Although dealing with rent arrears can be tough, you should take action as quickly as possible. If you ignore your arrears, the problem will only get worse, according to advice from Citizens Advice Rural Cambs.

If you have other debts as well as rent arrears, make sure you prioritise paying them in the right order. You can use the Citizens Advice step-by-step guide to find out which debts you should repay first.

Contact your nearest Citizens Advice if your landlord's trying to evict you for not paying rent.

Make sure the amount your landlord says you owe matches your own records. Check bank statements, receipts or rent book.

If you receive benefits that are paid directly to your landlord, check with the district council or Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to find out how much your landlord has been paid.

Once you have all the information at hand, you will need to speak to your landlord and tell them about your situation.

It might help to tell your landlord why you fell behind with your rent, for example if you were unemployed for a while or you are struggling with rising costs.

Then see if you can agree to a repayment plan to pay off your rent arrears.

A repayment plan means you'll make smaller payments to your landlord over a longer period of time. You’ll still have to pay everything back - but it could be easier than paying the full amount in one go.

Don’t offer to pay more than you can realistically afford. You could make the problem worse if you can’t keep up with your payments.

If your landlord agrees to a repayment plan, it’s a good idea to write the plan down and sign it and get your landlord to sign it too if possible, so it’s clear what you’ve both agreed to.

If you’re in rent arrears, your landlord could try to evict you. They might let you stay if you can agree a repayment plan.

Contact your nearest Citizens Advice if you need help making a repayment plan.

If you landlord will not accept smaller payments, carrying on paying as much as you can afford. This could help you at a later date if your landlord decides to take action against you or you need to ask the council for housing support.

Check to see whether you can claim housing benefits and if you are already claiming, you may be able to get money paid directly to your landlord.

More help and advice is available at: www.citizensadvice.org.