Social housing rent arrears up by 70%

The amount owed by social housing tenants to local authorities has soared by 70% since 2019. 

According to Access Paysuite, councils are now owed an average of £3.1 million – up from £1.8 million five years earlier. 

Alex Common, divisional director, product and engineering, at Access PaySuite, said: “Social housing budgets have been squeezed significantly over recent years. 

“On top of this, the cost-of-living crisis has caused real difficulties for many people to meet their living costs, whether they rent their property from their local authority, a housing association or a private landlord.”

Speak to your local authority

If you realise you have a problem, then ignoring it isn’t an option. 

Contact your local authority immediately, explain your financial situation and why you’re finding it hard to pay rent. 

They can show you how to get financial support, and perhaps be willing to work with you to create a repayment plan. 

That might be an option if you’re in a position where you can pay off your rent arrears over time – in other words, paying your regular rent plus an additional amount each month until the debt is cleared. 

But when you’re discussing a repayment plan, don’t agree to anything you can’t afford, or you could find yourself struggling even more. 

Instead, be realistic and open with your local authority about your situation. 

Find out what financial help is available 

If you’re struggling to pay your rent, get in touch with your local authority to find out what housing benefits you might be eligible for. 

And if you already receive housing benefit, you could apply for discretionary housing payments. 

Prioritise rent payments 

If you’re not paying rent, you could be hit with legal action and possibly evicted from your home. 

So if you’re in rent arrears, prioritise rental payments over other bills. 

Understand your rights 

If it gets to the point where a local authority wants to evict you for failing to pay rent, make sure you understand your rights. 

You must be served with a notice seeking possession before they can evict you, as well as obtain a court order and apply for a warrant. 

While this process is underway, you can challenge the eviction and have your case heard in court.