Bermuda Housing Corporation is still working with delinquent tenants to make arrangements to avoid evictions, The Royal Gazette was told yesterday.

While the quango has two warrants for eviction slated for execution today, rentals manager Wendy Bassett said these represent situations which have sadly developed into 'worst case scenarios'.

The two tenants slated for eviction today owe a total of $41,689.76 in rental arrears, she said.

Both tenants have been renting through BHC's low cost housing programme for a number of years - in which rents range between $400 and $1,400 depending on size and the number of bedrooms.

"In one of these cases, we have had possession awarded to BHC since January 2001," Ms Bassett added.

"During that time we have not acted on it in order to give the people the opportunity to get on a payment plan and keep on it, so they don't end up going through this.

"The warrant was not executed but the arrears have been escalating."

BHC is willing to develop plans to address arrears with tenants who run into financial hardship but communication and meeting agreed commitments is key to keeping these agreements alive, she said.

"Before we make any application for possession, we go to the person and send a reminder of arrears notice," Ms Bassett said.

"Then a notice to quit with a date is sent out.

"Once that is executed, if payment is not made or, a payment plan agreed to, we will make application to the court for possession."

On Friday, BHC will be asking for possession orders for another 11 properties, Ms Bassett added.

"The total debt between these eleven is $96,303," she said. "We're being a little lenient here considering the rents." One is a three-bedroom unit renting for just $1,035.

But inability to pay even small BHC rents is sadly beyond the capacity of some single mothers, Velories Figures of the Coalition for the Protection of Children said this week.

"Sometimes, women find themselves in serious arrears situations because child support promised from fathers does not materialise," she said.

"They might receive one small payment after the court orders it and then receive nothing for months on end."

Ms Figures said the Coalition had received one phone call from a woman who feared she would be out on the street due to her BHC arrears.

"She just told me she is going to pray about it," Ms Figures said. "What kind of a society do we live in that would put out a single mother?"

But even individuals in the most dire arrears situations can still save their residences, Ms Bassett said, if they maintain contact with BHC.

The quango's phones have been ringing steadily since news of impending evictions hit the airwaves on Monday.

"People are asking to make payments or start payment plans to try and clear up their debts," she said.

BHC will work with tenants whenever possible and just two months ago halted an eviction order long in the works, she added, when the tenant demonstrated they would begin paying on arrears.

"We started receiving payments every week and have rescinded application for possession as a result.

"It is not the first time things like this have happened. We've started proceedings and then withdrawn the application because the individual has agreed to start deductions from their pay packet," Ms Bassett said. "Before (the threat of eviction), they didn't want to agree to that."

Sometimes as little as $25 per week toward the debt is acceptable, she added.

"There is always an opportunity and there are always more chances," Ms Bassett said. "If you can't make payments, call us and let us know.

"When there is no contact, that's when these agreements break down and that's when we are forced to go to the next step."

While BHC regrets having to go to the courts at all, Ms Bassett said she was encouraged that people have started coming forward to address their arrears.

But, she also pointed out, only a small portion of the 584 rental agreements BHC deals with develop problems with arrears.

"It really is only a small portion of tenants," she said.