Courses

Effectively Reducing Rent Arrears

Efficient Rent Collection and Preventative Techniques

Chaired by

Tuesday 28 November, 2017

09:15 - 16:15

Enquire

This course has passed.

Overview

The introduction of Universal Credit has seen an increase in rent arrears. Recent finding have shown 89% of universal credit claimants were in rent arrears*. With a tough economic climate and welfare reform, it is crucial that social housing organisations develop strategies to ensure effective rent collection.

This Effectively Reducing Rent Arrears course showcases innovative techniques to help support tenants, intervene early and make rent payment a priority for tenants, so that your rent arrears are reduced. Featuring examples of digital rent collection, the legalities behind rent enforcement and new approaches, social housing providers can transform services to enable efficient rent collection.

Join housing expert, Eamon McGoldrick and equip your staff with the right skills to pre-empt rent arrears and create preventative techniques to identify and support tenants at risk of rent arrears.

* Key findings of arrears at 30 September 2016, The Universal Credit (UC) report, published by the National Federation of ALMOs (NFA) and the Association of Retained Council Housing (ARCH)

Learning Outcomes

Receive an update on welfare reform including the impact of Universal Credit on rent arrears
Learn from best practice case studies on establishing innovative rent arrears management and prevention strategies
Build digital skills and confidence amongst tenants and use your data to develop effective customer insight strategies
Understand the legalities of rent collection and enforcement to ensure compliance
Ensure that your rent arrears management strategy is digitally, ethically and legally robust

In-House Option

Hello

Agenda

Collapse all

09:15 - 09:45

Registration

09:45 - 10:00

Chair’s Introduction & Clarification of Learning Objectives

10:00 - 11:00

Welfare Reform and the Impact on Rent Arrears

The relationship between Universal Credit and Debt
Implementation of Universal Credit and the wider challenges of welfare reform
The impact of the amalgamation of benefits on vulnerable claimants and methods to prevent rent arrears

11:00 - 11:45

Effectively Managing Welfare Reform Influences on Rent Arrears

Discover the early challenges posed by welfare reforms and how they have been overcome
Manage your organisation’s transition to Universal Credit
Prepare tenants for the way universal credit is paid so they can budget their money
Create a plan to adapt your referral system

11:45 - 12:00

Morning Break

12:00 - 13:00

Understanding the Legalities of Rent Collection and Enforcement

Follow the pre-action protocol and the procedure if the tenant is vulnerable
Use a section 8 possession notice to regain possession of a property
Look at the insolvent tenant and debt relief orders
Utilise the court system to the best advantage in rent arrears cases

13:00 - 14:00

Lunch

14:00 - 14:45

Creating New Approaches to Tackling Rent Arrears

Engage staff to be performance driven and create a whole organisational approach
Utilise digital channels to make rent collection more efficient and target non-payments
Embrace mobile technology to improve the customer experience and increase workforce efficiency
Develop innovative approaches to support residents managing their rent payments

14:45 - 15:00

Afternoon Break

15:00 - 16:00

Workshop: Developing an Effective Rent Arrears Management Strategy

Ensure that your strategy is digitally, ethically and legally robust
Develop an action plan to take back to your organisation that incorporates customer insight techniques
Establish partnerships that can improve rent arrears reduction
Support your teams in their ability to handle rent arrears

16:00 - 16:15