If you are waiting for a court hearing date, please note that the standard 4-8 week wait period for hearings has now been temporarily suspended. You shouldn’t have to experience stressful cash flow problems just because a tenant won’t pay its debts, which is why we aim to resolve such disputes promptly and effectively. Tenant abandoned property. Service features. If you would prefer to have a no-contact consultation, we are more than happy to have meetings by phone, Skype and Facetime. Companies and Business Sales and Purchase, Farm Partnerships And Corporate Structures, Commercial Contracts For Farming Businesses, Evidence that you did not receive the money you are attempting to claim back. Now it’s time to … From the commencement date of the emergency legislation (27th March 2020), the notice period that a landlord is required to give to a tenant (whether it be a section 8 rent arrears notice or a section 21 notice) was extended to 3 months for properties in England and 6 months for properties in Wales. Alternatively, there are a ‘whole load’ of tracing companies that will promise to find your tenant for a fee. Our North West office is built to support anyone based in the Cheshire and Greater Manchester regions as well as Nationwide. Many UK landlords may not be aware but they are still entitled to claim any rent arrears owed to them by evicted tenants for up to 6 years from the date the money was considered due. We have a network of specialist tracing agents who are experts in the field of tracing former tenants. There are further restrictions for those tenants who have committed anti-social behaviour or domestic violence. At Collect My Debt, we can help you if you have issues with rent arrears, problem tenants and squatters. We have won cases both inside and outside of court for landlords – even where it repossessing a property to recover the rent owed. Helping landlords throughout the UK through the full recovery procedure, from tracing a former tenant through to the final stages of the county court proceedings. We can help you obtain the money you’re entitled to and ensure a fair outcome. Our solicitors are equipped with the knowledge and expertise needed to support you in your bid to recover unpaid rent from ex tenants. This could prove valuable information if you find out one of the tenants (whether they were in occupation or not) is worth pursuing more than the other. ... We can help recover debt even when the tenant has disappeared. Where the Tenant is in Rent Arrears , as a contingency, it is always wisest to issue a Section 8 Notice For Rent Arrears. Track rental payments with a magnifying glass. By continuing to use our site you agree to us using cookies. However, again following the governments 11th hour u-turn on Friday 21st August, all court proceedings are currently stayed until 20th September 2020. As Landlord you instruct ‘enforcement agents’ (formerly bailiffs) to collect the rent or take control of goods. Okay, so you’ve been patient, you’ve tried resolving the rent arrears with your tenant, but to no avail. We are committed to speedy resolutions, so if you are happy with all the necessary arrangements and fees, our solicitors will get to work on reclaiming your debt right away and aim to get your money back in a matter of weeks. Do you want your defaulting tenant to take you seriously? It is also a critical area of work in terms of external assessment of the Tenant Services Team’s performance. A description of the process that would be followed where a court orders that the tenant must pay rent arrears following possession proceedings, and the tenant fails to satisfy the court judgment. Once we have the necessary information, we will pursue the case on your behalf, getting in touch to update you on developments as much or as little as you’d like us to. No action may be taken to recover rent arrears after the expiry of six years from the date on which the arrears became due After this date, it is likely that landlords will be required to send a ‘reactivation notice’ to the court and to their tenant(s) confirming that they wish the claim to continue. But lets take a look at it and see when it is possible and when it is not. Payments can be made by cash, postal order, cheque, debit/credit card, standing order or direct debit. Most people would rather leave it and move on with their lives. Or possibly, your tenants have vacated the premises! The order for possession will state the amount that the tenant is to pay back and if they flout this order you then have the right to make a claim through the small claims court for amounts up £3000 in rent arrears and associated costs. It can be extremely tricky to reclaim this debt without the assistance of a solicitor. A CCJ can, however, be useful just on its own. Connect Debt Recovery Overview. • If you leave your tenancy with former tenant arrears and do not give us your new address, we will use a tracing agency to find you. No win, no fee debt recovery and tenant tracing; Face to face collection services; Recover debts up to 6 years old; One-off or unlimited debt