Rent arrears

[bub1]

Hi

 

I haven't posted for a while but I do pop in sand read the threads and posts.

 

A while ago I got into rent arrears which was a lot. I came to an agreement with

The landlord.

I have been paying off the arrears together with the normal rent.

Last year I asked the landlord ifvibcould drop down the arrears payment as

We were experiencing financial difficulties he said yes.

So I am paying rent payment and still money towards arrears.

Today I had an email from the lady that does his books telling me my arrears are mounting

Up.

How can this be when they should be coming down?

 

My rent is £1000 a month.

I was paying £300 on top for arrears

Total £1300 a month

I am paying at the moment £1100 rent and arrears.

 

So how is she saying its in arrears. Arrears are being paid.

I thought they would be going down not up.

I have all my receipts. I am going down the cab on Monday.

Any suggestions as to why she is saying my arrears are mounting.

U

The only thing I can think of is that she thinks the £1300 is on top of the £1000 rent and total

Should be £2300?

 

I owed £8000 in arrears and over 3 years have got that down to £1887.00.

Its been hard but I am doing it.

Any suggestions would be helpful as to why she has said the arrears are accumerlating.

 

Thanks.

[renegadeimp]

Have you asked her?

[bub1]

Yes I emailed her back but she didn't reply.

It just doesn't make sense.

Now I am worried they will start eviction proceedings.

Do you think she's made a mistake?.

[renegadeimp]

Let her explain herself first. They wont start eviction proceedings without clear proof. You are paying the arrears, so it is very unlikely an eviction will take place. Especially since you have the consent of the landlord.

[bub1]

I have asked her why the arrears are mounting up as she states in her email.

 

I said Rent is £1000 anything I pay over this is for arrears.

 

I am still going down the CAB monday.

 

Also cannot make out why if she says arrears are mounting up that she has left it a year to contact me?

 

I know they are being paid. They should be going down regardless of the amount being paid towards them not going up.

 

Any suggestions on best course of action?

 

Plus if I was not paying anything towards arrears they would stay the same amount not go up, if the normal rent was being paid.

 

Just doesnt make sense.

Edited November 9, 2013 by bub1
missed off

[raydetinu]

don't worry, if you have all the receipts, then ask the books lady to clarify your payments with dates and amounts.

could just be an error.

do your best, obviously the LL has been accommodating up till now, so don't think anything will happen.

just be patient and work it though.

Have you spoken to LL about it.

[bub1]

Her email has stated that payments of 1100 have been paid since November 2012.

I was paying 1300. 300 towards arrears but asked LL last year to drop to £100 towards

Arrears and he said yes.

Her wording was. You should have been paying at least 1300 . As a consequence of this the

Arrears are now mounting.

Do you understand what she means?

[mariner51]

LL thinks you had a binding agreement to clear arrears at £300 / month and lately you have only been paying £100. Was reduction in payment accepted in writing?

 

Don't just talk to LL, ask for copy of her rent statement over arrears period and check LLs figures with your own bank receipts/statements.

 

LL has been generous so far over arrears.

[bub1]

Yes it was agreed in writing.

But how can arrears be mounting when normal rent is being paid and arrears on top?

I haven't not paid the rent.

[bub1]

I keep reading he email and keep coming up with the same question why are arrears

Mounting even with £100 being paid off arrears should be coming down not mounting

up.

I have checked the my payments and they are all correct.

She hasn't said any payments from November last year are missing just that I am

paying £1100 and she says I should be paying at least £1300 with extra towards the

arrears.

Do you think she thinks that the rent is £1300? And just paying £1100 every month is

Putting it £200 a month in arrears and that is where she is getting arrears are mounting

up?

 

My contract says £1000 a month.

 

I have printed her email off and I will get it out and post word for word what she has written

[caro]

I don't think anyone here can answer the question. Do as suggested and ask for a copy of your rent statement. Hopefully it should clear up the misunderstanding.

 

You've done all you can for now. Let us know how you get on and try not to worry,

[bub1]

Email says

 

I am checking your payments and have noticed that you have been paying £1100 since november 2012

When you should have been payin extra to cover the rent arrears it was agreed that you would pay aat

leaast £1300.

