If you fall behind with your rent

Your rent is due every Monday for the week ahead. It is important that you pay your rent on time and in full. If it is more convenient for you, you can pay monthly or fortnightly. You must also pay in advance, not in arrears. Please contact us and we will tell you how much you should pay per month.

Bracknell Forest Homes offers free benefits advice (please click here for more information), so if at any time you experience financial difficulties, it is important that you contact your housing officer as early as you can. If you are finding it difficult to pay your rent or you fall behind with payments, please contact us immediately. Most problems with rent arrears can be sorted out if early action is taken. We can give help and advice about benefits or put you in touch with someone who can give advice on more complex problems. It may be possible to come to an arrangement to pay any arrears off in instalments. Rent is our main source of income for providing all the housing services so it is important all rent is paid.

In order to ensure you are maximising any benefit to which you are entitled, you can contact the tenancy support officer for advice and support. In addition, you must not delay in applying for Housing Benefit and providing all the necessary proofs as soon as possible.

What happens if I fall behind on rent payments?

If you allow the rent arrears to increase so that the level of debt is at least four weeks rent, you will be served with a Notice of Seeking Possession after your housing officer has contacted you to advise that this action is being taken.

A Notice of Seeking Possession is the first stage of any possession proceedings. No action can be taken for 28 days and in this time you must make an arrangement with your housing officer to start clearing the outstanding debt by making regular payments.

If an arrangement is not made or defaulted upon, then the housing officer will have to apply to the County Court for a Possession Hearing. During the period before a date for this is set, your housing officer will continue to give advice and support to reach an agreement so you start reducing the debt.

You could also seek advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau, especially if you have other debts. They offer a debt counselling service if you need advice in arranging to pay your creditors.

What happens if Bracknell Forest Homes obtains a Possession Order?

If  Bracknell Forest Homes obtains a Possession Order it is usually suspended for 28 days subject to the current weekly rent plus an amount of the arrears (previously agreed with your housing officer) being paid.

It is then essential that you comply with this Order, as your failure to do so will mean you lose security of tenure. We could then apply for the Warrant of Eviction. However, if you are under a County Court Order and default, you must contact your housing officer immediately who will provide advice and support to get you back on track.

Remember, applying for the Bailiff’s Warrant is the final step we will take after every effort is made by Housing Management staff, and that the arrears are increasing as you are not paying as required.

If you are an introductory tenant, please see Rent Arrears - Guidance for Starter Tenants.

If your tenancy has ended but you still have rent arrears, please see Late Tenancy Arrears - Rents.

Current Tenancy Arrears

As all tenants should all be aware, the weekly rent is due every Monday apart from the rent-free weeks at Christmas and Easter.
If at any time you experience financial difficulties, it is important that you contact your housing officer without delay in order to reach an arrangement to clear any outstanding arrears.

In order to ensure you are maximising any benefit to which you are entitled, you can contact our tenancy support officer for advice and support. In addition, you must not delay in applying for Housing Benefit and providing all the necessary proofs as soon as possible.
What happens if I fall behind on rent payments?

If you allow the rent arrears to increase so that the level of debt is at least four weeks rent, you will be served with a Notice of Seeking Possession after your housing officer has contacted you to advise that this action is being taken.
A Notice of Seeking Possession is the first stage of any possession proceedings. No action can be taken for 28 days and in this time you must make an arrangement with your housing officer to start clearing the outstanding debt by making regular payments.
If an arrangement is not made or defaulted upon, then the housing officer will have to apply to the County Court for a Possession Hearing. During the period before a date for this is set, your housing officer will continue to give advice and support to reach an agreement so you start reducing the debt.

You could also seek advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau, especially if you have other debts. They offer a debt counselling service if you need advice in arranging to pay your creditors.

What happens if BFH obtains a Possession Order?

If Bracknel Forest Homes obtains a Possession Order it is usually suspended for 28 days subject to the current weekly rent plus an amount of the arrears (previously agreed with your housing officer) being paid.
It is then essential that you comply with this Order, as your failure to do so will mean you lose security of tenure. We could then apply for the Warrant of Eviction. However, if you are under a County Court Order and default, you must contact your housing officer immediately who will provide advice and support to get you back on track.

Remember, applying for the Bailiff’s Warrant is the final step we will take after every effort is made by Housing Management staff, and that the arrears are increasing as you are not paying as required.

If you are an introductory tenant, please see Rent Arrears - Guidance for Starter Tenants.
If your tenancy has ended but you still have rent arrears, please see Late Tenancy Arrears - Rents.

Current Garage Arrears

 

Unlike houses and flats, Bracknell Forest Homes does not have to apply to the court for a Possession Order. Most arrears cases can be dealt with quite easily though, as long as the tenant gets in contact with us early enough. Ignoring the situation will only make matters worse.

Where rent arrears rise to an unacceptable level, or an account is in arrears for too long, we may decide to repossess the garage.

If a garage is repossessed and then found to still contain goods, we will contact the tenant and ask for them to be removed. If we have to clear the garage, the cost of the clearance and, if necessary, a lock change will be charged to the tenant. This will be in addition to any arrears outstanding.

Some tenants might think that garage rent isn't that important because it isn't as much as the rent for a house or flat, but we have a duty to recover all rent owed to us to pay for the services we provide. We are also required to keep levels of all outstanding rent, including garage rent, within limits set by the government.