Help with utility billsGet year-round help with utility bills by contacting your local Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) office or calling the National Energy Assistance Referral Hotline at .Rental housing counselingHousing counselors can help you find resources in your area and make a plan. Some HUD-approved housing counseling agencies offer low- or no-cost rental housing counseling. Not every housing counselor offers rental housing counseling, so once you’ve found counseling agencies in your area, review the services they offer to make sure that “rental” appears on the list.If you’d like help from a local expert who offers rental housing counseling, call or .Subsidized housing and housing choice vouchersThe U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers programs to help pay rent.In subsidized housing, the government pays apartment owners to offer reduced rents to tenants with low incomes. To apply for subsidized housing, search for a participating subsidized housing community using the HUD map .Housing choice vouchers, also known as Section 8, can pay for all or part of the rent of privately owned housing. The vouchers can be used by families with low incomes, seniors, and people with disabilities. You can use them for privately owned single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments. Find and contact your local public housing agency to learn more about your eligibility for a housing choice voucher.Know your legal rights as a renterYour rights under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)When you owe money for rent or utilities and someone else is trying to collect the money, that person could be a debt collector. If a lawyer is representing your landlord, or a collection agency is trying to collect the back rent or utilities you owe, the lawyer or company may be considered a debt collector under federal law.Federal law says that debt collectors can’t use unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices to try and collect a debt. This means if a debt collector harasses you or makes false or misleading statements to collect rental debt, they may be breaking federal law.If you believe that a debt collector is using an unfair, deceptive, or abusive practice when collecting a debt, you can or call .Errors on your tenant screening reports shouldn’t keep you from finding a new homeNegative rental information, like records of eviction filings or rental payments in debt collection that appear on your credit report, can have a huge impact on your ability to find rental housing. Many landlords use a tenant screening report to help them decide whether to rent to you, and how much to charge you for a security deposit.Legal helpIf your landlord is threatening to evict you, or you need help understanding your rights, talk to a lawyer. You may qualify for free legal aid, based on your income.Contact your local bar association or legal aid, If you have a low income, you may qualify for help paying your phone and internet bills and help paying for heating, cooling, and weatherizing your home., Utilities Assistance Paying your electric, gas, water, or internet bills can be overwhelming, especially after the loss of a job or experiencing a medical emergency. If you are having trouble keeping up with your utilities bills, you are not alone..