Charity warning on rental arrears

HOUSING CHARITY Threshold has warned tenants on tight budgets against falling behind in their rent by overspending at Christmas.

Calls to Threshold almost doubled from December 2007 to January 2008. The vast majority of these calls were from people who had fallen behind in their rent.

The warning comes just days after the Society of St Vincent de Paul said that several of its branches, particularly in urban areas, are running out of money.

Threshold said tenants risk becoming homeless if they do not control their spending over Christmas and failed to budget for bills and rent.

“Many of our clients are people on low incomes or in receipt of rent supplement, and they can find it difficult to meet the extra costs associated with Christmas. But people living in rented accommodation who spend beyond their means at Christmas-time risk falling behind in their rent in January,” Stephen Large of Threshold’s Dublin Advice Centre said.

Last December 1,136 people sought advice from Threshold; the following month that number increased to 2,101. The charity expects an increase in these figures this Christmas.

“Ninety per cent of people who got in touch with Threshold at that time were looking for our help because they had fallen behind in paying their rent. Clearly, there is a correlation between the high costs associated with Christmas and people’s ability to pay their rent in the following months.”

Those on tight incomes should set money aside for bills, particularly heating bills and rent, before calculating how much to spend during Christmas, Mr Large said.

Threshold had seen an increase this year in the numbers of people contacting it because of housing problems directly related to financial difficulties. Mr Large said he realised this Christmas would for many be more difficult than previously and he urged anyone who felt they might be in difficulties to contact Threshold for help.

“Our advisors have years of experience and . . . there is always something that can be done.”