How can mediation help with rent arrears?

As the cost of living crisis continues to bite, many landlords are becoming increasingly worried about tenants falling behind with their rent, particularly as their own costs are also on the rise.

But what can landlords do if their tenants fall into arrears? In their recent article on what to do if your tenant can’t pay the rent , Total Landlord offer lots of advice on how to prevent tenants from falling into arrears in the first place, as well as seven key steps to take when a tenant stops paying rent.

One of these is mediation, which can be a very helpful option when trying to negotiate with a tenant who’s fallen into arrears. An independent, professional mediator can help diffuse any conflict and prevent the problem from escalating, resolving the issue as quickly and cost-effectively as possible, often without the need to go to court.

In this video, Mike Morgan explains how the Property Redress Scheme’s Tenancy Mediation Service can be of benefit to your landlords.

“Our mediators bring common sense and expertise to resolve issues with rent arrears as quickly as possible. Once tenants realise we’re not just on the landlord’s side, they’re usually happy to work with us and we typically reach an agreement in 10 to 15 working days. While court cases can easily take up to a year and cost the landlord an average of £3,000 – not counting lost rent – we can reach agreements and often mend relationships between landlords and tenants in a matter of days.”

– Mike Morgan, Legal Division Manager, HF Assist and Mediation, HFIS group

For more information on how landlords and agents can help prevent rent arrears and what to do if tenants can’t pay the rent - including a case study explaining how the Property Redress Scheme’s Tenancy Mediation Service helped a landlord resolve a case involving six months’ rent arrears in just two days - read Total Landlord’s new guide here.