Your rent and charges

Paying your rent

Your rent is payable in advance, and is due for payment on the first day of each month. Your rent covers:

• the cost of providing the building
• the cost of maintaining the property
• our management costs.

Ways to pay your rent

Your rent will be reviewed once every year and we will give you at least one month’s notice of any changes. The date of your rent review depends on the type of tenancy you have.

If you are a secure tenant you have the right to a registered (or 'fair') rent as set by The Rent Service. We will apply for a new rent register for your property every two years, and The Rent Service will set the maximum rent payable for the next two years. Your rent will be reviewed every 12 months, and we will not increase your rent more than once each year.

Read our Rent policy 

Service charges

In addition to your rent some properties have a charge for services provided to your home that are not covered by your rent. These may be things like:

• communal heating and lighting
• cleaning communal areas
• landscape maintenance
• sewage treatment plant and pumping station.

All service charges are detailed on your tenancy agreement. Your service charge will also be reviewed every year and we will give you at least one month’s notice of any changes.

Difficulties paying your rent

It is very important that you pay your rent. If you miss a rent payment you will be in arrears. We will normally take legal action where we are owed over £100 and a repayment arrangement is not being maintained.

If you don’t pay your rent you could lose your home and struggle to be rehoused by another local authority or housing association.

If you are having difficulties or are worried about paying your rent, please contact us as soon as possible. The sooner you get in touch, the sooner we can help you.