Former tenants' arrears
What if I used to be a tenant and still owe rent?
If you’re no longer a council tenant and have left one of our properties with rent arrears, the money you owe is called ‘Former Tenancy Arrears’.
We want to help you. It is important that you contact us straight away on 0114 293 0000 or 0114 205 3333, or call in at any Area Housing Office or First Point to arrange to repay the money.
If you fail to do this, we can refuse to re-house you. We may also take legal action against you to recover the debt - for example, a County Court Judgment. This could stop you from getting credit with catalogue companies, personal loan firms and mortgage lenders.
What happens if I don’t pay back my rent?
If you don’t repay your arrears and clear your account, we will take the following steps:
We may pass your account onto a debt collection agency who will recover the money for us.
- If you do not give us your forwarding address, we will use a tracing agency to confirm where you currently live.
- If you have a job and refuse to pay your debt, we can ask the Court to instruct your employers to repay the money direct from your salary.
- If you own a home and refuse to pay your debt, we can get a Charging Order from the Court, which will stop you from selling your property without paying the debt first.
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As a final resort, we may instruct County Court bailiffs to take possession of your belongings. These can be sold to help pay off your debt.