Customers urged to ‘kiss goodbye’ to debts this Christmas
Sheffield Homes customers are being urged to make sure they kiss goodbye to their debts this festive season.
A new campaign which features a customer under a sprig of mistletoe, with the slogan ‘kiss your debts goodbye this christmas’ highlights the need for customers to keep up with rent payments during the traditional two rent free weeks which run from Monday 24th December and Monday 31st December and take advantage of the opportunity to clear or significantly reduce arrears. It also urges any customers who are in financial difficulties to get in touch with Sheffield Homes to discuss a realistic payment plan.
Janet Parry, Director of Housing Management, Sheffield Homes explains: “While we understand that Christmas can be a very demanding time of year financially with lots of presents to buy and shopping to do, we want to stress to those customers in arrears the importance of continuing to make rent payments and the potential consequences of not doing so.”
“Our staff are available to give advice and assistance and to make realistic and affordable payment arrangements. However we will move swiftly to recover rent from those who can afford to pay and do not, which may ultimately lead to re-possession of their home.”
Every tenant in arrears will be contacted and reminded to continue making payments over the Christmas period. Tenants will receive a leaflet which tells them about how they can make rent payments and advice to get in touch if they are having money problems.
They are also reminded to continue their payments for the two rent free weeks over Christmas, so any amount received will be deducted in full from any rent arrears.
Sheffield Homes is using a variety of ways to get the message across, including eye-catching adverts on buses, leaflets and poster and advertising on the website.
At the same time Sheffield Homes is busy improving the services it can offer customers who are having financial difficulties. For example
- Working with Credit Unions and other agencies that provide help with benefits and debt advice.
- Working with the Council’s Homeless Officers to try and prevent evictions due to rent arrears.
- Liberata Benefits staff are now based within the Sheffield Homes rents team to help customers with their Council benefit claims