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Rent arrears

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2. Problems paying rent

Most people will have difficulties paying all of their bills at some point If you are worried that you cannot meet your next rental payment:

Talk to your landlord about the problem

If you think you are going to be late with a payment, or you are unable to make a rent payment, talk to your landlord. If there is a good reason for the late or missed payment, the landlord may be sympathetic. Advance notice will mean your landlord may be able to take steps to reduce the effect that a missed payment will have.

Pay what you can

Pay as much as possible towards your rent even if you can't afford to pay it all. This will show your landlord that you are making an effort to deal with the situation. It also means the debt does not become too large very quickly.

It is worth paying what you can even if your landlord tells you that you must pay all of your rent. If your landlord refuses to accept your money, keep it in a separate account and keep offering to pay it.

If you have missed rent payments your landlord may let you pay back the money you owe over a period of time rather than in one payment. Try to agree an amount that you can afford.