You need to explain to your landlord why your rent payment is late.

**Question:**
Your rent was due on the 1st, but today is the 5th and you have not paid because your bank account was frozen due to suspected fraud. Write an email to your landlord, Mr. Henderson. In your email:
– Apologize for the late payment
– Explain the bank issue clearly
– Tell him when you will pay and offer to pay a late fee

**Model Answer:**

**To:** mr.henderson@rentals.com
**Subject:** Explanation – late rent payment (Apartment 305)

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am writing to sincerely apologize for the late payment of my rent. The payment was due on April 1st, and I realize that today is already April 5th. I completely understand if this has caused any inconvenience, and I take full responsibility.

Let me explain the situation. On March 30th, I received a call from my bank’s fraud department informing me that my debit card had been compromised. As a precaution, they froze my entire chequing account while they investigated. I was told the freeze would be lifted within three business days. However, due to a backlog, the freeze was not removed until yesterday evening. I have attached a letter from the bank confirming the freeze and the resolution date.

I have now transferred the full rent amount of $1,450 from my account. You should see the funds deposited within one business day. I am also more than willing to pay any late fee specified in our lease agreement – please let me know the amount, and I will add it to next month’s payment immediately.

I deeply regret that this happened, and I want to assure you that I have taken steps to prevent it from recurring. I have now set up automatic overdraft protection and also opened a separate savings account to ensure I always have access to funds even if one account is frozen.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. Please let me know if you need any further documentation from the bank.

Sincerely,
Rachel Kim