Helping landlords help their tenants

Understanding your tenants' unique circumstances and engaging and supporting them effectively can help them through difficult times and can help you deal with your financial commitments too.

With our own involvement as a landlord, we are pleased to share our experiences, helpful information and a range of other sources for you and your tenant(s) in our leaflet for landlords.

National residential landlords association

Many of you will already be members of the National Residential Landlords Association. If you haven’t yet taken advantage of their wide range of resources, it’s a great place to start. Members have full access to a wealth of information and support not only on managing and letting your property, but how to deal with arrears. You can also learn what financial support may be available to your tenants.

Visit nrla.org.uk for more information.

Other support

You may be able to direct your tenants to a number of organisations that can provide financial and emotional support. A full list of organisations can be found below or you download a copy of our leaflet for landlords.

Engaging with tenants - dos and don'ts

Communicating with your tenants in a calm, kind and flexible way could make all the difference in maintaining a healthy relationship. Here are our top tips on how to engage with tenants:

Case study

As landlords ourselves, we have some real world experience in dealing with tenants who are facing a stressful time and who may be seeking help with their rental payments. Through our initiative with Family & Arden Homes LLP, we own a number of refurbished properties in the south east.

We have been actively engaging with our tenants to ensure they are benefiting from the range of help available to them whether they are furloughed, on reduced hours, been made redundant or self employed.

Michelle Goldstein, Senior Property Manager at Family & Arden Homes LLP, explains our approach in our leaflet for landlords.

General government guidance and support

• Your tenants may be able to claim housing benefit. You can find more details here.
  
  
• If you know your tenants are struggling to pay their other bills, Citizen’s Advice offers information found here.
  
  
• Money Helper can offer support with managing money, including steps to take to prepare for if circumstances might change. To find out more, click here.
  
  
• Money Helper also has a budget planner that could help tenants work out essential costs. To find out more, click here. They have also produced a guide to help prioritise debts which can be found here.
  
  
• Other places where you might find useful information at this time include Which? and Money Saving Expert.
  
  
• The Financial Conduct Authority has produced a guide to managing financial difficulties during the rise in the cost of living which you can find here.
  
  
• If your tenants are feeling stressed or worried and need help with their mental health, The Money and Mental Health Institute can direct you to help here.