Paying your rent is your most important responsibility with respect to your tenancy. We need your rent to manage and maintain your home. Without the rent paid by our tenants we cannot pay for repairs to your home, pay our staff, maintain our offices or repay the loans we use to build or buy our properties.
How to pay Your Rent and Service Charge
You pay rent on the share of your home that you have not bought. You pay a service charge if this is included in your lease. You must pay your rent and service charge every month, on the first of each month.
Your lease may stipulate that rent and service charge must be paid by Direct Debit but if it doesn’t you can pay your rent and service charge in the following ways:
Direct debit
This is probably the best way to pay your rent. Any changes in the monthly payments can be actioned by us, giving you the peace of mind of knowing that your rent and service charge are paid. We can send you the relevant form to fill out.
Standing order
If you would prefer to pay by standing order, let us know and we can send you a standing order form. However, unlike direct debit, you must let your bank know when your rent and service charge figure changes.
Rent and Service Charge Statements
The statement of your account will show the rent and service charge due each month, and also the payments that you have made. It will also show the amount you have paid in advance, or how much you owe.
Please take some time to check your statement and clear any arrears. You can ask us to send you a statement at any time, or you can get a balance over the phone. (We will ask some security questions first.)
Under the terms of your lease you must pay your rent and service charge on time every month. If you cannot make a payment please contact your Housing Officer straight away. We can then make an arrangement with you to make up the missed payment.
If you do not get in touch with us we will take the following action:
- Write to remind you that a payment is overdue and ask you to contact us.
- Write to warn you that we may contact your mortgage provider if you do not bring your account up to date.
- Tell your mortgage provider that you owe us money . Your mortgage provider will try to contact you but may make a payment on your behalf and add the debt to your mortgage debt.
- Add interest to the amount owed at the rate set out in your lease.
- Begin forfeiture proceedings. This means that our solicitors will apply on our behalf for a court order that will end your lease and take back your home, following an application to the First Tier Tribunal.
If you contact us about any difficulties you are having making payments we can offer advice on your entitlement to benefits, including Housing Benefit. We can also offer basic debt advice or refer you to a specialist debt and benefit advice centre.
If you have a problem paying your rent or service charge, get in touch with us as soon as possible and let us help you sort things out.