What to do if…
your rent or mortgage payment is marked unpaid even though you have proof it was sent

What to do now

1. Make a simple proof bundle.
   Put these in one clearly labelled folder or PDF:

   • the bank statement line showing the payment date, amount, and payee details;
   • any banking confirmation, receipt, transaction reference, or screenshot;
   • the reference you used, such as rent account number, tenancy reference, or mortgage account number;
   • any portal screenshot showing “paid”, “processing”, a confirmation number, or the date and time.

2. Send a short written trace request today.
   Email or message the landlord, letting agent, rent account team, or mortgage lender. Say:

   • “Payment sent on [date/time], amount £[amount], reference [reference]. Proof attached.”
   • “Please search incoming payments by amount, date, name, and reference, and correct my rent ledger or mortgage payment history.”
   • “Please pause late fees, arrears action, credit-file reporting if applicable, or escalation while this payment is traced.”

3. Ask your bank what happened to the payment.
   Contact your bank and ask:

   • whether the payment is completed, pending, rejected, returned, or still processing;
   • what sort code, account number, payee name, amount, date, and reference were used;
   • what transaction identifier, Faster Payments reference, or trace information they can give you;
   • what recovery or tracing options apply for that payment type.

4. Check for the most common mismatch causes.

   • Wrong or missing reference: ask the recipient to search by amount, date, payer name, and bank account, then reallocate the payment to your account.
   • Wrong recipient details: compare the details you used with trusted paperwork, your lender’s official app or website, or a previous verified statement.
   • Portal or processing delay: ask for a manual account check, not just the automated portal status.

5. Ask for the account record to be corrected.
   For rent, ask for an updated rent account statement or ledger showing the payment once found. For a mortgage, ask for the payment history to be corrected and for any missed-payment marker or charge caused by the tracing error to be reviewed.

6. Use the Direct Debit route only if the payment was a Direct Debit.
   If the organisation collected the wrong amount, collected on the wrong date, or collected after cancellation, contact your bank or building society promptly and ask about the Direct Debit Guarantee. Keep the rent or mortgage side updated so a refund does not create a separate unpaid balance.

7. Treat possible payment redirection as urgent.
   If you may have been tricked into paying the wrong account, contact your bank’s fraud team immediately. Ask what recovery, scam-claim, or reimbursement routes may apply, then report the fraud through the UK police reporting route.

8. Get advice if a formal notice or court paper arrives.
   Do not ignore it, even if the missed payment is an error. Keep your proof bundle, the bank’s response, and all written messages together, and get urgent housing, debt, or mortgage advice for where you live.