recovery; Tailored packages available; Benefits How to bring inheritance money from Iran to UK. Specialising in helping landlords recover debt from non-paying or absconded tenants, the company operates throughout the UK. You must Issue rent arrears letters this affirms the required compliance with legal process. If you wish to serve notice based upon rent arrears, landlords are being encouraged by the government and the courts to attempt to mediate with their tenants. We can help you think about the best strategy for dealing with arrears. General litigation disputes can come in many forms. As of Saturday 29th August, following the governments most recent announcement, the government has extended the notice period which a landlord is required to give a tenant to 6 months. Blackstone Solicitors Limited | Company No. We would therefore advise all landlords to consider dispute resolution and mediation with their tenant(s) during this interim period. The threat of such proceedings can, in many cases, be enough to make your tenant reconsider their position and pay you what they owe. Often the ex-tenants will find excuses to delay payment; will ignore calls and letters, or disappear altogether. For all new enquiries call us on 0345 901 0445, email info@blackstonesolicitorsltd.co.uk or, if you prefer us to contact you, leave your details via our Free Online Enquiry Form for a free no-obligation discussion at a time convenient for you and let us explain your legal rights and options. Once we have traced your former tenant, and if we think you have a strong enough claim, we will, upon your instruction, issue county court proceedings against your tenant to secure a County Court Judgment (CCJ) against them for the arrears. Find out how you can benefit from our tenacious and forthright approach today by getting in touch with the team. Hasn't been to Court. In cases of tenant rent arrears, landlord’s will now only be required to give 4 weeks’ notice where a tenant has accrued six months’ worth of arrears. The distress remedy allowed landlords to recover rent arrears by seizing assets without the need to go to court or provide a prior warning. A County Court Judgment, if enforced, will have very serious consequences on your defaulting tenant's credit score. Rent arrears can be a source of difficulty for landlords and tenants alike, causing a certain degree of financial strain for both parties. Commercial rent arrears recovery (CRAR) While we will always aim to preserve the landlord-tenant relationship, we know that in many cases, this is not possible. However, it is important to note that any situation where you are in dispute with another party can give rise to litigation. Within 48 hours of receiving your instruction our panel of lawyers will draft and send a solicitor's letter of demand, known as a letter before action, to your tenant. • We will contact you and give you the opportunity to make an arrangement to clear the arrears on your account. Our website does not collect or store, in any format, the details you have submitted. Prompt action, in accordance with the Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR) regulations, is key to a successful and no cost outcome. CRAR is a ‘self help’ remedy and does not need the court to be involved very much. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Rent arrears recovery doesn’t have to be complicated, especially when you have debt recovery solicitors to help. 'The commercial rent arrears recovery scheme is a self-help remedy for landlords which allows you to take and sell a tenant's goods to the value of what is outstanding. Collecting unpaid rent therefore often involves discovering where the former tenant is now situated. Here’s what you can expect during the process: In many instances, a tenant can simply change their contact details, hoping the landlord gives up chasing payments. The actions on this page are usually used when the tenant has left. Usually these debts relate to rent arrears or costs arising from repairs. Use this service that includes: The ultimate action, which you can take against a non-paying tenant, is to issue a county court claim against them. Landlords will also need to send updated information about their tenant’s circumstances for the court to consider – such as issues of vulnerability, disability, financial difficulties, etc. It’s a landlord’s worst nightmare: a former tenant absconds from a property without having paid everything owed. Given the extended notice period now required and if you are in a position whereby you require possession of your property as a matter of urgency, we recommend that you progress matters as soon as you possibly can with the service of the appropriate notice. Tenant left owing £14,000 with £2,000 of damage. Helping landlords throughout the UK through the full recovery procedure, from tracing a former tenant through to the final stages of the county court proceedings. This form is GDPR compliant and only collects your name, email and telephone number so that we may respond to your request, via email or telephone, for