Getting behind with the rent or facing other housing problems can lead to a court summons.
If this happens to you, or someone you know, there are 2 basic rules: 1) do attend at the required time and place, and 2) do get advice on how to present your case.
Following these rules doesn’t guarantee a good outcome but gives you a better chance. It could even mean keeping rather than losing your home.
Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead offers an advice and support service on the first and third Friday of each month at Crawley Magistrates Court* where local housing cases often take place.
We recommend that all tenants facing a possession order (at risk of losing their home) speak to us before attending court. Often we can help tenants agree an affordable repayment plan that leads to the possession order being suspended.
Even if the tenant can’t come to see us before the hearing our advisers can still help at court on the day.
Even at that stage we can often help tenants reach an agreement with the landlord. Many landlords are keen to do this because a repayment schedule means rent payments begin again with the authority of the court.
*Officially ‘The Guildford County Court sitting at Crawley Magistrates Court’