Council Housing - Current Garage Arrears

Rent payments for all our properties are due in advance. Officers monitor the accounts on a fortnightly basis and will initiate any action necessary to recover arrears. As with rent accounts for houses and flats, all tenants in arrears are expected to pay through Rent Free Weeks.

Where rent arrears rise to an unacceptable level or an account is in arrears for too long, we may decide to repossess the garage.

Unlike houses and flats, we do not have to apply to the courts for a Possession Order.

Should a garage be repossessed and be found to contain goods, the tenant will be contacted and asked to remove them. Should we have to clear the garage, the cost of the clearance along with the cost of a lock change should one have been necessary, will be charged to the former tenant. This is in addition to any arrears outstanding.

Most arrears cases can be dealt with relatively simply provided tenants get in contact early enough. Ignoring the situation can only make matters worse.

Due to the low level of rent compared to a house or flat, some may regard garage rent as low priority. However we have a duty to recover all rent owed to the council to fund the services we provide.

We are also required to maintain overall levels of outstanding rent including garage rent, within limits set by central government.

There may also be a waiting list for garages in your area. Please contact us for more details.

For more information regarding rent arrears and the support and help we can give if you experiencing difficulties, follow this link