Late fees for rent

[jvanderb]

My apartment complex has been renovating the concrete in front of the rental office since November 26th. The rental drop box is completely blocked off for this renovation. The management has not provided an alternate after-hours drop box during this time. The only time the office is open is from 9am to 5:30pm (except for when they close early, like today), which is when I am at work. The construction was supposed to be completed over the weekend, and was supposed to re-open today.

About the only way I am going to get my rent check to them is to mail it in. If I do this, it will very likely not get to them until it is already late. If the postmark date is before the cutoff date, can I legally refuse to pay the late fees, or am I going to have to pay them anyway? There is no way I can get to the rental office during the day before that time to drop off a check.

Thank you in advance for any advice!

Jeremy

[OHlandlord]

Why couldn't you mail the rent check in 4 or 5 days before rent is due? Then it would still get there on time. If the money won't be in the account until the 1st, insert a note saying that they must hold the check until the 1st to allow the electronic transfer of funds that occurs that day (they won't know the difference) and on the memo line of your check write "DO NOT CASH BEFORE THE 1ST" in big letters. Beyond that, have someone else drop off the rent for you. The LL is not responsible for postal delays. It is your responsibility to get the rent to him on time.