information on our products and services that you have enquired about. Please see our Privacy Policy for further details. If you pay by credit card there will be a 2% surcharge. Call our solicitors today on 0161 929 0121 or send your message to info@blackstonesolicitorsltd.co.uk or allow us to contact you by completing our online contact form. Once the tenant has been evicted and the landlord has regained possession of the rental property, former or absconded tenants can be traced easily by professional companies, such as Legal4Landlords who offer tenant tracing services as well as a debt/rent recovery … Contact should be made with a Housing Officer to make an agreement to pay. They include Letter of Claim templates that comply with the new Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims. Doing so is easy, simply give us a call on 0161 929 0121, Authored by Rebecca Dutton Posted in Blog, News Tagged as, Your email address will not be published. Commercial rent arrears recovery (CRAR) from tenants can be very costly for landlords and managing agents. If your tenant owes you rent. Thats not to say that its impossible to recover rent arrears, but you need to have a lot of determination and staying power. If one day your tenant wants to get a mortgage or bank … Below are the three main stages that we undertake to recover unpaid rent from tenants in residential properties. The earlier you act, the more control, you’ll have over rental arrears. Overdue and unpaid commercial rent places an unwarranted strain on the Landlord’s business cash flow. Before taking any action to recover rent arrears, landlords must consider: • whether to forfeit the lease for non-payment • whether the tenant is in any form of insolvency and, if so, what implications this has for the methods of recovery available • whether there are any limitation period issues. Required fields are marked *. The nightmare tenant. Tenants will be jointly and severally liable for the rent arrears meaning you can recover all the sums due from only one of the tenants leaving them to chase the other for their share. Blackstone Solicitors will perform the vast majority of work during the rent recovery process. Time is Money. In our experience, most tenants pay up when they receive a formal solicitor’s letter threatening court action. Rent Arrears, Service Charge Disputes, Deposit Disputes, Disrepair and Dilapidations Claims, plus general debts are all common reasons why Landlords, Tenants and Letting Agents would consider using the Small Claims Court. If your tenant has vacated your property, whether residential or commercial, owing you money, you will first need to locate them before any action can be taken. Recovery of Rent Arrears. If the tenant vacates the property without paying the rent arrears, landlords have a period of six years from the date of the missed payment to pursue the tenant via a separate debt recovery action. Whether you have a large property investment portfolio or a single rental property, as a landlord you rely on regular rent payments to keep your property rental business afloat. The Association will take a firm but fair approach to rent arrears recovery seeking to embed a rent first culture where tenants attach a high degree of importance to prioritising their rent and paying in line with the requirements detailed in the Tenancy or Licence agreement. As a first line of inexpensive action, there is very little that works better in recovering rent arrears then a bespoke solicitor's letter before action. Our rent arrears recovery service includes drawing up a section 8 notice and rental arrears schedule, serving it on your behalf in accordance with the relevant clauses of your tenancy agreement and providing you with a certificate of service. Hello, My tenant has left, she owed 3 months rent and has left quite a bit of damage, totalling about £2.5k combined. Should your tenant challenge a commercial property rent arrears, rest assured that our solicitors will explore every possible option available to recover the arrears you are due. Use our fixed fee tenant tracing service to locate your tenant. Below are the three main stages that we undertake to recover unpaid rent from tenants in residential properties. The Landlord Group has a team of experienced lawyers dedicated to residential rent arrears recovery. If a tenant’s owes two months’ rent, their rent payments will automatically be switched to you. The team at Blackstone is able to help in any such instance, drawing upon our wealth of experience in these areas to provide the guidance you require. This procedural note refers to secure tenants. Service Charge & Ground Rent Arrears - Block Management, Appointment of High Court Enforcement Officer, Writing a formal solicitor's letter of demand to the tenant, Full follow up of correspondence and telephone communication with the tenant. But not always. It can be extremely tricky to reclaim this debt without the assistance of a solicitor. 