Is it legal or even ethical for a landlord to secretly record allegedly unpaid late fees for seven years?

First of all, what did your lease agreement say? And what is the statute of limitations for collecting such late fees for rental contracts in your state? Or what is the SOL for collecting debts? Because if it is less than 7 years, any fees the landlord claims existed from before then, the landlord would be barred to even try to collect because he/she slept on his/her rights. If your lease agreement had no clause about it and you had no notice, then I would argue that there is no debt, because you never agreed to it, nor even have any reason to pay it since you did not know about it.

And if there was absolutely no mention of a late fee clause in your lease, and you had no notice, or make an agreement about it, I would counter sue for tortuous interference with a business expectation, and possibly for slander or libel (if it was written) for making false claims you are a dead beat, when you never knew about it, nor given the opportunity to pay it, had you been told.

So the question is, is the landlord saying now that they are planning to go after you for all these late fees? Because if that's the case, then you should definitely consult an attorney. If they aren't, you could still go see a lawyer to see if you have a case for the other stuff I mentioned that caused you to lose the sale for that house you were planning to buy, and for the defamation. Just remember though, if it was written in the lease and you signed it, then the late fees are valid, however, any of the late fees that accrued from long ago, if you were never given an opportunity to pay it or refuse it or defer it, then the statute of limitations could bar those ones, if the SOL has already ran.

I don't understand. If he wants late fee's didn't he list the dates? Then u can follow up with copy of check from bank. Anything that is a lie u can write a rebuttal. Which can include the fact that u have never been asked to move plus other facts. Like when u R late a late payment is included & prove with some check copies over the years.

Your checks have dates and amounts on them, so presumably you can show which ones you paid and which ones had an additional amount for late fees. Maybe this is a good candidate for small claims court.

i'm additionally a landlord and it states needless to say interior the hire settlement that unpaid lease, expenses and fee would be deducted from the risk-free practices deposit, than it incredibly is felony!! Plus they signed it, so it incredibly is a felony binding settlement!