Former tenant arrears: frequently asked questions

What are former tenant arrears?

If you stop being a Futures customer and you still owe us money, we will not write off the debt.

We call these debts ‘former tenant arrears’.

If you are struggling to pay, we can give you help and advice with your finances and work together to agree a payment plan

If you choose not to pay us, we will attempt to recover what you owe us through more formal routes which could include legal action.

How can I make sure I have no arrears when I leave?

When you decide to leave your property you must give us four weeks’ notice in writing (rent is still due for these four weeks). If you leave before this time you will be charged rent for the whole four-week notice period.

If you claim Universal Credit, you need to tell the benefits office the date you intend to leave the property. If you leave the property before the end of the four-week notice period, you will receive your Housing Benefit only up to the date you moved out. You will have to pay the difference up to the end of the tenancy.

What happens if a family member passes away?

You must tell us of the death and the date when you intend to return the keys. We will send you an end of tenancy form. You must fill this in this and send it back to us with a copy of the death certificate. The tenancy will end on the following Monday after the keys have been returned.

Please note that benefits will end within a week of the tenant’s death. We will continue to charge rent and other service charges for the property until the keys are returned.

If I have arrears already, how do I arrange to pay them?

You can arrange to pay any arrears you may have by contacting our Customer Services team on 0300 456 4531 or by email: enquiries@futureshg.co.uk.

If you are having money problems, please get in touch with our Money Advice team. They can offer help and support with managing your finances.

What action can we take to recover former tenant arrears?

If you owe Futures money when you move out (for example, unpaid rent) and do not give us your new address, we may use a tracing agency to find you.

Once we have found you, we will give you the chance to pay what you owe to clear the arrears on your account.

If you refuse to pay, we will pass your details to a debt collection agency or take court action to recover the debt. This may lead to extra legal costs for you which will increase the amount you owe us.