Rent arrears owed by council tenants in Derby have significantly reduced during the past year.  Derby Homes has recently announced that current arrears are the lowest they have been since March 1999.  The number of tenants in arrears has fallen from 3,833 tenants owing £827,655 in March 2005 to 3,266 tenants owing £730,000 in 2006.  This is the lowest number of tenants that have been in arrears in the past 15 years.
 
Derby Homes, the organisation that manages, maintains and improves council housing in the city makes immediate contact with tenants owing two or more weeks rent.  In 2005, additional rent payment methods for tenants were also introduced including paying by Direct Debit, Pay Point, the Internet and by Touch Tone Telephone.
 
Confidential advice is available through local housing offices. Specialist debt and benefit advice is also available from Money Advisers and staff of Derby Benefits.
 
A further incentive for Derby Homes' tenants to pay rent is that those with a clear rent account can enter a bi-annual competition to win a top prize of £1,000 or two second prizes of £500.
 
Phil Davies Chief Executive of Derby Homes said "I am really pleased with this result. A lot of hard work is put into collecting rent - we have Arrears Officers monitoring all arrears cases. They work closely with local staff and specialist advisers to prevent arrears becoming a serious problem. My advice to any tenant who has a problem with their rent is to speak to us, we're here to help."
 
Dennis Rees Chair of Derby Homes said " Most tenants pay their rent and do not have arrears. Well done to the 10,800 tenants with a clear rent account. They should be proud of this.  The rent pays for the repairs and local services provided to tenants and their families."

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