What will happen if I fall behind with my rent?

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Your rent helps pay for the services we provide all our tenants, so it’s unfair on everyone if you don’t pay it on time.

Always contact us, as soon as you realise you are having problems. This shows us that you care about the debt and are doing everything you can to sort it out. And we can help wherever we can.

WDH have a responsibility to our tenants, partners, staff and the local community to recover rent arrears.

We may use the following methods:

• Telephone, letter, or, visiting you at your home
• Employ Specialist Arrears Officers and Debt Recovery Agents
• Asking the Benefits Agency to deduct money from your Income Support or Income Based JobSeekers Allowance to make payments direct to WDH
• Legal action which may result in losing your home

Having rent arrears limits your options. If you are behind on your rent you will not be allowed to transfer to another WDH property, and if you are applying to buy your home through the Preserved Right to Buy or Right to Acquire schemes, all the arrears must be cleared before completion.

You won’t be able to take advantage of four rent-free weeks each year, as you will be required to continue to pay rent on those weeks to reduce your debt.

If you leave your home and owe rent arrears, or other debts such as court costs or rechargeable repair accounts, this will affect your ability to get a home via WDH in the future. It may also affect your ability to obtain credit.

WDH must vigorously pursue tenants who have left their home with rent arrears and other debts.