I am £250 in arrears with my rent because my HB is paid direct to Landlord- and nobody has told me (or I have forgotten) than my rent has gone up and my HB has gone down.

[colditz]

I've been defaulting by £10 a week and I only just found out when I opened my Quarterly statement from the housing association.

What the hell do I do?

Offer to pay what you can immediately then arrange instalments for the rest.

That's really incompetent of them. They should have let you know.

Phone them up, explain and offer to pay it back at a couple of quid a week. They're a housing association, I'm sure they'll accept that.

op says she has forgotten

so pay it back in small amounts?

I agree with all above. HAs can be very understanding in these circumstances (I speak from experience) but why didn't the Council let you know that your HB was being reduced. I think you should speak to someone there and maybe put in a complaint if they didn't let you know.

She didn't say she had forgotten. She said that nobody had told her or she had forgotten. I took that to mean that she had no memory of ever having been told. Now, I can't imagine anyone forgetting that they've been written to about a rent increase and decrease in HB, cos that's not really the sort of thing that slips your mind! That's the sort of thing that makes you go 'oh shitty shit shit shit!' and kind of sticks in your mind! I think it is far more likely that she has not been notified.

anyway, it doesn't matter which it is I suppose. All that matters is making an arrangement to pay it.

This happened to my SIL. She simply 'phoned the HA and they agreed to let her pay it off at a couple of pounds a week. (It was a pain though. It's not as if she had the few extra pounds to spare!)