Help with paying rent

• If you are struggling to pay rent because of coronavirus
• If you are an assured shorthold tenant

If you are struggling to pay rent because of coronavirus

Speak to your landlord if you are struggling to pay rent and explain your circumstances. (Have you lost your job, or seen your income reduce due to the pandemic?) They might agree to a rent reduction or accept a late payment to your rent.   Obtain any agreement in writing.

Buy-to-let landlords may obtain mortgage payment holidays if their tenants have financial problems due to coronavirus.   
 
If you are earning less, worried about paying your rent, mortgage or bills, or have other financial concerns as a result of coronavirus, please contact us at housing.needs@homesforharingey.org and we can discuss what support might be available to you.

Shelter (external link) and Citizens’ Advice (external link) also have good advice on their websites about how to deal with rent arrears and claiming benefits.

If you are still able to afford your rent it is best to continue to pay to avoid building up arrears, but your landlord cannot evict you straight away.

Illegal eviction is a criminal offence and COVID-19 does not change this. It is illegal for your landlord to evict you without following the proper steps.

If you are an assured shorthold tenant

Your landlord cannot make you leave without giving you the required notice. 

If you are still in the property when the notice to quit expires, your landlord must go to court to obtain a court order.

You still do not have to leave the property after the court order expires. 

Your landlord will have to return to court to get a bailiff warrant before they can evict you.

You should immediately contact the council if your landlord locks you out of your home, even temporarily.

It is important to note that even if your landlord has given you what is called a ‘licence’ agreement, you may still have the rights of a tenant, depending on your living arrangements at the property. Please contact the council by emailing housing.needs@homesforharingey.org for further advice on this matter.

If you are a lodger and live in the same house or flat as your landlord, you do not have the same rights. If you have a written agreement, then your landlord should only give you notice to quit as stated in the agreement. If you do not have an agreement, then the landlord only has to give you reasonable notice (usually two to four weeks).