UK Landlord Forum / Life

I got into rent arrears as I was going from a job that paid weekly to one that paid monthly, so wasn't able to pay my rent for two months as I had to live for 2 months on a month wage which wasn't much. So the landlord took me to court and the judge ruled that I had to pay £40 a month on top of my rent which I have been doing. So later on, I paid one months rent plus £40. Next month, I've got my student loan and paid rent in advance for three months, while still paying off arrears, but instead of the money going on rent, they decided to take that for arrears and ask for more money on rent, which I haven't got. Now the whole process of rent arrears started again.
So what do I do?

I'm sorry, but I'd expect that to happen. You owe a debt, you've paid some of it. The arrears come first otherwise there would be a chance (not implying this is the case in your situation) the arrears would remain static, forever. The 'solution' (if it can be called that) is entirely in your hands... consider if you can afford to live where you are living. If not, make plans to leave when you are able and find somewhere less expensive. It's not fair of you, think about it, to expect others to pay your way... your change of job and change of payment frequency is nothing to do with your Landlord at the end of the day.

When you say - "instead of the money going on rent it went on arrears" - think about how daft that sounds, the arrears are rent! The arrears aren't car payments. You need to get your rent to a consistent position, in the black, you've already been taken to Court. How long will the Landlord allow this to go on before evicting you? Can you live more frugally?

That's true, but if there's a court agreement on how the arrears are paid off then shouldn't the housing association follow those rules? I know the arrears are rent, but if there was an agreement then shouldn't they stick to it rather than refuse to let me pay rent with arrears on top of it.

That's the minimum you must pay, I guess, by order of the Court. It will now look as though you decided to take pro-active action to pay off your debt faster than the Court dictated. Paying extra rent in advance when you are in rent arrears doesn't make any sense at all to me. I mean, it's weird.

I dont think we are getting all the facts on this.

This just doesn't add up.