The secret to getting the most out of every single day is to have a well plan schedule, because the volume of things that have to be done on a daily basis it’s only getting bigger. When an individual plans his weekly schedule he has to make a priority list of the things he has to do, so when a compromise has to be made it will not affect the important things. Among the important things that must happen every month paying your debts is a priority and your rent is a priority debt.

The first thing you can do when you are dealing with rent arrears is to contact the landlord in writing as well as in person so you can have proof that you have communicated your situation. If your situation is a temporary one and you are certain that you will get back on your feet you can try to negotiate with your landlord to allow you to pay only a part of your rent for a period of time.

If you pay your rent through Housing Benefit and there are delays, make sure you communicate to your landlord that you will take care of the problem. If the communication has no results it is always helpful to have your own record of what was paid and what you still owe to the landlord. You can also compare your own record with the landlord’s figures and make sure that there are no mistakes there. Depending on your circumstances if you were ill or you are not working full time anymore you can check if you are entitled to benefits. Whether you are a tenant with the state or a private landlord the benefits that you may receive are Housing benefits, Council Tax or Working Tax Credit. If you manage to receive any form of support allowance you can assure you landlord of your intentions to pay rent by using a third party deduction through which the Department of Work and Pensions or DWP will take a fixed sum from your benefits and transfers it to you landlord every week.

There are some cases in which no matter what you do the landlord will become aggressive and even get to a point in which he will harass you to leave, in cases like this keep in mind that you have rights and you can report any form of harassment to the police.

In a large number of rent arrears cases the landlord will serve you a notice of eviction and appeal to the court in order request an eviction order. If you believe you will be able to pay off your rent arrears but you need some time you should seek professional advice on how to handle the matter. In other cases the landlord is only interested into getting his money back and he usually takes you to court and you will be ordered to pay the full amount of your rent arrears.

Nobody wants to be without a place to call home and if you face eviction seek help from the council and depending of your current circumstances the council might even be able to offer some accommodation for you and your family.