Is it legal for owners to delay paying property fees and collect late fees?

Legal analysis: the property management company has no right to collect late fees, but it can pay liquidated damages according to the contract requirements. The parties may agree that when one party breaches the contract, it shall pay a certain amount of liquidated damages to the other party. Therefore, it should be used as a legal basis for property companies to have the right to collect late fees.

Legal basis: Article 944 of General Principles of Civil Law of People's Republic of China (PRC), the owner shall pay the property fee to the property service provider as agreed. If the property service provider has provided services in accordance with the agreement and relevant regulations, the owner shall not refuse to pay the property fee on the grounds that he has not accepted or does not need to accept the relevant property services. If the owner fails to pay the property fee within the time limit in violation of the agreement, the property service provider may urge him to pay it within a reasonable period of time; If the payment is not made within a reasonable period, the property service provider may bring a lawsuit or apply for arbitration. The property service provider shall not stop power supply, water supply, heat supply and gas supply to demand payment of property fees.