When Rent Falls Behind: 5 Moves Smart Landlords Make Now
How high delinquencies demand smarter systems, not just tougher collections
In 2025, rent delinquency isn’t just a footnote—it’s a mounting reality. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the share of renters incurring late fees dropped recently, but the median outstanding rental balance jumped 60% between September 2021 and November 2024, and many landlords report repeat late payments. (Source) Worse: many renters who fall behind don’t catch up right away, and only about half recover in the following month. (Source)
If you own properties, you’re not immune. The question is: can your systems absorb the shock?
5 Moves Savvy Landlords Are Using Right Now
1. Build Real Liquidity Buffers
Don’t just rely on reserves. Use instant internal transfers to shift cash between accounts or entities as soon as rent rolls come in so you’re never waiting on a wire or bank call.
2. Segment Rent vs. Operating Funds
When rent payments arrive late—or not at all—they shouldn’t derail your entire operation. That’s why smart landlords segregate rental income from critical operating reserves. If rent collections dip, you’re not scrambling to cover property taxes, insurance premiums, or contractor payments.
3. Automate Collections & Payments
Set up invoicing, ACH, check issuance, or real-time payments so rent flows and vendor pay runs without daily manual oversight. Automate what drains your time.
4. Monitor Cash Flow in Real Time
Use running balances, dashboards, and alerts to spot when rent is lagging or trending downward. That early warning gives you time to adjust, before it becomes a crisis.
5. Offer Controlled Payment Flexibility
Rather than blanket “late rent forgiveness,” give structured, tracked payment plans via lockbox or invoicing tools. Capture partial payments, keep visibility, and avoid open-ended arrangements.
Why These Moves Matter
Late rent is no longer just a “tenant problem.” It’s a system problem. In this climate, landlords who survive will be those who respond proactively, not reactively.
These moves give you:
- Resilience when tenants struggle
- Clarity over where your money truly is
- Control to make preventive decisions
- Scalability without being chained to spreadsheets or manual work
How Crescent Enables This Shift
Every move above is more powerful when backed by the right platform. With Crescent, you get:
- Unlimited checking accounts per entity or unit
- Instant internal and cross-entity transfers
- Real-time payments, ACH, check issuance
- Lockbox and invoicing tools for cleaner collections
- Running balances and dashboard visibility
- Built-in security and $200M FDIC insurance per entity†
You don’t just patch the leaks, you rebuild the system.
A Final Word: Be Proactive, Not Reactive
Delinquencies won’t vanish overnight, but your systems can. This isn’t about chasing rent. It’s about designing a portfolio that weathers stress, scales cleanly, and gives you control.
👉 See the full toolkit at getcrescent.com
Crescent Financial Inc. is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured depository institution. Banking services are provided by OMB Bank and Grasshopper Bank, N.A., Members FDIC.
†Subject to the terms of the applicable ICS Deposit Placement Agreement, OMB Bank and Grasshopper Bank, N.A. will place deposits at FDIC-insured institutions through IntraFi’s ICS service. A list identifying IntraFi network banks appears at https://www.intrafi.com/network-banks. Certain conditions must be satisfied for “pass-through” FDIC deposit insurance coverage to apply. To meet the conditions for pass-through FDIC deposit insurance, deposit accounts at FDIC-insured banks in IntraFi’s network that hold deposits placed using an IntraFi service are titled, and deposit account records are maintained, in accordance with FDIC regulations for pass-through coverage.
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Author bio:
Grant Roscoe is the CEO and Founder of Crescent, a modern business banking platform built for landlords and operators who want more control, clarity, and return on their cash. Crescent helps users earn more on idle funds, automate their financial back office, and manage rental income like a real business—all from one simple dashboard. Since launching Crescent out of high school, Grant has scaled the company into a high-growth fintech, raising millions in venture funding and building a lean, mission-driven team focused on transforming how small business owners manage money.
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