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- Rent and service charges
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Every Monday we make a weekly rent charge for the home you live in. Rent is charged for 52 weeks of the year – there are no rent free weeks.
As well as your rent, you must also pay us a weekly service charge. If you live in sheltered accommodation and receive support, you also pay a support charge.
What your rent and service charges pay for
Your rent pays for the use and occupation of your home. It pays for improvements to our customers’ homes (such as central heating and double glazed windows) and for the housing management service you receive.
The service charge pays for estate services such as cleaning, grounds maintenance, estate lighting, and door entry systems. We give a detailed breakdown of these charges to all customers every year, but you can also request a copy at any time.
When to pay your rent
Your assured tenancy is a weekly periodic tenancy, so the rent is due every Monday. Paying your rent on time is a condition of your tenancy. You can pay your rent fortnightly or monthly if it is easier for you, but it must be paid in advance.
The easiest way to make sure your rent is always paid on time is to pay by direct debit.
If you pay monthly, the correct way to calculate your payments is by multiplying the weekly rent by 52 weeks, and dividing the total by 12 months.
Some years have 53 rent weeks (if there are 53 Mondays in that year). When this happens, you should work out your monthly payments by multiplying 53 weeks instead of 52.
Changes in your rent and service charges
We usually change the rent and other charges every April. By law, we must tell you in writing at least 4 weeks before the rent is due to change. This document is called a section 13 notice.
Service charges are also changed each year. We will write to you in February or March telling you what the cost will be from April, and include a breakdown of the service charges.
Rent statements
You will receive a rent statement every 3 months. This will show you what you have been charged, what’s been paid, and the balance on the account.
Always check your rent statement when you receive it as this can help highlight any problems at an early stage.
If you feel there is a problem with your statement, or you have any other questions about it, please call us on 0808 2027728.
Statements are also available on request, you can ask us for a copy at any time.