A missed rent payment needs attention, but it should begin with a check of the account rather than an assumption about the tenant. A payment may be late, incorrectly allocated or affected by a change in circumstances. Establishing the facts makes the next conversation more useful.
Start with an agreed record
Citizens Advice recommends checking bank statements, receipts and the landlord’s rent statement to establish what is owed. It also highlights that responsibility can differ between joint and separate tenancies, and that an incorrectly imposed rent increase can affect the amount claimed.
For a landlord, a clear schedule should show the date each payment was due, the amount received and the running balance. Invite the tenant to identify discrepancies and keep a record of corrections. Do not mix unrelated charges into a rent balance without a clear explanation of their basis.
Discuss a realistic next step
Citizens Advice advises considering benefits entitlement and the household budget when assessing what can be repaid. A plan that ignores essential living costs is unlikely to resolve the difficulty. Its guidance also explains that eligible people may obtain breathing-space protection through a debt adviser; landlords receiving such a notification should check the restrictions before continuing recovery activity.
A practical written arrangement can distinguish ongoing rent from payments towards the existing balance and set a date to review progress. Record what has actually been agreed, rather than treating a proposed plan as accepted. Signpost independent advice where the tenant needs help assessing options.
Possession is a separate legal process
GOV.UK’s current guidance for England distinguishes assured periodic tenancies from regulated and excluded arrangements. For an assured periodic tenancy it describes a section 8 notice and, if the tenant remains, an application to court. The old article’s suggestion of serving a new section 21 notice is not current guidance.
Do not treat a missed payment as permission to remove someone or change the locks. Before formal action, obtain advice on the tenancy type, applicable ground, notice, evidence and any relevant protections. This article does not calculate eligibility for possession in an individual case.
For owners and agents, the useful discipline is consistent follow-up: an accurate balance, a respectful conversation, recorded decisions and the correct procedure. No referencing process or collection strategy eliminates every risk of arrears.
Sources checked 6 November 2026: https://www.gov.uk/private-renting/rent-arrears https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/rent-arrears/dealing-with-rent-arrears/