It is our policy to take firm action against any Tenant who does not pay their rent or who fails to keep to agreements to repay the amounts they owe.
Christian Action Housing has a strict policy and procedure on rent arrears that its staff must follow. The steps we take include:
2 weeks arrears - we will send you a letter asking you to contact us to discuss the arrears and reach a repayment arrangement.
4 weeks arrears - we will send you a further letter and make an appointment to visit you to discuss your rent arrears.
6 weeks arrears - we will write to you again to warn you that we will serve you with a Notice Seeking Possession if you fail to contact us or make an arrangement to clear your arrears.
8 weeks arrears - we will serve you with a Notice of Seeking Possession. This is the first stage of legal proceedings.
12 weeks arrears – we will start legal proceedings in the County Court and will write to advise you that we have taken this course of action.
At the Court Hearing - we will request that a Possession Order is granted - this will only be suspended on condition that you pay your rent on time together with an extra agreed amount to reduce or clear the arrears. In certain cases we can ask for an immediate Outright Possession Order.
From then on - you must keep to the terms of the Possession Order.
Eviction - if you break the terms of the Possession Order or if we are granted an Immediate Possession Order we will apply to have the Court Bailiff evict you from your home. You would have the right to appeal against this.
Your Revenue Officer will contact you personally by visiting or telephoning to give you the opportunity to explain your circumstances and to arrange to clear your arrears.
We will at all stages advise you to keep in contact with your Revenue Officer and inform you of your right to take independent advice about your situation.
The Association will not normally take legal action against Tenants who are trying to regularly reduce the arrears debt they owe. But if they owe substantial amounts and have not reached an agreement to re pay or have broken the agreement they made the Association will begin legal action in the County Court.
It is very important that you contact your Revenue Officer as soon as you receive any communication from the Association about your arrears and especially if you have been served with a Notice of Seeking Possession or letters about legal proceedings.
This is the first stage of legal proceedings. The Association can go to Court if a Notice of Seeking Possession has been served. This Notice is a formal legal warning that Christian Action Housing will issue Court proceedings after 28 days have passed. If you receive a Notice of Seeking Possession you are strongly advised to contact your Housing Officer to discuss this and make an arrangement to clear the arrears. If you do and continue to pay as agreed no further action will be taken.
If you have not cleared your arrears or reached an agreement with us within 28 days of receiving a Notice of Seeking Possession, Christian Action Housing will issue Court Proceedings. The County Court will send you a Summons to Appear at the Court Hearing.
If you receive a summons you should seek independent advice about what to do next from a solicitor, Citizens Advice Bureau or Law Centre.
[Advice agencies are listed below].
We strongly advise you to attend the Court Hearing, as you will be given an opportunity to present your case in person. If you have not already got advice you may be able to get assistance from the duty solicitor available at some Courts.
At the Court Hearing, Christian Action Housing will usually ask for a Possession Order to be granted but suspended on condition that you pay your weekly rent plus an agreed amount off the arrears. If you do not keep to the terms of the order, your tenancy will end and we will be entitled to evict you. The costs of the Association bringing the case to Court may then be charged to you.
Christian Action Housing considers seeking Eviction as a last resort. It is an action we take very seriously. If you break the terms of a Suspended Possession Order and your arrears continue to rise, we will consider evicting you from your home. If we do your Revenue Officer will write to inform you of your Right to Appeal against the decision and what you would need to do.
We will inform you if the Association has applied to the Court for an Eviction Order and we and the County Court bailiffs will inform you of the date and time of the eviction. Before the date of the eviction you should have removed all your belongings from the property. You will not be able to go back to the property after your eviction.
The following advice agencies may be able to provide independent advice about rent, arrears and possession actions.Law Centres:-
Barnet 9 Bell Lane, London, NW4 2BP 020 8203 4141
Enfield 187 Angel Place, Fore Street, London N18 2UD 0208 807 8888
Haringey 754-758 High Road, Tottenham, London N17 0AL 0208 808 5354
Citizens Advice Bureaux
Barnet 30 Station Rd, New Barnet, EN5 1PL 020 8449 0975
Hendon , 40-42 Church End, London NW4 4JT; 0870-128-8080
Finchley 23-35 Hendon Lane, Finchley, N3 1RT; 0870-128-8080
Haringey, Tottenham Town Hall, West Green, N15 4RY 0870-126 4030
Enfield, 10 Little Park Gardens, Enfield EN2 6PQ 0870 126 4664