How we work out your rent
The government sets overall rent bands using something called 'rent restructuring'. This means that homes of a similar age, value and type, and in the same area will have similar rent.
We then decide the rent each year for our properties.
How much you pay is based on:
- the number of bedrooms in your home,
- the average wage in the area compared to the UK as a whole,
- how much your home was worth in January 1999,
- the national average rent, and
- the national average property value.
How much your rent is
You'll be sent a letter at the start of your tenancy confirming how much your rent is. Every March you'll be sent a rent variation notice which tells you how much you'll pay each week for that year.
Your weekly rent is multiplied by 50 (the number of chargeable weeks) divided by 12 (the number of months in a year) to get your monthly rent amount.
To check your rent balance at any time or to get a full statement of your rent account, you can email the rent team.
When you will be charged for rent
In most cases, you must pay in advance and you can choose to pay one week in advance, two weeks in advance or a month in advance. A rent week runs Monday to Sunday.
If you get housing benefit
Your housing benefit is paid straight into your rent account and you do not need to pay in advance. Sometimes the amount you get does not cover the total you need to pay, and you'll need to pay the difference in advance.
If you get Universal Credit
You must pay your rent a month in advance by the date you get the Universal Credit payment. This is because your rent is charged weekly and Universal Credit is paid monthly.
You might be able to ask for housing costs for your rent that are claimed under Universal Credit to be paid directly to us. This is known as an Alternative Payment Arrangement.
If you fall behind paying rent
This is a breach of your tenancy agreement and your home could be at risk if you don't make payments. You can get help paying your rent if you need it.
If you end your tenancy
You need to give four weeks notice to end your tenancy. If you pay your rent a month in advance, any arrears you have will be small.
You should email the rent team to confirm your final balance. Any help you get with housing costs - such as housing benefit or Universal Credit - will stop on the day you leave the property.