Understanding and Paying Your Rent - Peter Bedford Housing Association

Understanding and Paying Your Rent

Our rents are made up of basic rent, service charges and fuel charges. We aim to keep these as low as possible while covering our costs. Your tenancy or licence agreement details the rent you need to pay and when you need to pay it.

Your Rent Explained

Basic rent

Your basic rent is what you pay to live in the property. Your rents help pay for the repairs and maintenance.
Rents on shared properties include council tax.

Service charge, fuel charge and water rates

Service charges pay for services such some maintenance and cleaning. All charges are pooled so that all tenants in self-contained housing pay the same, and all tenants in shared housing pay the same. There is a small charge for tenants in shared or self-contained flats who live on estates. Tenants in self-contained flats pay for their gas and electricity direct to the utilities companies.

Enhanced Housing Management Charges

For tenants in our enhanced housing management service there is an extra charge which pays for staff to help you keep up your tenancy.

Support

There is normally no charge if you receive support from PBHA.

Ways to Pay Your Rent

Paying Rent through our website

We will give you an Allpay card when you sign your accommodation agreement.

Once you’ve registered the card, you can pay here: www.peterbedford.org.uk/payyour-rent-online/

If you need help, just ask your Support Worker to show you how it works.

Other ways to pay

Set up a Standing Order with your bank
At a PayPoint outlet
Cheque/cash at Kingsland Hub
If you have any arrears, including service charges, we can arrange to take direct payment from the DWP

What You Should Do If You Are In Arrears

Ways We Can Help You

Carry out a pre-tenancy budget so you know you can afford your rent
Help you put down a deposit – so you start your PBHA rent account in credit
Assist you in applying with housing benefit, if needed
Arrange a settling visit from our income team once you’ve moved in
Help you understand your rent statements
Hold drop ins at our hubs so you can talk through any difficulties with paying
Send you a rent statement every three months (you can ask for a statement any time)
Advise you on our arrears policy
Support you to gain employment
Courses on budgeting and money management

Applying for Housing Benefit

What We Will Do If You Are In Arrears

Make contact with you after 2 weeks of arrears.
Make an arrears agreement with you.
Provide you with advice on repaying the debt and managing your money.
Give details of independent advice agencies.
Give you a range of repayment options.
Only offer you transfers when you are not in arrears.
Only take action to remove you from the property after other options have been explored.
If you have more than 8 weeks arrears we will issue notice and take court action to recover the property.
If you are evicted, we will send your debt to a debt collection agency

Our housing management team is here to manage your rent account. For any queries, call your Income Officer on 020 3815 4100.

Remember – you are responsible for paying all of your rent – your home could be at risk if you have difficulties with housing benefits payments. Do not delay applying for housing benefit if you think you are eligible.

Eviction due to arrears can put you at risk of homelessness. Your potential future landlords may take previous arrears into account when deciding to offer you accommodation.