07338650. This is why seeking legal help to ensure you approach disputes in the correct way is so essential – you need to give yourself the best chance of sorting out the matter as quickly and effectively as possible. Your Money - Former Tenant Rent Arrears What action can you take to recover former tenant arrears? Often the ex-tenants will find excuses to delay payment; will ignore calls and letters, or disappear altogether.Blackstone Solicitors specialise in rent arrears case’ armed with the legal expertise needed to ensure a fair outcome for landlords. New regulations under the banner of Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR) have been in force since April 2014, and enable a landlord of commercial premises to recover rental arrears by taking control of and selling the tenant’s goods. You can use electronic surveillance such as Facebook to help trace your ex tenants or even if you want to be a bit old school ‘Friends Reunited” (remember that) to look into what your tenants are up to and what part of the country they might be living in. The Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR), which came into force in April 2014, did away with a landlord’s right of distress, which had been around for over 800 years. Please see our updated privacy policy on how we use cookies and how to turn them off. Evidence that the tenant left your property within the last six years. Once the CCJ is obtained we can discuss your enforcement options. We can also investigate what employment income the ex-tenant has. Our solicitors are adept at locating and communicating with ex tenants who owe rent. Blackstone Solicitors specialise in rent arrears case’ armed with the legal expertise needed to ensure a fair outcome for landlords. It’s a landlord’s worst nightmare: a former tenant absconds from a property without having paid everything owed. Rent arrears is one of the most common reasons for landlords to give a section 8 notice rather than a section 21 notice, however, the tenant needs to be at least 2 months (if rent is paid monthly) or 8 weeks (if rent is paid weekly) in arrears. Paying former tenants rent arrears Arrangements can be made to pay the balance due by instalments. If you decide to recover the rent you might find the commercial rent arrears recovery scheme a good option. If you successfully achieve the judgement then this will create the CCJ. We are one of the UK’s most trusted and effective debt recovery specialists and cover the entirety of England and Wales. Effective rent arrears control and recovery is critical as it ensures that the Housing Division’s income is maximised and tenant’s therefore receive the best possible services. The Landlord Group team can assist with this. The Landlord Group has a team of experienced lawyers dedicated to residential rent arrears recovery. In order to reduce or eliminate such difficulties, landlords must understand how to recover rent arrears in an efficient and professional way. The Small Claims Court in England and Wales is designed to resolve disputes where the sum involved is £10,000 or less. Landlords therefore need to take swift and decisive action when rent is paid late or not paid at all.Our Rent Arrears documents have recently been updated and expanded. Using the Small Claims Court in Scotland - this can be utilised by landlords looking to recover a debt owed by a tenant. Private renting as a tenant - repairs, rent increases and arrears, settling disputes, deposits and your rights and responsibilities Private renting: Rent arrears - GOV.UK Skip to main content The landlord seeking to evict the tenant and recover rent arrears would need to prove that they have grounds to evict the tenant. If a tenant has rent arrears equivalent to one month’s rent, then you can ask for the decision to make direct payments to be reviewed. Tenant's representative says Tenant is receiving DWP social security benefits - sent me a rude email saying he could not even afford £1 per In April last year, Sonko ordered a waiver on all rent arrears owed to the city government. Say it after me: “using a rent recovery service should NOT be your first step to solving rent arrears!” Rent Recovery Service. We offer debt recovery services for landlords and letting agents of all sizes. Every instance of unpaid rent arrears is judged on its own merit however a reputable and Leading Debt Collection Agency for Landlords and Lettings Agent service can maximise the chance of recovering any unpaid rent arrears. Many UK landlords may not be aware but they are still entitled to claim any rent arrears owed to them by evicted tenants for up to 6 years from the date the money was considered due. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. For all those landlords who have already commenced the eviction process, all court proceedings were initially stayed until 23 August 2020. We have started a small claims After Possession Proceedings . Your email address will not be published. He said the waiver will help tenants recover from the adverse effects of the global health crisis. Does anyone have experience of recovering rent arrears from my former ex-tenant? 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