You can pay your rent online, as well as by...

Direct Debit

You can pay with a monthly direct debit - payable on 1st or 16th of every month (this is the easiest way for you and us) or by weekly direct debit. You can contact your local housing office for details and forms.

Rent swipe card

You can also use a rent swipe card supplied by housing services to pay at PayPoint outlets, Post Offices and housing offices.

Payments made after Thursday won’t reach your rent account until the following week.

Phone

Call 0300 333 6500 and use the automated instructions to pay by credit or debit card. This is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In person

You can pay by cash, rent swipe card, debit or credit card at your local housing office.

Payments made at your local housing office won’t reach your rent account until the next day.

You may be able to claim Housing Benefit, or Housing Costs element of Universal Credit (external link)  to help you pay your rent.

Housing Benefit or the Housing Element of Universal Credit doesn’t cover water rates, sewerage charges, heating charges, insurance charges or garage rental. If any of these charges are included in your gross rent they must be paid by you.

Changes in your personal circumstances may affect the amount of rent you pay. You should let us know about any changes straight away to avoid back charges being added. If you claim Universal Credit you'll need to update your journal.

It’s also your responsibility to make sure your claim for Housing Benefit or Universal Credit (external link) is renewed quickly if it’s requested.

We understand that people may find themselves in rent arrears for all kinds of reasons. 

If for any reason you’re unable to keep up to date with your rent payments, don’t ignore the problem as it will only make things worse. You should contact your local housing office straight away if you ever have problems paying your rent.

A housing officer will discuss the situation in a sensitive manner and help to identify the reason for non-payment. You‘ll then be expected to make an arrangement for the payment of arrears.

Whatever your reason for non-payment of rent, it’s important that you keep to your repayment arrangement once it’s made.

Your rent account is monitored weekly, and if you don’t keep to your arrangements to clear arrears, your housing officer will have to consider further action. You’ll have to pay for the cost of any legal action taken by us.

If you become homeless as a result of rent arrears we might not have a legal duty to rehouse you.

First stage

Secure tenants - you’ll be served with a ‘Notice of Seeking Possession’ which gives you 28 days to make an arrangement for repaying the arrears. The notice is valid for 12 months after this period. During this time, we can apply to the county court for an order to evict you from your home.

Introductory tenants - you’ll be served with a ‘Notice of Termination’ which is also valid for 12 months but gives you 14 days in which to apply for a review of our decision to evict you. The review panel will decide whether your tenancy can continue, after hearing all the facts. If the decision is made to end your tenancy, we’ll apply to the county court for an order to evict you from your home.

Second stage

The next stage of the legal process is the court hearing. You’ll be notified in advance of the date of the court hearing and it’s important that you attend.

Secure tenants - at the court hearing we’ll ask for a possession order to evict you from your home. However, the court may decide to suspend an order and if you keep to the terms of this order, you’ll be allowed to remain in your home. You’ll also have to pay the costs of any court action taken. The court order will be valid until all the arrears and all outstanding court costs are fully paid. The minimum amount of court costs you’ll owe will be £156.

Introductory tenants - at the court hearing we’ll ask for a possession order to evict you from your home. There’s no option to suspend this order. You’ll also have to pay all the costs of any court action taken. This is a minimum amount of £352.

Final stage

The final stage of the legal process is the eviction, this is a last resort and every effort will be made to avoid repossessing your home. In the event of an eviction, you’ll still be liable for the full amount of arrears and all court costs which have built up.

Secure tenants - if you fail to pay as the court instructed, we can apply for an eviction warrant without a further hearing in court. You’ll have to pay for the cost of this application. You’ll be notified of the date of eviction and the procedure on that date.

Introductory tenants - following the court hearing you’ll be notified of the date of eviction, and the procedure on that date.