable.

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### 1. Check Your TA’s Grace Period & Late Interest Clause

* **7-Day Grace Period:** Standard CEA tenancy templates typically stipulate that rent is due on the 1st, with remedies triggered only if rent remains unpaid for **7 days** after the due date. If your tenant pays on Day 5–7, they may mistakenly view the grace period as their actual due date.
* **Late Payment Interest:** Check whether your TA specifies default interest (commonly 8%–10% per annum pro-rated daily after the grace period). Even if you do not intend to charge it, pointing it out reminds the tenant that timely payment is a contractual obligation.

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### 2. Practical, Non-Confrontational Steps to Get Back on Track

1. **Check Payday Timing & Offer a Rent Due-Date Shift:** Ask politely if their salary is credited on the 5th or 7th of each month. If so, offer a simple written addendum shifting the due date from the 1st to the **7th** (or **10th**) in exchange for a one-time pro-rated adjustment—eliminating monthly friction permanently.
2. **Request Standing GIRO / Scheduled Bank Transfer:** Many late payments happen simply because tenants forget to initiate manual PayNow transfers. Ask them to set up an automated monthly standing instruction for the 28th or 1st.
3. **Send Automated Pre-Due Reminders:** Schedule a brief, friendly WhatsApp reminder 2 days before the due date (e.g., on the 29th/30th) rather than chasing after the 1st.
4. **Keep a Written Record:** Always acknowledge payments via WhatsApp/email with the exact date received. If delays ever worsen beyond 14 days, a clear paper trail protects your right to enforce late interest or deduct arrears from the security deposit later.

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Gan Eng Joo Onassis 颜荣裕, REALTOR®

MSc BIT (Middlesex, UK); BBA (UniSA)

CEA Reg No: R021244C | Mobile: (+65) 8889 9918 

Email: onassis@sgagent.com

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