COVID-19 Rent Payment Arrangement Communication Templates and Request Form

The recent decree temporarily ceasing evictions in order to prevent mass displacement amid the COVID-19 pandemic has many property managers concerned about rent collection over the coming months. Many have already been inundated with payment arrangement questions and requests as layoffs have started to plague the country.

Whether or not you are an Aptly user, you can use the below communication templates to manage payment arrangement requests from your tenants and rent payment concerns from your owner-investors.

These templates are worded to be used in conjunction with the COVID-19 coronavirus-specific Rent Payment Arrangement Request Form (or your existing payment arrangement form) and some special formatting applicable to Aptly users. If you are not an Aptly user and/or plan to omit a payment arrangement form, please remove reformatting accordingly.

Related: Templates for Communication Protocol During COVID-19

Further, please review these templates ahead of sending in mass to ensure the messaging is in-line with your specific policies, procedures, and planned action once this ban is lifted.

 

Short Email: Payment Arrangement Protocol Notification for Tenants (to be used in conjunction with a Payment Arrangement Request Form attachment)

 

Subject: Payment Arrangement Request Protocol 

Hi <<firstname>>,

We understand that the rapidly-evolving COVID-19 situation may cause unexpected housing affordability challenges. Some tenants may have difficulty making their rent payments now or in the near-future. <<company name>> is committed to tenants in need. 

Should you need assistance in the form of a rent payment flexibility, please submit the attached Payment Arrangement Request Form to <<email address>> or complete the form online here <<Aptly Webform Link>>. We will confirm your arrangement within 24-48 hours of submission. 

If you have questions, you can reach one of our team members by sending a text or calling <<Aptly phone number>> or <<office phone number>>.

Long Email: Payment Arrangement Protocol Notification for Tenants (to be used in Conjunction with a Payment Arrangement Request form attachment)

 

Subject: Payment Arrangement Request Protocol 

We are proactively reaching out to all of our tenants to discuss payment arrangements should you now– or in the near future — require flexible options that allow for financial relief amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Should you need assistance in the form of a rent payment arrangement, please submit the attached Payment Arrangement Request Form to <<email address>> or complete the form online here <<Aptly Webform Link>>. We will confirm your arrangement within 24-48 hours of submission.

It is important for you to know the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in consultation with the Trump administration and Coronavirus Task Force and with approval by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has ordered a halt temporarily ceasing the evictions of all renters in order to both prevent transmission of the COVID-19 virus and show compassion for those who have been directly or indirectly affected by this pandemic. For the time being, if you cannot pay rent, you will not be evicted.

Non-rent payment may ultimately result in eviction. Tenants who exhibit negligence in proactive communication or those who otherwise explicitly take advantage of this pandemic as a means to not pay rent will be prioritized for eviction at management’s discretion.

If you have questions, you can reach one of our team members by sending a text or calling <<Aptly phone number>> or <<office phone number>>.

Short Email: Communication to Owners About Tenant Payment Arrangements

 

Subject: Tenant rent payment arrangements amid COVID-19

Hi <<firstname>>,

We understand that the rapidly-evolving COVID-19 situation has left many owners with questions regarding rent payments for the upcoming months. <<company name>> is committed to managing the situation with compassion and flexibility for your tenants, while ultimately ensuring that we protect the interests of owner-investors like you. 

We are proactively offering tenants the option for rent payment arrangements and waiving any late fees for non-payment in March and April. This is consistent with the guidance set forth by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to temporarily halt evictions of all renters in order to prevent transmission of the COVID-19 virus by displacing families in mass. 

If your tenant(s) arrange for flexible rent payments, we will immediately notify you of the payment plan agreement. You will be updated accordingly should the agreement change over time. 

If you have questions, you can reach one of our team members by sending a text or calling <<Aptly phone number>> or <<office phone number>>.

Long Email: Communication to Owners About Tenant Payment Arrangements

 

Subject: Tenant rent payment arrangements amid COVID-19

Hi <<firstname>>,

In our highest efforts to provide critical communication to our investor-owners like yourself, we are writing to update you on our recent proactive efforts to process current or future payment arrangement needs with your tenant(s).

It is important for you to know the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in consultation with the Trump administration and Coronavirus Task Force and with approval by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has ordered a halt temporarily ceasing the evictions of all renters in order to both prevent transmission of the COVID-19 virus and show compassion for those who have been directly or indirectly affected by this pandemic. For the time being, if your tenant(s) cannot pay rent, your tenant(s) will not be evicted.

We’ve made it explicitly clear to all tenants, however, that non-rent payment may ultimately result in eviction. Tenants who exhibit negligence in proactive communication or those who otherwise explicitly take advantage of this pandemic as a means to not pay rent will be prioritized for eviction at management’s discretion.

Should your tenant request a payment arrangement in the coming weeks/months, rest assured you will be contacted with the agreed-upon payment terms as soon as the arrangement offer is made available to us and accepted. Normal payment arrangement negotiation protocol between tenants, homeowners, and management will temporarily be suspended. Payment arrangement finalization will be at the discretion of management until further notice.

Please understand we must suspend our normal non-payment policies and offer flexibility and creative options during this pandemic. We must balance both compassion and enforcement during this time as we kindly ask for your graciousness as we all work through this situation together. 

If you have questions, you can reach one of our team members by sending a text or calling <<Aptly phone number>> or <<office phone number>>. 

Our response time may be longer than usual as we manage exceptional amounts of communication. Please do not mistake our silence for apathy, however, as we are working away diligently to balance expectations between all parties.

Payment Arrangement Request Form Attachment

If you don’t have a payment arrangement request form or desire a COVID-19 coronavirus-specific form, you can download a simple template we’ve created for you here:

Using Aptly to Track Payment Arrangement Request Forms

Aptly users can use the Typeform integration to host this form online linking it in a communication template. Use the bulk email option to effectively reach all tenants in mass with a stored communication template:

When forms are submitted by your tenants, they will automatically be added to a designated payment arrangement task board where you can manage and track these arrangements collaboratively with your team:

We highly recommend Aptly users add a Contact Alert to tenants with current payment arrangements so the entire team can clearly see the arrangement on all communication from the tenant:

And send customer satisfaction surveys (CSATs) to tenants after approving arrangement requests. You can do this from the email or the task board:

Tenants might be willing to give you credit for being proactively flexible and compassionate about their financial situations resulting from this crisis. Tenants giving 4 stars or higher on CSAT surveys will be asked to post a review on your pre-configured online review and social pages:

Not using Aptly?

Aptly is a task management tool specifically designed for property teams. We integrate task boards with your inbox, phone, and property management software (PMS) giving teams a single place to collaborate and manage all work.

Contact us to get a free 30 day trial of Aptly and learn more about the future of work for property teams.