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Overview

The introduction of Universal Credit has seen an increase in rent arrears. The Department for Work and Pensions has launched an inquiry into the true level of rent arrears for tenants, what is causing them, and any impacts Universal Credit may be having.

With a tough economic climate and with the continued roll-out of Universal Credit, it is crucial that housing associations develop strategies to ensure effective rent collection.

This Effectively Reducing Rent Arrears course gives you innovative techniques to increase rent collection through early intervention and ensuring that tenants are supported to make rent payment a priority. Learn from award winning housing associations about new approaches to rent collection including the use of digital channels. Take part in interactive sessions which explore the legalities behind rent enforcement and new approaches.

This one day interactive course is a chance to discuss issues in a informal, supportive environment and have your questions answered.

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

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Learning Outcomes

  • Learn from best practice case studies on establishing innovative rent arrears management and prevention strategies
  • Gain knowledge to help your organisation manage the transition to Universal Credit
  • 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

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Agenda

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09:15 - 09:45

Registration

09:45 - 10:00

Chair’s Introduction & Clarification of Learning Objectives

10:00 - 10:45

Welfare Reform and the Impact on Rent Arrears

  • Evaluate the impact of the benefit cap
  • Implementation of universal credit and the wider challenges of welfare reform
  • Determine the impact of the amalgamation of benefits on vulnerable claimants and methods to prevent rent arrears
10:45 - 11:30

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

Sanctuary Housing were a pilot site for the introduction of Universal Credit

11.30 - 11.45

Morning Break

11:45 - 12:30

Preventative Strategies and Tenant Support to Reduce Rent Arrears

  • Increase and improve IT literacy of tenants to help build skills and confidence so they can manage rent effectively
  • Identify those who are more at risk to financial vulnerability and debt through effective data usage and customer insight
  • Provide financial inclusion support to tenants in order to prevent arrears
  • Promote a rent payment culture and ensuring rent is seen as a priority
  • Effective pre-tenancy work and affordability checks to pre-empt any potential issues

 

12:30 - 13:15

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
13.15 - 14.15

Lunch

14:15 - 15:00

Creating New Approaches to Tackling Rent Arrears

  • Develop a culture to harvest the potential of employees and optimise performance
  • Utilise automation to make rent collection and support more efficient and target non-payments
  • Embrace mobile technology to improve customer experience and increase workforce efficiency
  • Develop innovative approaches to empower employees and ensure services deliver ongoing efficiencies
  • Continually evolve to future-proof service delivery to meet the changing needs of customers
  • Performance summary – what has the approach meant for WDH?

WDH were winner of Outstanding Approach to Income Management at UK Housing Awards 2017

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

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