Trustpilot
ISO 27001 Certified
Welcome to Simply-Docs
Business
Corporate
Employment
Health & Safety
Samples & Free
Property
Managing Residential Tenancies

Residential Tenancy Rent Arrears and Breaches Templates

A landlord may need to take formal action when a tenant does not comply with the terms of their tenancy agreement. This may include late or unpaid rent, or breaches of other tenancy conditions. Taking early, proportionate action can help landlords resolve issues quickly while protecting the value of their investment. 

Rent Arrears 

Rent arrears should be addressed promptly and in a structured way. Using a clear sequence of written correspondence allows landlords to maintain a record of all attempts to resolve the issue, which later can be relied upon as evidence should the matter proceed to court. 

The Recover Rent Arrears from Residential Tenants Guidance is a crucial document for landlords, setting out the steps that can be taken when a tenant falls into arrears. 

Rent Arrears Template Letters

Landlords can access a range of professionally drafted template letters designed o support a staged and proportionate approach to rent arrears recovery. As a first step, landlords can use reminder to pay letter templates for single or joint tenants. If the tenant fails to respond or the arrears persist, landlords can then issue Letters of Claim for Rent as a follow up. 

Where no response is received and arrears remain unpaid, landlords should consider using  Pre-Action Protocol letters.

Breach of Tenancy Template Letters

Not all issues relate to rent arrears. Where a tenant breaches other terms of the tenancy agreement, landlords can also take a structured approach using written warnings. 

A landlord may issue a First Letter regarding Breach of the Tenancy Agreement, clearly setting out the issue and requesting the tenant remedy the breach. 

If the breach continues, this can be followed by a Second Letter regarding Breach of the Tenancy Agreement, reinforcing the seriousness of the matter and the potential consequences. 

These templates are suitable for England only. 

Landlords can select the appropriate document below depending on the situation and they tenancy type:

Residential Tenancy Rent Arrears and Breaches Templates is part of Property. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Property for 1 year.

Frequently Asked Questions

My tenant is behind on rent, what should I do first? +
Act early and in writing. Send a reminder as soon as the rent is late, keep a clear record of what is owed, and try to agree a way to clear the arrears. A calm, documented approach often resolves it and, if it does not, the paper trail supports a later claim. Use the staged arrears letters rather than jumping straight to possession.
When can I start possession proceedings for rent arrears? +
For the mandatory rent arrears ground, Ground 8, the tenant must owe at least three months' rent both when you serve the section 8 notice and at the hearing, and you give four weeks' notice. Grounds 10 and 11 cover lesser or persistent arrears but are discretionary. Ground 8 does not apply if the arrears are down to a delayed Universal Credit payment the tenant was entitled to.
The tenant has broken another term, not rent, what can I do? +
Deal with it in writing first. A clear letter setting out the breach and asking the tenant to put it right often works and creates a record. If it continues, some breaches support a section 8 ground, though most breach grounds are discretionary, so the court weighs the circumstances. Serious antisocial behaviour has its own grounds. Possession still needs a court order.
Can I evict the tenant myself if the arrears are bad enough? +
No. However large the arrears, you cannot change the locks or force the tenant out. You must serve the correct section 8 notice, then apply to the county court for a possession order, and use court bailiffs to enforce it if needed. Removing a tenant without a court order is a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977.
Property Buy Only £38.50 + VAT!
Unlimited Downloads for One Year
No Auto-Renewal

Related Documents

All Managing Residential Tenancies

Simply-4-Business Ltd Registered in England and Wales No. 4868909, 20 Mortlake High Street, Mortlake, London SW14 8JN

Trustpilot
Top