Behind on Rent? How Tenants and Landlords Resolve Arrears Before It's Too Late

Missed rent is stressful for everyone involved. For the tenant it can threaten their home; for the landlord it can threaten a mortgage payment or their own income. Most arrears, however, begin with a temporary problem — a job loss, illness, a delayed benefit payment — and most can be resolved if both sides act early.

For tenants: speak up before the first missed payment

• Tell your landlord or agent as soon as you know a payment will be late
• Explain the reason honestly and when you expect it to change
• Offer what you can realistically pay now
• Look for support: many countries offer housing assistance, emergency funds or free debt advice

Silence is the most damaging response. A landlord who hears nothing tends to assume the worst.

For landlords: act quickly, calmly and in writing

• Contact the tenant as soon as a payment is missed
• Ask what has happened before discussing consequences
• Keep a clear rent statement showing amounts due, paid and outstanding
• Follow the formal notice rules that apply where the property is located

How to set up a repayment plan

1. Agree the total arrears using a rent statement both sides can see.
2. Base the plan on real affordability. A plan that fails in the second month helps nobody.
3. Set a fixed extra amount paid alongside the normal rent, with dates.
4. Put it in writing, signed or confirmed by both parties.
5. Agree what happens if a payment is missed — usually a conversation first, not an immediate escalation.
6. Review it if circumstances change.

An example of a fair outcome

In one of our illustrative leasing examples, a landlord reported two months of unpaid rent. The tenant explained a job loss and proposed a repayment plan. The plan was agreed and completed on time, and the arrears were repaid over six months. Both sides kept the tenancy — and the record shows a tenant who communicated and paid back what they owed, not simply "a tenant who fell behind".

When formal action is necessary

If a tenant stops communicating or a plan repeatedly fails, landlords may need to take formal steps. These are tightly regulated in most places, with required notices and waiting periods, and taking shortcuts — changing locks, removing belongings, cutting off utilities — is unlawful in many countries. Get advice before acting.

Why the outcome should be remembered

Traditional records capture the debt but not the context: whether the tenant explained, whether they repaid, whether the landlord was reasonable. On RRSource, a report of arrears sits alongside the response and the Resolution, and a report does not affect an RR Score simply because it was filed. A repaid arrears case shows responsibility, not just a missed payment. Read more about behavioural history.

Tenant protections, notice periods and support schemes vary widely by country. Seek local advice.