My tenant hasn't paid for 3 months: how I handled it

February 2026 — the discovery

I have been the owner of 3 apartments in Liege since 2019. A 2-bedroom apartment in the Saint-Leonard neighbourhood, let to Antoine and Sarah through a standard 3-6-9 lease agreement, a couple in their thirties, for 2 years. Never a late payment, never a problem.

In mid-March, while doing my quarterly accounts, I realised that the last 3 transfers had not been credited. Three months of unpaid rent, 2,850 EUR in total. My stomach dropped. First reaction: anger. Second reaction, more rational: understand what was going on.

March 2026 — the first reminder

The next morning, I called Antoine. No answer. I sent a text message. He called back that evening, clearly embarrassed. The situation was straightforward: Sarah had lost her job in December, they had dipped into their savings to get by, then did not dare tell me.

The silence was born of fear, not bad faith. A phone call on day 5 is worth a registered letter on day 30.

I still sent a formal notice by registered post on 20 March, as the law requires. Courteous but firm tone: reminder of the amounts owed, 15-day deadline, mention of the possibility of mediation.

April 2026 — mediation at the Justice of the Peace

Antoine called me on 2 April. He could not pay the 2,850 EUR in one go but proposed a payment plan. I told him I was open to it but wanted a formal guarantee.

On 8 April, I filed a mediation request at the Justice of the Peace in Liege. Cost: 0 EUR (mediation is free). The mediator saw us on 22 April.

In 2 hours, we reached a signed agreement:

• Resumption of normal rent payments from May onwards
• Repayment of the arrears in 6 monthly instalments of 475 EUR
• Automatic termination clause if 2 consecutive instalments are missed

The agreement was approved by the judge on 29 April. It has enforceable effect — if Antoine does not respect the plan, I can proceed directly to enforcement without going through another judgment. If I had needed to go further, I would have benefited from creating his lease online from the start, with clear penalty clauses.

July 2026 — the outcome

By the end of July, 4 out of 6 instalments had been paid. Antoine found a temporary job in May, and Sarah starts a new position in September. The current rent has not been missed a single time since the agreement.

Factual outcome: 11 weeks between the discovery and the approved agreement. 2,850 EUR recovered progressively. 0 EUR in procedure costs. And above all, a preserved tenant relationship — they are still in the apartment and paying regularly. Find other real-life situations in our landlord cases section.

What I learned

This experience changed 3 things in how I manage my rentals:

1. Monthly payment verification. A tracking tool that automatically alerts on the 5th day of late payment changes everything.

2. Quick first contact. The longer you wait, the larger the debt grows and the more shame prevents the tenant from communicating. A call on day 5 defuses almost everything.

3. Mediation before court. The Justice of the Peace is free and fast (3 weeks waiting time in Liege). The approved agreement has the same force as a judgment, without the costs or adversarial nature.

If you are in this situation, do not remain passive. The majority of unpaid rent cases are resolved amicably when both parties communicate early. Other testimonials that might help you: My tenant refuses to sign the property inventory, My tenant refuses viewings for re-letting and My tenant wants to install a jacuzzi on the balcony.