Can’t Pay Rent? Experts Say These 5 Steps May Help You Avoid Eviction

If rent is due and you don’t have to cash to cover it, you have options. And they all start with one simple action: Contact your landlord before the due date, not after.

Hard months can happen for reasons that have nothing to do with how carefully you planned. An unexpected medical bill, a lost shift at work during an illness, a delayed paycheck, an emergency car repair: Any of these can turn a tight budget into a missed rent payment. None of that means you did something wrong. What matters is how you respond to it.

More often than not, your landlord would rather work with you to come up with a solution than to proceed with an expensive eviction process. Below, we’ll guide you through how to communicate with your landlord, what happens if they move forward with an eviction, and what you can do if you can’t afford rent for just one month or on an ongoing basis.

What to do Right Now If You Can’t Pay Rent

If you can’t pay rent this month, you need to act fast. Taking the proper steps before rent is due gives you more options and could gain you some favor with your landlord.

As soon as you know you’ll come up short on rent the next time it’s due, take these five steps, in order:

• Read your lease: You might not have given this a thorough read when you originally signed (hey, we all do it!), but now it’s time to really read it from start to finish, looking specifically for details about:

• The grace period: Landlords sometimes allow you to make a payment a few days late (often 3 to 5 days after the due date) without any penalty. If you can make your payment within this “buffer” specified in your lease, you’re in the clear.

• The late fee: If you can’t get caught up on rent during the grace period, you’ll likely owe a late fee on top of your rent. Search your lease to find out how much this is so you know how much extra to budget for.

• Partial payments: See if your lease offers any options for making partial payments.

• Contact your landlord: Start the conversation with your landlord as soon as you know you can’t afford rent that month, ideally well before the actual due date. Send an email or text (so you have something in writing) that briefly explains your financial situation and proposes a specific plan.

• Document everything: Save every message traded between you and your landlord. If you speak over the phone or in person, follow up with a recap email so the conversation is in writing.

• Apply for emergency assistance: Immediately after sending your landlord the message, start researching emergency rental assistance programs. Contact 211 or your local Community Action Agency to learn about local housing resources. Seek out a housing counseling agency approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which can help you better understand your rights when you can’t afford rent.
• Know your state’s eviction timeline: Even if you miss a rent payment, eviction is a process, not a same-day event. Each state’s process is different.

Problem-solving earlier is always better. A landlord who hears from you on day 1 has very different options than one who is left wondering where your rent is 10 days after it’s due. Most landlords would prefer to work out a payment plan than start an eviction: Vacancies, court fees and lost rent during a turnover are expensive for landlords.

In short: Treat this conversation as a problem you’re trying to solve together.

What to Say to Your Landlord (Sample Script)

Calling or messaging your landlord to tell them you can’t pay rent can be intimidating. A short, clear message works better than a rambling apology.

Use this template to talk to your landlord when you can’t afford rent:

“Hi, [Landlord Name],

I am reaching out proactively about next month’s rent. I am experiencing a temporary financial hardship due to [situation, such as an unexpected medical bill or delayed paycheck] and want to discuss payment options before rent is due. I can pay [partial amount] by [date] and the remainder by [date]. Could we get that in writing?

Thank you for your understanding,

[Your Name]”

Three elements make this script successful:

1. It leads with a clear request.
2. It proposes a specific plan.
3. It asks for a written agreement.

Never propose a date for partial or full payment that you can’t meet. Be realistic with your message, Under-promising and over-delivering builds trust faster than the reverse.

If your landlord agrees verbally, follow up immediately with an email summarizing the agreement and ask for written confirmation for your records.

What Happens If You Can’t Pay Rent

So what happens if your landlord doesn’t agree to a solution and you can’t pay rent? Before bracing for eviction, consider options such as:

• Borrowing money from family and friends
• Asking for an advance on your paycheck (or use a cash advance app or earned wage access app, like Earnin)
• Taking out a personal loan to cover rent costs temporarily

But if you’ve exhausted all your options for coming up with the cash, make sure you understand the eviction process you’re now facing. In most places, eviction is a multi-week process, not a same-day event.

Here’s a general eviction timeline when you can’t afford rent:

• Days 1–5: Most leases include a grace period before late fees apply and the landlord takes action, often 3 to 5 days.

• Days 3–10: After the grace period, your landlord may deliver a “Notice to Quit” (also called a “Pay or Quit” notice), often via certified mail or by posting it on your door. This is not an eviction; it’s just a formal first step giving you a set number of days to pay or vacate.

• Days 10–30: If you don’t pay or contact your landlord by the specified date, the landlord can file an eviction case in court.
• 30+ days: You’ll receive notice of when your court hearing is scheduled. You can appear, present your case and request more time. Often, tenants who show up and share their side of the story may be granted additional time.

