Rent & fees
Can my landlord charge any amount as a late fee?
No. Some states cap late fees outright (commonly 4-12% of rent or a flat amount), and even without a cap, courts strike down fees that work like penalties instead of covering real costs.
A late fee is supposed to compensate the landlord's actual cost of late payment, not punish you. That's why capped states set limits like the lesser of $50 or 5% (New York) or 12% of rent (small Texas properties), and why uncapped states still apply a reasonableness test.
Daily fees that stack without limit are the most commonly struck-down form. If your fee has snowballed past a meaningful fraction of the rent itself, that's worth challenging in writing.
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General educational information, not legal advice. Laws vary by state and city and change over time - for a specific situation, contact a local tenant-rights organization.