Rent Arrears
If you have not paid your rent or are unable to do so, the money owed is referred to as ‘rent arrears’.
The consequences of not paying your rent are serious and you can end up with paying compensation to the landlord or even eviction. In most cases, if you are sharing a house under a joint tenancy, the contract provides for a joint and several liabilities for rent.
If there are any rent arrears, the landlordmost likely will seek the shortfall from the other joint tenants before stating any legal action. Additionally, if you have provided a guarantor the landlord may seek their ‘share’ of the whole rent from the guarantor before considering legal action. No matter how you have ended up in this position, you cannot ignore the matter. There are services which can help guide you through this.
What to Do if You Have Issues Paying Rent?
Start by talking to your landlord and see if you can come to an agreement. If you should be able to do this and come up with a special arrangement or payment plan, make sure you stick to it. If you failed to do so, your landlord might take legal actions which could result in you being evicted.
If you are in financial hardship, you might be able to get assistance from the University Hardship Fund. If you feel like you need more support or guidance, contact the Student Advice and Support Service, and set up an appointment. They might be able to help address the reason as to why you cannot pay your rent such as problems with student finance, etc.
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Last Updated: 12th September 2022