This guidance reflects the Renters' Rights Act 2025, in force from 1 May 2026. What has changed?
A structured guidance framework for handling rent arrears situations in the private rental sector of England and Wales.
Rent arrears are one of the most common issues in the private rental sector. When there is no clear process for managing them, situations escalate — causing uncertainty for tenants and financial loss for landlords.
The Rent Arrears Framework sets out a clear, stage-based process for handling arrears situations. It defines responsibilities, standards for communication and documentation, and the legal thresholds relevant to formal escalation in England and Wales.
The framework is a public interest initiative. It is not a commercial service, a legal firm, or an enforcement body.
Use the framework as a reference standard for managing arrears situations consistently and in accordance with current law.
Landlord guidance →Understand what to expect if arrears arise, what your obligations are, and what options are available to you.
Tenant guidance →Housing advisers, local authorities, and legal professionals may reference the framework when advising parties in an arrears situation.
About the framework →The framework organises arrears situations into six stages. Each stage reflects a meaningful point in the process, with clear guidance on what action is appropriate.
The Rent Arrears Framework is an independent, not-for-profit guidance initiative. It does not operate commercially and does not provide collections, enforcement, or legal services.
Organisations working in rent arrears handling may choose to adopt the framework and follow its standards. One such organisation is The Tenant Arrears Collections Office (TACO), which assists landlords with structured arrears recovery and, where necessary, county court claims. TACO operates in accordance with the framework's principles and stages. The framework itself remains independent of any individual organisation that follows it.