WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THINGS GO WRONG?
Paying your rent should be given a high priority as falling behind with your rent could mean losing your home.
If you do have problems managing your money, we can advise and help you. It is important not to allow your arrears to build up. Please let us know straight away if you have any problems.
There are many ways we can help you if you are in genuine financial difficulty. We can:
- Provide advice about benefits you could receive.
- Provide help through debt counselling.
- Make an arrangement to pay off arrears by instalments.
- Suggest other payment methods.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T PAY MY ARREARS?
We will write to tell you that we intend to take further action. We also offer help on benefits and debt management.
A legal Notice Seeking Possession will be issued telling you that we intend to ask the Court to end your tenancy if:
- You do not contact us to discuss your situation.
- The level of arrears is increasing.
- You fail to keep to any arrangements you have made with us.
WHEN DO YOU TAKE COURT ACTION?
If you fail to respond to a Notice Seeking Possession or do not keep to any agreement to reduce the arrears we will take court action to gain possession of your home.
At the court hearing the Judge will listen to the facts and decide whether to grant a possession order. As well as putting your home at risk, the County Court Judgement (CCJ) will affect your ability to get credit in the future.
Normally the court grants a suspended possession order. If you do not pay as the Judge orders your tenancy will end.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I STILL DON’T PAY?
If you do not pay off your arrears in line with the Court Order we will ask the court to evict you.
Before asking the court to evict you, we will carefully consider your circumstances and ability to pay. We will again offer advice on debt management and benefits and encourage you to seek further help.
The Court Bailiff will deliver a Warrant of Eviction telling you the date and time at which he will attend to evict you.