Note: Eviction laws vary significantly by state, county and city. Some locations may require longer notice periods, mediation or even a “right to counsel” for tenants. Contact your state housing authority, 211 or a housing counselor to learn more about the specific rules where you live.

Emergency Rental Assistance Programs

National, state and local programs may provide emergency help when you can’t pay rent. Some are directly related to rent, while others help you with other expenses to free up more of your budget for rent. Most of the programs are income-restricted.

Most importantly, many of these programs move faster than you may think.

When seeking out emergency rental assistance, you can speed up the process by:

• Having your lease, ID, recent pay stubs (or proof of income loss) and late notice ready to present
• Asking your point of contact exactly what assistance they provide (e.g., do they pay your landlord directly?)
• Applying to multiple programs
• Documenting the application date and reference number — and sharing them with your landlord to show them you’re actively working on a solution

Note: Funds are limited, and not everyone qualifies. Many emergency rental assistance programs established in the wake of COVID-19 have ended or are being phased out. Even if you don’t get a grant, the process can connect you with caseworkers who know other resources in your area.

Can’t Afford Rent Long-Term? Your Options

Falling behind on rent for a month or two because of an unexpected expense is one thing. However, if you consistently can’t afford rent month after month, you’re facing a structural affordability issue, and you’ll need to take bigger steps to fix the problem.

Financial experts typically state that housing costs shouldn’t exceed 30% of your gross income. If your rent is taking up 40% to 50% of your earnings (or more), the math itself needs to change. The key is finding a way to make your housing costs fit with all the other categories on your monthly budget.

Here’s what you can do to lower rent costs:

• Get a roommate: Splitting your rent in half is one of the easiest ways to make rent affordable in the long term. If you live alone in a two-bedroom apartment, consider finding a roommate to split costs — rent, utilities and even internet. Savings vary depending on what portion of the rent they pay and where you live, but could range from $250 to $1,730 a month, based on SmartAsset’s analysis of 100 major U.S. metros.

• Move at lease renewal: Find a way to cover rent until your lease renews (even if it means taking on credit card or personal loan debt), and then relocate when your lease ends. An apartment or home that’s even 10% to 15% cheaper could make a difference. But keep in mind: You’ll need to budget for moving costs, security deposits and other upfront expenses.

• Negotiate at lease renewal: Can’t afford those moving costs? See if your landlord is open to negotiating a lower rent. Being a long-term tenant who always pays on time and never poses problems gives you more leverage than you might realize.

• Apply for Section 8: The waitlist for the HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program can take a while. Start the process now with your local Public Housing Agency (PHA).

• Research income-restricted housing: Many cities have units reserved for tenants below specific income thresholds.
• Move in with family or friends: If you need a few months to reestablish your finances, ask a loved one if you can stay with them temporarily.

Getting lower rent is the most obvious solution, but you can also tackle the affordability problem by:

• Reducing other expenses: Everything from cooking at home and coupon clipping to refinancing student loans to lower monthly payments can help you cut costs elsewhere so there’s more room in your budget for rent. Learn how to budget money on a low income.

• Getting a raise: Even a small raise at work can make a huge difference. For instance, a $2/hour raise translates to roughly $350/month before taxes.
• Get a side hustle: Become a rideshare driver, offer to pet-sit for friends and family, or become an online virtual assistant. Whatever you can do in your free time that plays to your strengths and makes extra cash can help — just make sure you set aside all that money for rent.

And finally, once you do get caught up on rent, either by lowering the monthly cost or increasing your take-home pay, create a small emergency fund (even just $500 or $1,000) that you can fall back on the next time you can’t afford your rent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Verdict

Realizing you can’t afford rent is scary, but you’ve got options to navigate the situation. As soon as you realize you can’t afford rent, contact your landlord, in writing, explaining your financial hardship and outlining a plan to fix it. If your landlord agrees to a partial payment or a payment plan, make sure you keep up with it to avoid further issues.

You can also seek out emergency assistance from local, state and federal resources, including government programs and nonprofits. If you consistently struggle with rent, get a roommate, move to a cheaper unit or find ways to increase your income, such as a second part-time job.

Remember: Evictions don’t happen overnight. You have time to fix the problem when you can’t afford rent. Acting fast and early — and communicating respectfully with your landlord — is the best move you can make when you can’t afford rent.

Timothy Moore covers bank accounts for The Penny Hoarder from his home base in Cincinnati. He has worked in editing and graphic design for a marketing agency, a global research firm and a major print publication. He covers a variety of other topics, including insurance, taxes, retirement and budgeting and has worked in the field since 2012 with publications such as The Penny Hoarder, Debt.com, Ladders, WDW Magazine, Glassdoor and The News Wheel.

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