Tenants need to pay the rent, and it is not helpful to let them build up rent arrears. We encourage you to contact tenants as soon as they fail to pay rent on time, and that you tell them that if they do not pay the rent due you will start action to evict them.
If a tenant says they cannot afford to pay the rent, please encourage them to contact our Housing Options team.
The Housing Options team will be pleased to contact your tenant to advise them they need to pay the rent. If the tenant says that Housing Benefit is the problem, the Housing Options team can find out what the problem is and what needs to be resolved. Call 01283 508120 during office hours.
If the tenant receives Housing Benefit and they are 8 weeks in arrears then you can ask us to pay their Housing Benefit direct to you. If rent is due monthly then the tenant is 8 weeks in arrears as soon as they have missed two rent payments.
Apply for payment to yourself and send it with the necessary evidence to the Council at PO Box 8045, Burton upon Trent, DE14 9JG.
The Council does ask you to be reasonable to a tenant who offers a genuine solution e.g. if they are actively sorting out Housing Benefit or they can afford to pay off arrears over time.
Rent Increases
When faced with a rent increase, tenants are generally advised to consider the following
1. Is there a clause in the tenancy agreement that allows for an increase in rent?
1.1 If so:-
(a) Is the initial fixed term of the tenancy still in place? If yes, then provided that landlord has kept to the terms of the clause in the tenancy agreement, then they can put the rent up by an amount allowed for in the agreement.
(b) If the tenancy is no longer in its fixed term then it becomes a periodic tenancy. If the tenancy agreement states that the rent increase clause will continue to apply to any subsequent periodic tenancy, then, again, the landlord may increase the rent as allowed for in the tenancy agreement.
1.2 If there is no clause in the tenancy agreement that allows for a rent increase
(a) The landlord can only increase the rent by serving a Section 13 Notice of Rent Increase (Form 4)
(b) The tenant can then challenge a rent increase by appealing to the Tribunal. Guidance is provided in the notes for Form 4.