If your rent account falls into arrears you should contact the housing officer responsible for your area immediately to discuss the matter in confidence.
Your housing officer can provide you with advice on how to manage your debt, for example:
- Making an affordable weekly agreement to clear rent arrears
- Changing your payment method, e.g. setting up a direct debit
- Applying for housing benefit or rate relief
- Contacting your local Citizens Advice Bureau for advice on benefit entitlement
- Referring you to Apex’s Floating Support service for budgeting advice (North West area only)
- Referring you for free confidential information, advice and support
Under no circumstances should you ignore any rent arrears letters. This could lead to Apex taking legal proceedings to recover the debt and may also lead to you losing your home.
Legal Action
If you do not enter into an agreement to pay arrears or do not respond to correspondence about your arrears, Apex will commence legal action to recover the arrears owed.
If Apex commences legal action to recover the arrears owed, it will mean that:
- You will be responsible for all legal costs in addition to your rent arrears
- You could be evicted from your home
- You may have difficulty in getting credit, or a loan in the future
- You may be considered ‘intentionally homeless’ if you apply for housing to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive or any other social landlord
- We will not be able to provide a satisfactory reference to a mortgage lender should we be asked to do on your behalf
Help with payment of rent and charges
If you are an Apex Housing Association tenant, you may be entitled to help towards your rent and other charges even if you work full-time. If you would like any further information on help towards your rent and other charges, please contact your houisng officer at Apex.
Your Apex Housing Officer will be able to provide you with more information on:
- Setting rent and other charges
- Current charges and any changes in the previous 12 months
- Rent arrears and monitoring processes
- Service standards
- Methods of payment
Apex will give reasonable notice of any variation in charges.