Rent arrears letter template

A rent arrears letter tells your tenant, in writing and without threats, how much rent is unpaid, which payments it relates to, and how to put it right. Send it as soon as a payment is missed. It starts a paper trail, gives the tenant a chance to explain, and comes before any Section 8 notice.

When to send a letter to a tenant about rent arrears

Send the first letter when a rent payment is missed or paid short, once you've checked your bank records. Writing early keeps the amount small and gives you a dated record.

Before you send it:

1. Check the figures. Prepare a rent statement: each date rent was due, each payment received, and the running balance. Our rent arrears calculator can help.
2. Check for a breathing space. If you've been told the tenant is in a Debt Respite Scheme breathing space, don't send this letter. You must not contact them about the debt while it lasts.
3. Check your address for service. Under section 48 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987, rent is treated as not due until you've given the tenant an address in England or Wales for serving notices on you. The template includes it.

This template is for England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different law.

Rent arrears letter template

Copy the text, replace everything in square brackets, and delete any optional paragraph you don't need.

[Your full name]
[Your address in England or Wales for serving notices]
[Your phone number] | [Your email]

[Date]

To: [Full name of every tenant named on the tenancy agreement]
[Property address]

Dear [Tenant names],

Rent arrears at [property address]

My records show that the rent due on [date(s) rent was due] has not been
paid in full. On [date] the total unpaid rent is £[total arrears].
I enclose a statement showing each rent payment due, each payment
received and the running balance.

If you have already paid, please send me the date and amount of the
payment so I can check my records.

If you are having difficulty paying, please contact me by [date] on
[phone number] or [email]. I would like to agree a way forward with you.
We may be able to agree a repayment plan alongside your normal rent.

[Optional: If you receive, or have applied for, Universal Credit or
Housing Benefit, please let me know, including the date of any
payment you are waiting for.]

You can pay the arrears to [account name], sort code [sort code],
account number [account number], using the reference [reference].
Your normal rent of £[rent] remains due on [rent day].

Free, independent advice about rent and money problems is available
from organisations such as Shelter and Citizens Advice.

My address for serving notices on me is: [address in England or Wales].

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]
[Landlord / agent for the landlord]

Enclosed: rent statement to [date]

How to fill in the template

• Name every tenant. On a joint tenancy, address the letter to all tenants and give each a copy. All joint tenants are responsible for the rent.
• Use exact dates and amounts. Match the figures to your rent statement. Count only rent that is lawfully due, not unrelated charges unless the tenancy makes them part of the rent.
• Give a realistic reply date. Choose a date that gives the tenant time to respond, and diary it.
• Keep it short. One page plus the statement is enough.
• Keep a copy of the letter, the statement, and a record of how and when you sent it.

What not to say in a rent arrears letter

A letter that pressures or frightens a tenant can do more harm than good, and some things are unlawful.

• No threats. Don't threaten to change the locks, turn up at the property, or remove the tenant. Unlawful eviction and harassment are criminal offences, and a council can instead impose a civil penalty of up to £40,000.
• Don't tell the tenant to leave. Only a court can end the tenancy. A letter that reads like a possession notice when it isn't Form 3A risks a penalty of up to £7,000.
• Don't add someone else's arrears. Arrears from a previous tenancy or a previous tenant don't count towards the arrears grounds.
• Don't include an increase that wasn't made properly. Rent from an unlawful rent increase may not be lawfully due.

If you plan to serve a Section 8 notice later, it's fine to say so plainly and calmly, for example: "If we can't agree a way to clear the arrears, I may need to serve a notice under section 8 of the Housing Act 1988." State it as a fact, not a threat.

If the arrears keep growing

If the letter doesn't resolve things, the next steps are:

Step	When it fits
Payment plan	The tenant engages and can pay something on top of the rent
Section 8 notice on Grounds 8, 10 and 11	Arrears continue. Ground 8 needs at least 3 months' rent (monthly) or 13 weeks' rent (weekly or fortnightly) unpaid when you serve and at the hearing
Letter before claim	You want to claim the debt in court, for example after the tenant has left

Ground 8 is mandatory, but if the arrears drop below the threshold by the hearing, it fails. That's why it's standard practice to rely on Grounds 10 and 11 alongside it. Read what to do when a tenant isn't paying rent for the full process, and our guide to breathing space if the tenant has debt advice.

What to do next

• If the arrears have reached the point where you need to serve notice, our Section 8 builder helps you pick the grounds, calculates every date and fills in Form 3A.
• Browse the other landlord letter templates, including the payment plan agreement.