What will happen if you do not pay your rent
It is important that your rent is paid to ensure you do not breach the terms of your tenancy.
Any arrears are a breach in your tenancy agreement, and you ultimately risk losing your home if you do not have a plan in place to pay them.
The Council has an arrears recovery policy that it will follow and treat all our tenants fairly and with respect.
Initial Contact
We will endeavour to work with you to understand any issues or concerns, to help you work towards clearing your rent arrears. In doing this, we will contact you by various means, such as telephone, email, letter or home visits. We will also support you in ensuring you are receiving any entitlements to support with your rent payments.
Notice of Seeking Possession
Should we be unable to engage with you, or the arrears balance be high, a Notice of Seeking Possession will be served on you.
This is the start of legal proceedings, and a Notice must be served before Court action can be taken.
A Notice lasts for 12 months, during which the Council may commence Court proceedings at any time if you are not paying your ongoing rent and arrears. On expiry of the 12 months, a new Notice may be served.
Court Stage
If you are not paying your rent and payment arrangement for your arrears, or the arrears are high, the Council will apply to the County Court for a Possession Order Hearing. This will incur additional court costs that we will request to form part of the Court Order, that will be added to your account.
It is important you attend the Hearing, or advise both the Council and Court if you are unable to.
It is not too late to come to an agreement for a payment arrangement, however the Council will still request a Possession Order to safeguard the Council’s position if you do not keep to the arrangement. This is known as a Possession Order Suspended on Terms.
Eviction Stage
This is a last resort.
If there is no resolution to your rent arrears, the Council will apply to the County Court to evict you, and you and your household will lose their home
It is likely you will be deemed intentionally homeless, and you may not be rehoused by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council.
If you are in rent arrears, it is important you contact the Customer Accounts team urgently to discuss your circumstances, and your options to prevent us taking formal action:
Telephone Customer Accounts Team 024 7637 6323