Help to pay rent in advance
This content applies to Scotland only.
Housing laws vary between Scotland and England. Get advice relating to England
Most private landlords ask new tenants to pay rent in advance. This page explains what rent in advance is for and what to do if you cannot afford to pay it.
What is rent in advance?
Rent is money paid by tenants to landlords in return for living in their accommodation. It is normally paid weekly or monthly, although it can be paid for other periods (such as four-weekly or quarterly). The rent becomes due on the first day of each period of the tenancy (ie the first day of the week if you pay weekly, or the first day of the month if you pay monthly).
When tenancies start, landlords often ask for the first month or week's rent to be paid before it becomes due. This is known as rent in advance.
If you pay rent in advance, make sure you get a receipt to show the amount you have paid. Check with your landlord when the next rent payment is due.
What happens if I'm claiming housing benefit?
If you are going to claim housing benefit to help pay your rent, it will be paid four weeks in arrears. This means that you will be behind with your rent from the start. There may also be a delay while your housing benefit claim is assessed. Sometimes landlords are willing to wait for the rent but if not, you will need to raise the money yourself to pay the rent until your housing benefit comes through.
If you are making a new claim for housing benefit and you have provided the council with all the information it needs, you can ask for a payment on account to be made after 14 days. This is likely to be less than the rent you owe but it may help you if you are having problems with your landlord. Get advice from Citizens Advice or other welfare rights agency if you are having problems claiming a payment in advance.
What if I can't afford to pay rent in advance?
If you are on benefits and you can't afford to pay rent in advance, you could apply for a loan from the social fund. The social fund does not have to give you a loan and it will depend on your circumstances whether you get one or not. If you are given a loan you will have to pay it back. This is usually done by deducting a fixed amount from your benefits each week.
There are two different types of interest-free loan that could help you pay rent in advance:
Which kind you are most likely to get will depend on your situation.
If you need help applying for a loan, get advice from a Shelter advice centre, Citizens Advice or other local advice centre. Use the Advice Services Directory to find agencies in your area.
Can a rent deposit scheme help me?
If there is a rent deposit or guarantee scheme operating in your area, you may also be able to get help paying rent in advance there.
