Rent Arrears — What UK Landlords Should Do, Step by Step

Most rent arrears are resolved without ever going near a court — but only when the landlord acts early and keeps a proper paper trail. Here is the process that works.

Days 3 to 7 — the polite reminder

Contact the tenant in writing as soon as rent is a few days late. Keep it friendly: payments genuinely do go astray, and jobs genuinely are lost. The goal at this stage is information — is this an oversight, a temporary problem, or the start of something longer term? A tenant who feels able to talk to you is far more likely to prioritise your rent.

Day 14 — the formal demand

If the arrears remain, send a formal letter stating the exact amount outstanding, the period it covers, and a seven day deadline to pay or make contact. Offer a payment plan explicitly — a tenant repaying something on top of normal rent is a far better outcome than a void period, re-letting costs and an unrecoverable debt.

The payment plan

If the tenant engages, put the plan in writing: the instalment amount, the schedule, and the condition that ongoing rent continues in full. Crucially, the agreement should preserve your rights — if the plan is broken, you proceed immediately. A written plan also shows a court you acted reasonably.

Days 21 to 28 — final notice before action

If there is no engagement, send a final letter before action making clear that a Section 8 notice will follow. Many tenants who ignored the first two letters respond to this one, because the consequences — court fees added to the debt and a CCJ on their credit record — become concrete.

Section 8 and Ground 8

Once arrears reach two months (or eight weeks for weekly tenancies), Ground 8 applies. It is a mandatory ground: if the arrears are at that level both at service of the notice and at the hearing, the court must grant possession. Pair it with discretionary Grounds 10 and 11 so the claim survives even if the tenant pays the arrears down slightly before the hearing.

Keep records of everything

Date-stamped copies of every letter, a record of how each was served, a rent statement and any messages from the tenant. Arrears cases are won on paperwork.