Unpaid Rent and Attorney Fees
La. R.S. 9:3259 — on an oral lease, rent unpaid 20 days after a written demand adds the landlord's attorney fees
The tenant is bound to pay rent on the agreed terms, to use the home as a prudent administrator, and is liable for damage caused by his fault or by people there with his consent.
Twenty days after a written demand. On an oral lease, a tenant who does not pay rent that is due within 20 days after delivery of a written demand stating the correct amount owed is liable for the landlord's reasonable attorney fees if the landlord wins a judgment for it.
The demand may be delivered by certified mail to the tenant's last known address, in person, or by posting it on the door. The rule applies to oral leases only; a written lease sets its own terms.
Sources for this section (3)
- La. R.S. 9:3259 — Unpaid rent; attorney fees
- La. C.C. art. 2683 — The lessee's principal obligations
- La. C.C. art. 2687 — Damage caused by fault
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Louisiana attorney.