Don't bury your head in the sand
Rent arrears won't go away if you ignore them. If you're having problems paying your rent, you need to do something about it as soon as possible, before the problem gets any worse. If your landlord writes to you about the arrears, don't throw the letters away, as they will be useful to show to an adviser.
Make your rent your top priority
If you don't pay your rent, you may lose your home. Therefore it's really important to prioritise your rent over all other debts, even energy bills and council tax.
Get a benefit check
Are you getting all the benefits and tax credits you should be? You could be entitled to housing benefit, to help pay your rent, and you may even be able to get your claim backdated. If you're already claiming housing benefit but it doesn't cover all your rent, you can ask for a discretionary payment to cover the shortfall. If your rent arrears are caused by delays to your housing benefit, make sure your landlord knows this, and ask an adviser to help you sort things out.
Work out a budget
If you don't want to get evicted, you'll need to find a way to get your rent payments back on track and pay back the arrears. Start by working out a budget, and see if there's any way you can increase your income. Can you cut back on spending, or get a better deal on your insurance or energy bills? Next, see how much you can afford to put towards your arrears. You don't need to do this on your own – a debt adviser can help you work this out.
Talk to your landlord
If you can't make your rent payments, let your landlord know. Don't wait for them to come to you. Show them your budget, and explain how you can pay back the arrears – although don't promise to make higher payments than you can afford. Even if you can't afford your full rent payments, show your landlord that you're willing to pay as much as you can. In some cases, you may be able to arrange to pay off your arrears through deductions to your benefits, or apply for a debt payment programme.
Get advice
If you're having problems, talk to an adviser at a Citizens Advice Bureau or money advice centre, or call Shelter on 0808 800 4444. You can use our Advice Services Directory to find help near you. An adviser can help you work out a budget, claim benefits and negotiate with your landlord. If your landlord is threatening to take you to court to evict you, an adviser may be able to prevent things going that far, or help you find a solicitor to represent you in court.
What if my landlord's already started eviction proceedings?
If you have built up rent arrears, your landlord may take action to evict you. However, your landlord can't just throw you out of your home overnight. They have to follow a process, which is set out by the law. In most cases, your landlord will have to get an eviction order from the sheriff court.
The process your landlord must use will differ depending on what kind of tenancy you have. Use our tenancy checker to find this out, then follow the links to the eviction section to find out more.
If your landlord sends you a notice to quit or tells you to leave, or if you have to go to court, get in touch with an adviser straightaway. An adviser may be able to help you delay or prevent the eviction.
Our section on eviction has lots more information and advice.
Get advice locally
If you need to talk to someone face-to-face, contact an advice centre in your area.
Use the Advice Services Directory to find help. 
Essential links
Downloads
Page last updated November 23, 2011
© Shelter 2011
Charity number 263710 (England & Wales); SC002327 (Scotland)
6 South Charlotte Street Edinburgh EH2 4AW