As a consequence of this your arrears are mounting up further.

Why have you reverted back to £1100?

 

My agreement with LL in writing was normal rent plus £300 a month.

What can you make of her email?

 

Thanks for all your help so far

[bub1]

The last rent statement I received last august. Rent was up to date and I also got arrears

Statement saying arrears owed august 2012 was £4187.00. So I have done well to get it to

£1887.00.

When I paid arrears I deducted it from £4187.00 that's how I know how much is owing now.

 

 

I will ask for another one though as suggested.

She hasn't said any rent payments are missing though.

 

Thank you for your help I can't help worrying

[renegadeimp]

To me, it sounds like a simple mistake on her part, or shes just a bad book keeper. Your arrears cant continue to accrue if you are up to date with your current rent and are paying off the arrears each month.

[bub1]

Definitely up to date with normal rent payments

That was what her email said word for word.

Her mistake do you think?

 

Thank you again

[renegadeimp]

Wait till monday and ask her how she figures you ar ein arrears, sinc eyou ar eup to date with current rent payments, and are paying off the arrears, as per your agreement direct with the landlord. Remember, they cant add on any charges, so dont let them try that route on you.

[mariner51]

It would appear from recent OP provided info that there was agreement with LL to repay arrears at £300 / month. If thisn had been Court approved, any lower arrears payment could have triggered immediate demand for payment of arrears in full.

I believe there is an accounting principle that all payments received are first set against overall balance ie arrears before due rent.

Unless OP has written confirmation from LL that she accepts the lower £100 repayment of arrears, then his current rent deficit is rising at £200 / month.

 

Don't shoot the messenger, just my opinion.

 

OP still nees current rent statement from LL

[bub1]

Hi it was agreed in writing that I would pay £300 a month towards arrears.

I also have it in writing that I could lower payments of arrears to £100 a month.

 

So both agreements are in writing.

[bub1]

I still dont understand how it can rise when normal rent payments are being paid.

 

I will be in a position to start paying the £300 again in January 2014.

Then by my calulations it should all be finished by June 2014.

[renegadeimp]

Stop worrying. Wait until tomorrow and ask her. SHe has probably made a mistake, which is causing you to worry.

 

The simple fact is, if you have told us the truth here, then there is no way the arrears could increase at all.

[bub1]

Yes, I have told you the truth.

I got all my receipts out this morning and double checked.

£1000 rent plus £100 for arrears from November.

 

I am worrying as mariner51 said they are still mounting.

 

I did email and ask her as soon as I got her email she never came back to me.

 

Have sent 2 more emails over the weekend.

 

I have everything in writing and have printed off the emails.

 

So can I safely say that as long as Normal Rent is being paid (It is) and I am paying off arrears then I can rest easy?

 

Do you think I should still go to the CAB tomorrow to get everything checked just in case?

 

Thanks

[renegadeimp]

stop worrying. SHe has either made a mistake, or is bodging the books. Either way, you can find out tomorrow. Since what you say is true, it is IMPOSSIBLE for the arrears to keep rising, unless she is trying to add on unlawful charges.

[bub1]

Thank you.

 

If I could show you all my receipts and emails agreeing it I would so you would see that I am telling the truth.

 

Funny thing is my son said that she may be trying to fiddle the books.

 

Thank you so much for your help.

[bub1]

I think I am just worried, I am going to lose my home even though I have been paying.

By the calculations I am now under 2 months in arrears with rent for the time I didnt pay.

Even though I have bad health I am going to try and get a job after xmas to help bring the arrears down further.

But don,t know if any company would take me with my health problems and hospital appointments.

 

I did also print off another email from the Landlord when it was first noted that I had got into arrears and he says

I am not going to evict you for a few missing payments, but on the other hand I cannot afford to lose that money so if the rent is being paid each month and the arrears are paid off over a period of time, then there will not be a problem.

 

I would like to thank you all for all of your help so far.

[bub1]

I have just got off the phone to Shelter.

I read them the Email, they cant understand it either. They said unless she is adding on charges that I haven,t been notified about. The arrears should be coming down not going up.

They said see what she comes back with, also anything I pay over my normal rent is arrears, so both are being paid.

 

I will keep you updated.