Difficulty paying rent or your mortgage
Trouble paying your rent or mortgage
Your landlord must give you notice, the type and length of the notice can vary depending on the tenancy you have. Do not leave your home until you’re sure the notice served is legal.
Types of notices and evictions
- Section 21 notice gives you a minimum of 2 months to leave the property, the landlord doesn’t need a reason to evict you.
- Section 8 notice are served by landlords if you have broken the terms of your tenancy agreement or not paid rent.
- Retaliation evictions usually happen when a landlord decides to evict a tenant due to complaints made to the council for repairs which haven’t been done.
Illegal action
- changing the locks while you’re out to prevent you getting back into the property
- harassment or threatening to physically evict you
- physically evicting you from the property
Our private renting page, Shelter and GOV.UK have more information and advice for notices and private renting. You can also fill in our service referral and we can work with you and your landlord to prevent you from becoming homeless.
Struggling to pay your rent or mortgage?
Housing benefit or universal credit
If you’re having trouble with your landlord because of delayed benefit payments, we can help you resolve this issue.
If you’re struggling to pay your rent we can help with by filling in an application for housing benefit or Universal Credit. If there is a gap between receiving a payment for housing benefit or universal credit and your rent is due, there is a discretionary housing payment which we can support you in applying for.
Rent or mortgage arrears
Sometimes rent or mortgage arrears have been caused by a temporary issue, we can help you talk with your landlord or mortgage company to come up with an agreed plan to re-pay the arrears. Support will be given for budgeting and a scheme is available for homeowners to have breathing space to get over the temporary period. We can also help with filling in court defence forms and being with you in court if necessary.
If you still require assistance in preventing your homelessness, please fill in our service request form as early as possible.