Dealing with Rent Arrears

We collect rent from our tenants so that we can pay for the services that we provide, like repairs, improvements, new homes and adaptations for the disabled. Therefore, it is important to us that the level of rent arrears is kept to a minimum.

Rent is one of the most important bills that needs to be paid because your home is at risk if you do not pay.

If you are having problems paying your rent you should contact our Customer Services Team on 01772 450600 as soon as possible. Rent arrears do not go away and the longer you leave it before making contact with us the more difficult it becomes to find a solution.

Our approach is to try and help you repay any arrears and avoid taking legal action to recover the debt, or ask the Court for a possession order. We have a Welfare Rights Manager who can give you advice and help with benefit claims and help you to get debt advice. However, if despite this help and support, rent arrears continue to rise then the Association will take legal action.

Our rent arrears procedure is based on early action. If you start to fall into arrears we will contact you (either by letter, in person or by phone) to find out what the problem is and agree a way of clearing the debt. If there is a problem with benefits or housing benefit we can give you advice or help completing forms - but remember it is the tenants responsibility to ensure they have applied for benefits and given all the relevant information so their claim can be processed.

If an agreement is broken, or you fail to make sure your housing benefit claim is successful, then we may serve on you a Notice of Seeking Possession (NoSP). This is a legal notice, which warns you of our intention to apply for a possession order if you do not bring your arrears under control within 28 days of the notice being served.

If arrears continue to rise and you do not work with us to resolve any problems with your housing benefit then our next step is to apply to the Court for a possession order. Failure to comply with the terms of the possession order can result in the Court granting an eviction order.

If a Court Order is granted the Court may also award costs against you, which will increase the level of your arrears. In addition it may also affect your credit rating making it more difficult for you to obtain credit in the future.

During 2007, we evicted 37 tenants because of rent arrears. Please do not become another number in this statistic.

If you want independent advice you can contact your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau:

Accrington 01254 272761

Blackpool 0870 1264090

Chorley and South Ribble 01772 424282

Kendal 0870 1264061

Lancaster 0870 1264035

Preston 01772 822416

Skelmersdale 01695 723110

Alternatively the Citizens Advice Bureau has a website at www.adviceguide.org.uk

You can phone the National Debtline on 0808 808 4000, or visit their website at www.nationaldebtline.co.uk

We have a leaflet that gives you further details about how we deal with rent arrears and help in working out a household budget. You can download a copy here.