Styjun

It's the first time I have to pay the apartment rent myself and I have some doubts about when should I pay it. The lease states:

... at the latest of the 5th working day after the commencement of the tenancy in the 30 days rhythm ...

I moved to this apartment on March, 18th, so I'm not sure whether I should consider the 30 days rhythm starting from that day or from the 1st of each month.

Just ask your landlord and agree on a date with him. From the way the sentence is worded, I'd assume you are expected to pay by the end of the 23rd, but really, there is no reason not to give your landlord a call to make sure.

The due date is the anniversary date (the 18th), or the first of the month, depending on what your agreement is with the landlord.

Most people expect to have a grace period to cover honest oversights, bank glitches, etc. And it's expected that you're not going to rely on this grace period every month, or at least that it'll be out of your hands, e.g. Your rent check is mailed and has a postmark of the 1st/18th every month, then postal transit time is not held against you.

This lease formally establishes the grace period, and defines it as 5 business days. It is not giving you an extra 5 days before the grace period begins. It is the grace period.

The adult response is to make every fair effort that the rent is paid on time, e.g. 18th or 1st.

If you push the limits of the grace period every month, the landlord has every right to judge you for that, and act accordingly. He can tell your references that you're a slow pay. He can decide he doesn't want to do you any other favors. He can tell you to move out (consistent with lease and law).

That wording is ridiculous, but so is the idea of the due date being every 30 days from the start of your tenancy (March 18). Keeping track of the due date would be an unnecessary burden for both sides in the contract. For example, your next due dates would be April 17, May 17, June 16, and so on, until you get back to March, when it would be March 13, 2020. Stick around until July 2022, and you'll have the privilege of paying twice in the month, on July 1 and July 31.

So the 30-day period cannot be realistic, and it has to be the first of the month. But strange things happen all the time, so you'll have to confirm that with your landlord, of course.

My experience has been that when you start in the middle of a month, the rent is prorated, which means you are charged a daily rate (based on the monthly rate) for the number of days left in the month. From then on, would pay full monthly rent on the first of the month.

You pay it by close of business on the fifth working day after the monthly anniversary. You should be fine as the 18th is nowhere near the end of a month, a period for which this wording is designed.

Working days are not weekend days, fixed church holidays, summer bank holidays, etc.

Beware that the "day you moved" may not be the same day as the "commencement of the tenancy". This date should be clear.