If your tenancy with us ends and you still owe us money, we will not write off the debt. We call these debts 'former tenant arrears.'
For those who are struggling to pay, we can provide you with help with your finances and work together to agree a payment plan.
If you choose not to pay us, we will attempt to recover what you owe us through more formal routes which could include legal action.
How to make sure there are no arrears when you leave a property
When you decide to leave your property, you must give us four weeks notice in writing - rent is still due for these four weeks. If you fail to give the full four weeks notice or leave before this time, you will still be charged rent for the whole four week notice period. You will also have lost the opportunity to discuss any outstanding repairs that are necessary, and you could be charged for these.
If you do not hand in your keys by the required date or time, you may have to pay additional rent. To avoid this, it is important that you check when and where to return your keys.
If you receive Universal Credit
If you receive Universal Credit and are thinking of ending your tenancy, contact your Housing Income officer before submitting your termination notice to discuss your tenancy end date. The tenancy end date will affect the amount of housing costs you get in your last month, so you may not receive all your housing costs in the last month of your tenancy.
If you claim Housing Benefit
If you claim Housing Benefit and you leave the property before the end of the four week notice period, you will only receive your Housing Benefit up to the date you move out. You will have to pay the difference up to the end of the tenancy.
It is crucial to discuss any outstanding Housing Benefit claims for a former tenancy with the Benefits team before ending your tenancy.
What to do when a family member passes away
When a family member dies, please contact the Housing Estates team as soon as possible and they will advise you on how the tenancy can legally be brought to an end.
Please note that benefits will end within a week of the tenant's death. We will continue to charge rent and other service charges for the property until the tenancy is ended and the keys are returned.
Any rent due to us will have to be paid from the estate after funeral costs, but before any money or assets can be given to beneficiaries.
How we recover former tenant arrears
We may use a tracing agency to find you if you owe us money, such as unpaid rent, when you move out and do not provide us with your new address and up to date contact information.
Once we have traced you, we will give you the chance to pay what you owe to clear the arrears on your account.
If you refuse to pay, we may pass your details to a debt collection agency or take court action to recover the debt. This will lead to extra legal costs for you which will increase the amount you owe us. It will also result in a County Court Judgement being obtained which would affect your credit score and future rental opportunities.
Applying for another tenancy if you have former tenant arrears
Any debts you have after ending a tenancy could stop you from being offered a property by us or any other housing provider in the future.
Details of your arrears will be included in any reference we provide regarding your tenancy and could have a negative effect on your credit rating.
How to pay for tenant arrears
If you are having money problems, please contact us as we can offer support.
There are several ways you can pay your arrears:
Pay online
To pay online visit our pay your rent page for more information.
By bank standing order
To set up North Yorkshire Council as a payee on your own online bank account or to set up a standing order, please contact us for further details.
Telephone payments
Payments can be made using your debit or credit card when you contact us over the phone.