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Cardiff Council

www.cardiff.gov.uk

What happens if I can’t pay my rent?

​Always let us know. If you are finding it difficult to pay your rent, please contact us immediately on 029 2053 7350 or visit one of our Hubs or Housing Offices.


Your Finance Officer can help you: 

 

  • apply for Housing Benefit
  • get advice on other welfare benefits
  • get help with managing your debts. 
  •  


    If you do not contact your Finance Officer or pay the rent, we will send you a letter to explain the situation and what will happen next.

     

    You can get more help and advice about rent arrears from the Cardiff Housing website


    What happens if I don’t pay?


    If we don’t hear from you or receive any payment, the Finance Officer will visit your home. At this visit the Finance Officer will discuss your arrears and offer advice about claiming Housing Benefit. If you cannot clear your debt in one payment your Finance Officer may be able to arrange for you to repay your arrears in reasonable weekly amounts. 


    Ending your tenancy

     

    If you do not make an arrangement to repay the debt and it continues to increase, we may issue you with a legal notice to end your tenancy.

     

    You will have the opportunity to appeal against this notice. You will be asked to attend a rent review panel to state your case. If the arrears still persist and the appeal is not successful, we will apply to the County Court for possession of your home. 

     

    Going to court

     

    You will be charged court costs and these will be added to your rent account.

     

    The judge will consider your case and may decide to award one of the following orders:

     

    Possession Order

    This order gives the Council vacant possession of your home once the order comes into force. You will normally be given 28 days to leave your home.

     

    If you are an introductory tenant (this usually means you are in the first 12 months of your tenancy), this is the only order the judge can grant.

     

    Suspended Possession Order

    This order gives you the opportunity to make regular payments of the collectable rent due plus an amount off the arrears. The amount of the payments will be detailed in the order. On condition the terms of the order are maintained the Council will not evict you for rent arrears.

     

    Postponed Possession Order

    This order gives you the opportunity to maintain regular payments of the collectable rent due plus an amount off the arrears. The amount of the payments will be detailed in the order. On condition these payments are maintained you will not lose your home.

     

    However, if the terms of the order are not maintained, the Council will re-submit your case to the Courts and further costs will be added to your account. There will be a further hearing and the judge may grant either a Possession Order or a Suspended Possession Order.

     

    Will I be evicted if I don’t pay my rent?


    If the judge has awarded a Suspended Possession Order and you have not kept to the terms of the order, or if the court has awarded a Possession Order, you and your family can be evicted from your home.

    © 2022 Cardiff Council