LubaLuba Guides
Rent reminder messages for tenants, ready to copy
Quick answer
- A good rent reminder includes the tenant’s name, the month, the exact amount, the due date and how to pay, in a friendly tone.
- Send the first one three or four days before rent is due, another on the due date and, if it’s still unpaid, another two or three days later. Always one-on-one and during the day.
- If rent is more than a week late, ask for a specific date and offer a way out, like paying in two parts. Never make threats.
- The messages are below, ready to copy. With an app like Luba, you get a notification when each rent is due and the reminder is already written with the amount.
Need it now? Copy the due-date message.
We make Luba, the app in the “With Luba” boxes. The messages work just as well by text or WhatsApp, without the app.
What you need: The tenant’s name, the month and the amount · How you want to be paid (Zelle, check, a portal…) · Your phone
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What every reminder should say
A good reminder is short and leaves no room for doubt. It says:
The tenant’s name, so it doesn’t read like a mass text.
Which unit and which month: “rent for Room 1 for November.”
The exact amount: “$750.” If utilities or a balance are added, give the total.
The date: when it’s due, or how long it’s been past due.
How to pay: your Zelle number, where to drop off a check, or the portal link. The easier you make it, the sooner you get paid.
A friendly tone: a greeting, a thank-you and your name. No all caps, no piles of exclamation points, no threats.
NoteText during the day, roughly 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and always one-on-one: never in a group chat or on social media. Calling out someone’s debt in public embarrasses them and can get you into legal trouble.
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A few days before: the friendly heads-up
Three or four days before the due date. It’s not a demand, just a heads-up so it doesn’t slip their mind, and plenty of tenants pay as soon as they see it.
“Hi Jessica, just a friendly reminder that rent for Room 1 ($750) is due on November 5. You can send it by Zelle to (512) 555-0147. Thanks! – Carmen”
Shorter: “Hi Jessica! Quick reminder: rent ($750) is due on the 5th. Thanks!”
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On the due date
In the morning, and only if it hasn’t come in yet.
“Good morning, Jessica. Rent for November ($750) is due today. You can send it by Zelle, or let me know when you’d like to drop off a check. Thanks!”
If there’s more due that month, give the total: “This month it’s $750 for rent plus $65 for utilities, so $815 total.”
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If rent is late
Two or three days later, keep it light: they may have just forgotten.
“Hi Jessica, hope you’re doing well. I haven’t received November’s rent ($750) yet. It was due on the 5th. If you already sent it, just let me know and I’ll check on my end. Thanks!”
After a week, be more direct and ask for a date. Offering a way out works better than pressure:
“Hi Jessica, November’s rent ($750) has been past due since the 5th. Can you let me know what day you’ll be able to pay? If it helps, you can pay half this week and the rest next week.”
If your lease has a grace period or a late fee, mention it before you charge it, and only charge what the lease and your state allow. If you still don’t hear back, don’t escalate over text: call or talk in person. Everything you write is on the record.
NoteDon’t threaten to change the locks, shut off utilities or remove the tenant’s things. In most states that’s illegal, and evictions have to go through the courts. If rent stays unpaid, talk to a local attorney.
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Once you’re paid: say thanks and send a receipt
Say thanks the same day and send a receipt, so it’s clear which month was paid.
“Got it, thanks, Jessica! I received $750 for November’s rent. I’ll send you the receipt.”
If they paid part of it: “Thanks, Jessica. I received $500 toward November’s rent, so $250 is still due. When can you send the rest?”
How to write the receipt, with a free template: rent receipt.
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Send them without retyping
Save these messages in your phone’s notes and change the name, month and amount each time.
If you use WhatsApp Business, save them as quick replies with a shortcut like /rent. In a chat, type / and pick the message.
With LubaLuba sends you a notification the morning each rent is due, and Today shows who owes you and since when. On the lease of anyone who owes you, the reminder is already written with their name, the amount and the date: tap Send reminder and WhatsApp opens with the message ready to check and send.
The reminder as your tenant gets it, with the amount and since when. 
Mistakes that delay rent
A vague message
“Hey, what about rent?” makes them ask how much and for which month. Always include the amount and the month.
Not saying how to pay
If they have to ask for your Zelle number, payment slips another day. Put it in the same message.
Texting while angry
Texts get saved and forwarded. If you’re upset, wait or call.
Calling it out in a group chat
It embarrasses the tenant and rarely gets you paid faster. Keep it one-on-one.
Sending text after text
One at a time, then wait for an answer. Three texts in an hour feels like harassment.
Not confirming when you’re paid
Without a “got it” and a receipt, next month there may be doubts about what was paid.
Frequently asked questions
How do I politely remind a tenant to pay rent?
Send a short, one-on-one message a few days before the due date with their name, the month, the amount and how to pay. A heads-up before rent is due feels like help, not a demand.
When should I send a rent reminder?
A common rhythm is one reminder three or four days before, another on the due date if it hasn’t come in, and another two or three days after. Always during the day.
What should I say to a tenant who hasn’t paid rent?
First, ask if they forgot. After a week, ask for a specific date and offer to split the payment if that helps. Don’t make threats: if rent stays unpaid, talk in person and contact a local attorney.
Can I text my tenant about late rent?
Yes, and it leaves a written record of what was said and when. A text doesn’t replace a formal notice if you ever need one, though: those have their own rules in each state.
Can I post a rent reminder in a group chat?
A general note, like the due date for everyone, is fine. What each tenant owes never goes in a group: keep that one-on-one.
Is there an app that reminds me when rent is due?
Yes. Luba, by RollanSoft, keeps your rentals in order from your phone. It notifies you the day each rent is due, shows who owes you and since when, and writes the WhatsApp reminder with the amount. It’s free for 2 properties, with no ads and no account.