The friendly reminder is the first step when rent is late:

  • Reasonable delay: 5 to 10 days after the due date
  • Context: the tenant may simply have forgotten or experienced a bank delay
  • Objective: remind the obligation without breaking the relationship

An occasional delay does not mean chronic non-payment. The friendly reminder is the right reflex to prevent escalation.

Our template adopts a firm but courteous tone:

  • Reminder of the amount due and the due date
  • Mention of the lease (date, address)
  • Request for regularisation within a specific deadline (usually 8 days)
  • Offer to discuss (in case of difficulty)
  • No legal threats (reserved for formal notice)

Tone matters: an aggressive reminder can antagonise a good-faith tenant and complicate the situation.

If the friendly reminder gets no response:

  1. 2nd reminder (optional): firmer tone, mention of consequences
  2. Formal notice: registered letter, 15-day deadline, threat of legal action
  3. Conciliation: request to the justice of the peace (free)
  4. Legal action: petition before the justice of the peace

Each step is documented in our templates. Gradual escalation is appreciated by judges.

With LeaseBelgium, you can automate reminders:

  • Automatic detection of late payments via Open Banking
  • Email reminder sent automatically after X days of delay
  • Progressive escalation: friendly reminder → 2nd reminder → formal notice notification
  • Complete history: all communications are archived

Configure your rules once, the platform handles follow-up for you.