Money Problems
- What if my circumstances change?
- What should I do if I can’t pay my rent?
- What happens if I break a repayment agreement?
What if my circumstances change?
It is important that you keep the local authority Housing Benefit Section informed of any changes in your circumstances that could affect your benefit. If you are not sure whether to report a change, you should do so anyway to avoid being paid less than you are entitled to, or being overpaid. If you are overpaid, the local authority may ask you to repay the money and the reclaim could be back-dated to the date any change of circumstance took place.
What should I do if I can't pay my rent?
It is important that you contact us as soon as you start having problems paying rent - the worst thing you can do is ignore the problem. If you are having genuine difficulties, then we may be able to help by providing appropriate support, advice and assistance. We will make every effort to come to an affordable and reasonable agreement to reduce arrears.
What happens if I break a repayment agreement?
It is important that you honour any repayment agreement so that no further action will be taken. If you fail to maintain an agreement, then we can take legal action by serving a 'Notice' against you. This is a legal document showing our intention to proceed with court action to gain possession of your home, and recover money you owe. If you receive a Notice Seeking Possession and you still make no arrangements to clear your arrears, you will receive a Possession Summons and a date for a hearing at the County Court. The court will either issue a Suspended Possession Order and order you to pay your full rent, plus an amount off the arrears or grant an Immediate Possession Order. Any court costs will also be added to your debt.
If you fail to make the payments under the Suspended Possession order or you do not leave the property under a Possession Order, you will receive a Warrant of Possession with an eviction date. Our aim is to keep people in their home and not evict them, but this needs your co-operation. If you get into difficulty paying your rent, please remember these guidelines:
- Don't ignore the problem
- The earlier you contact us, the more help we can give
- We can offer you practical advice and assistance
- Make regular payments, no matter how small they are
- Apply for benefit to help with your rent payments
If you still have a question for us, please contact us for assistance.
