Private Tenants: Helping you to keep your home and where to get advice

Are you able to increase your regular weekly income or obtain a one-off extra sum of money? This could help pay your rent and arrears.

The checklist below contains some suggestions - remember there could be other possibilities and you can discuss all of these with one of the free money advice agencies or citizen advice bureaux listed under 'where to turn'. Checklist:

• Are you receiving all the welfare benefits, or the correct levels of welfare benefits, you are entitled to?
• Do you have any insurance policies you might be able to claim on? For example payment protection insurance, or loss of earnings insurance? Remember even if these policies have been declined it might still be possible to get them to pay out.
• If you are not working, can you or any partner get a part-time job? If you work for 16 hours or more per week you may be eligible for Working Tax Credits which could substantially increase your income. Support might be available to help you re-train for work and develop new skills.
• If you have children and are separated are you getting all the maintenance you are entitled to?
• Are you paying too much tax? (including income tax and council tax)
• Do you own anything you could sell to raise some cash? (don't sell something you owe money on)
• If you have a spare room, can you take in a lodger? (ask your landlord for permission first)
• Have you had credit card or bank charges applied to your account(s)? Your advisor might be able to reclaim these on hardship grounds.
• Has your landlord charged you for something in addition to your rent and deposit, for example, a charge for preparing an inventory or getting references before you were granted a lease? Your advisor may be able to reclaim these costs for you.
• If you are a student, can you get a larger student loan or an emergency payment? 

Free help with all of these possibilities to increase your income is available from the free money advice agencies and citizen advice bureaux listed under 'where to turn'.