Arrears rarely start large. They start with one late payment that nobody chased in writing. We run a documented, escalating recovery process that recovers most arrears before they ever reach a court — and leaves a court-ready evidence trail when they do.
The recovery timetable
Day 1–7: contact
Payment confirmed as missing against the rent account, tenant contacted by phone and email, reason established, and any short-term repayment discussed and recorded.
Day 8–14: first arrears letter
A formal written rent arrears letter stating the sum owed, the payment dates missed, the tenancy clause relied on, and the consequences of continued non-payment. Everything is dated and retained.
Day 15–30: repayment plan or escalation
Where the tenant engages, a written repayment plan on top of ongoing rent. Where they do not, guarantor notification and a formal warning of possession proceedings.
Day 31–60: notice
Once two months rent is outstanding, mandatory ground 8 under schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988 becomes available alongside discretionary grounds 10 and 11. We prepare and serve the section 8 notice correctly — defective notices are the single most common reason possession claims fail.
Day 60+: proceedings and recovery
Possession claim, or a money claim for the debt where the tenant has left, followed by enforcement options: attachment of earnings, a charging order, or High Court enforcement.
Recovering arrears from former tenants
A departed tenant still owes the debt. We trace, issue a letter before action compliant with the pre-action protocol, and pursue a money claim where the sum justifies it. Deposit deductions are handled through the scheme's adjudication process with a properly evidenced schedule.
What makes claims fail
- Deposit not protected, or prescribed information not served
- No gas safety certificate, EPC or How to Rent guide provided
- Defective or wrongly dated notice
- Arrears figure that does not reconcile to the rent account
- Property unlicensed where selective or HMO licensing applies
We audit all of these before serving anything, because a failed claim costs more than the arrears.
Prevention
Referencing with affordability checks, guarantors where income is marginal, rent guarantee insurance where the profile warrants it, standing orders dated to the tenant's pay cycle, and automated flagging on day one of non-payment.
Talk to us
Tell us the property, the arrears balance and how long it has been outstanding. We will tell you what is recoverable and what it will take.