Money Problems and Debt

Rent arrears - help paying your rent

Advice on what to do and how to get help if you are having difficulty paying your rent.

Getting help

If you get into difficulty with paying your rent, you must act at once.

Just call us - we can help.

Here are a few things to consider:

• We may refer you to specialist advice services who can provide free and impartial debt counselling.  For example, your local citizen advice bureau can advise you on benefits and other debt issues.
• Don't ignore the problem.  By not paying your rent you are putting your home at risk.  Take action before arrears get too high.
• Respond to letters we send you.  Keep us up date on your money situation.
• If you think there has been a mistake on your rent account, for example if it does not show a payment you have made, please tell us.  We are happy to check your account.
• If you are not already receiving housing benefit, you may be entitled to claim it, depending on your income.
• If you have already applied for housing benefit, you must let us know as this may stop us applying to court to recover your debt.
• Remember: you must tell the council's Housing Benefit Officer of any changes to your circumstances.

What should I do if I have missed a rent payment and am in arrears?

It is in your best interest to pay off your rent arrears as quickly as possible.  If you cannot clear them in one payment, we may be able to agree an arrangement for you to pay by instalments.

If you know that you are going to have difficulty paying your rent or keeping to your agreement, you must contact us immediately to discuss your situation.

Rent Arrears - If your arrears remain unpaid

What will Synergy Housing Group do if I do not clear my arrears?

If you go on failing to pay your rent, we will have to take legal action against you to recover the debt. 

The first stage of legal action is to serve a Notice of Seeking Possession on you.  This will give you four weeks to clear your debt or arrange to clear it. 

If you ignore the Notice and get further into debt, we will have to take legal action against you by applying to court for Possession Order.

You will probably have to pay our court fees.

Even at this late stage the court can suspend the Possession Order if you arrange to reduce the arrears.

If you do not keep to the terms of the suspended order, we can apply to the court for a warrant and evict you from your home.  Or if you make no arrangement to clear the debt , we will ask the court to award a full Possession Order.  This means you will have to give up your home within a specified time - usually 28 days.