1. Current tenants
If you are having problems paying your rent please contact us on 01395 517444 or email housingrental@eastdevon.gov.uk. We will be pleased to discuss your problems in confidence.
We can give advice and assistance to prevent and resolve rent arrears. If necessary we can visit you at home. A home visit can be arranged within two working days.
If you are on low income, you may be entitled to housing benefit. The housing benefit pages give more information if you would like to make a claim.
Recovering unpaid rent
If you fail to pay your rent, we will take the following actions:
Step 1
You will be sent reminder letters and some information about debt advice. You may also receive a home visit.
Step 2
If the reminders are ignored we may serve you with a Notice of Seeking Possession (if you have a secure or flexible tenancy), a Notice of Seeking Possession – Introductory Tenancy (if you have an introductory tenancy), or a Notice to Quit (if you have a non-secure tenancy). This is the first step of the legal process to get possession of the dwelling. The notice gives a period of at least 28 days for you to pay your debt in full or make arrangements to pay by instalments.
Step 3
If the debt continues to increase the matter will be referred to the county court to seek a Possession Order on your home.
Step 4
At the court hearing the district Judge will normally grant a Suspended Possession Order, which means that you will be required to pay the rent as it falls due plus a fixed sum each week towards your arrears of rent. At the hearing we will also seek an order for costs, which can be over £400. These costs will be added to your arrears of rent.
Step 5
If you don't keep to the terms ordered by the district judge, the county court will be made aware of your default and we will request the court to issue a Possession Warrant, which the county court bailiff will serve and execute to take possession of your home.
We do everything possible to prevent evictions but, as a last resort, we will evict tenants if they do not pay their rent. Please do not ignore the problem. We can try to help you resolve it.