late charge

Late charge

A fee a credit grantor charges a borrower for a late payment.

Late Charge

A fee that a creditor assesses on a debtor when the borrower makes a late payment. For example, suppose a student loan carries a monthly payment of $150 and is due on the last day of each month. If the borrower does not pay the full $150 on the due date (or within a certain grace period), the lender may assess a $15 late charge. Late charges may occur with loans or other liabilities, such as a rent payment.

late charge

A fee to compensate a lender for the additional administrative expenses and general inconvenience suffered when payments are not received on time.If the late charge is excessive,the courts will construe it as a penalty,and penalties are illegal. Many industries have had to reduce their customary late charges because of class-action litigation resulting in millions of dollars of refunds and reimbursement for attorneys' fees.