Rent arrears
You can request to have money deducted from your Income Support benefit, income based Job Seekers allowance or Income based Employment and Support allowance to help you.
Getting into rent arrears can be distressing but there are ways you can check if you are responsible for paying them and if so, there are options of affordably repaying them. Repay your rent arrears if you owe a minimum of four weeks times your full weekly rent, and you have occurred the arrears over the previous eight weeks or longer.
You can request to have your rent paid direct to your landlord from your universal credit, and if you are in arrears you can also request that a monthly arrears payment, known as a Third Party Deduction, is also paid to your landlord. You can request this by accessing your journal or if you are a council tenant, you can speak to your tenancy officer who can request this on your behalf.
We can provide you with help and support if you are in arrears with your council rent.
Access our page on managing rent arrears
Alternatively, Citizens Advice can provide you with independent information and advice on dealing with your rent arrears.
For further information on dealing with your rent arrears
If your query is in relation to former tenant arrears please use the link below
Access here regarding former tenant arrears
Help with your rent
Citizens Advice can provide you with further information about your Housing Benefit and Universal Credit claims.
Find out more information about your Housing and Universal Credit claims
Legal advice on your home
We can provide you with legal advice on issues with your home.
Visit our page fore more information about legal advice on issue with your home
Refund of overpaid rent for council tenants
If you have overpaid your council housing rent and have a credit on your rent statement, you can request that this is refunded to you by cheque.
Before we can provide the refund by cheque, your Tenancy Officer will need to carry out various checks including any pending benefits adjustments.
We will not issue cheques for refunds under £10. You should receive a refund within 7-10 days.
If your enquiry is relating to any of the below, please complete the online form below to send this to your relevant housing office, who will look into your query and contact you to discuss your query -
- receiving a Notice of Possession
- a court hearing date
- struggling to pay their rent/ wanting to make arrangements
- how much rent you owe
- refund of overpaid rent
- rent arrears
