Wealden District Council

This section is information on your rent and service charges.

How is my rent set?

The rent you pay for your home is calculated using a national guidelines which is used by all local authorities.

To work out how much rent you will pay a range of information is used including:

value of the property
local economic indicators
number of bedrooms

In line with government policy on rents for social housing your rent for 2022-23 will increase by 4.1%. This is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) September 2021 rate plus 1%. A minimum of 28 days’ notice will be given if we need to change the rent.

How is my rent spent?

to pay for repairs and maintenance
to repay money borrowed to build or modernise Council homes
to pay for managing the housing service

Ways To Pay My Council Rent & Service Charge

You are responsible for paying your rent in full and on time. Your rent is due every Monday and is payable over 48 weeks in the year.

If you pay your rent monthly by direct debit or another means you need to pay 4 weeks rent every calendar month.

Rent calendars

Please note we have not sent Rent Payment Calendars this year as most people now pay monthly via automated means. Below is a table showing the rent payment Calendar for this year. This was also added to the latest Threshold Magazine – Spring 2022.

APRIL 2022 to MARCH 2023

Week Number	Monday	Week Number	Monday
1	4^th Apr	27	3^rd Oct
2	11^th Apr	28	10^th Oct
3	18^thApr	29	17^th Oct
4	25^th Apr	30	24^th Oct
5	2^nd May	31	31^st Oct
6	9^th May	32	7^th Nov
7	16^thMay	33	14^th Nov
8	23^rd May	34	21^st Nov
9	30^th May	35	28^th Nov
10	6^th June	36	5^th Dec
11	13^thJune	37	12^th Dec
12	20^th June	38	19^th Dec	FREE
13	27^th June	39	26^th Dec	FREE
14	4^th July	40	2^nd Jan
15	11^th July	41	9^th Jan
16	18^th July	42	16^th Jan
17	25^th July	43	23^rd Jan
18	1^st Aug	44	30^th Jan
19	8^th Aug	45	6^th Feb
20	15^th Aug	46	13^th Feb
21	22^nd Aug	47	20^th Feb
22	29^th Aug	48	27^th Feb
23	5^th Sept	49	6^th Mar
24	12^th Sept	50	13^th Mar
25	19^th Sept	51	20^th Mar	FREE
26	26^th Sept	52	27^th Mar	FREE

How to pay your rent:

Direct Debit

Most tenants pay their rent by Direct Debit and it is the safest and easiest way to pay. All you have to do is fill in a Direct Debit mandate, sign it and send it to us. To request a form, please contact the Housing Income team:

@ rents@wealden.gov.uk

Tel – 01323 443322

If the amount you have to pay changes, we will give you at least 10 working days’ notice and in the unlikely event of a mistake being made, your bank will give you an immediate refund. More details are on the Direct Debit mandate. Direct Debits will be collected on either the 5 or the 20 of the month.

	By phone – 24/7 If you have a debit or credit card, you can pay your rent over the phone. All you have to do is call the number below and follow the instructions. Telephone – 01323 443188. You will need to use your 6 digit tenancy reference number on the front of this Calendar. There is no charge for using this service
	Online – 24/7 You can pay your rent with your Visa or MasterCard on our website: www.wealden.gov.uk – click on ‘make a payment’ Select ‘Housing Rents’ and enter your 6 digit tenancy reference number on the front of this Calendar. There is no charge for using this service.
	Through your bank or setting up a Standing Order Most banks offer internet or phone banking services, including bill payments. You can also pay by debit card or cheque at the counter. Your bank’s online banking system will give you instructions on how to register and pay bills. You will need to give the Council’s bank details. These are: Sort code: 30–80–12 Account Number: 10341360 Account name: Wealden District Council You will need to use the 6 digit tenancy reference number on the front of this calendar.
	Post Office and PayPoint Post Office accept cheques (made payable to Post Office Ltd.) cash and debit or credit cards. PayPoint outlets accept cash, debit or credit cards only. You will need a rent payment card to pay at Post Office or PayPoint. To request a card contact the Housing Income Team: @ rents@wealden.gov.uk Tel – 01323 443322 By paying your rent at a Post Office or PayPoint, you will support your Post Office or local convenience store stay open.

Please do not bring cash or send cheques to the Council offices as they are no longer accepted and will not be credited onto your rent account.

Rent statements

At the beginning of April, July, October and January we will send a statement to each current tenant to show the transactions that have taken place during the previous quarter, and the balance at the end of that period.

Housing Benefits

Housing Benefit/Universal Credit can help you pay your rent. It is an income related benefit which means the money you have coming in and your savings are used to work out any award. The people who live with you are also taken into account, as is the amount of rent you pay.

How can I check my rent account details?

To request a statement of your account contact the Housing Department using the contact information at the bottom of this page for the statement to be posted to you.

You can also check your own balance by visiting the Access Your Tenancy Information.

What happens if I over-pay my rent?

Contact the Housing Department so we can check your account details. In certain circumstances we will refund the over payment, this is usually done by Bacs direct into your bank account. Requests for rent refunds can be made in writing to the Housing Department or by emailing using the contact information at the bottom of this page.

Service charges – what do they cover?

Some Wealden tenants pay a “service charge” within their rent. This is to pay for any other services like heating, caretaking, communal lighting, gardening, lifts, window cleaning and door entry. We review the service charges each year and you will be informed of any changes.

What happens if I have difficulties paying my rent?

The best way of preventing a build-up of debt is to contact us as soon as you are having difficulties and cannot afford to pay your rent. We will discuss the situation and agree a repayment plan.

By not paying your rent you are in breach of your tenancy agreement and are at risk of losing your home. For more information see our Rent Collection And Arrears Recovery Standard.

What happens if I do not keep to my rent agreement?

If you make an arrangement to clear your rent arrears and fail to keep to an agreement to pay off your arrears we will take action to recover possession of the property.

If you are a secure tenant or a flexible fixed term secure tenant you will be served with a Notice of Seeking Possession. This will advise you that the Council will commence court proceedings if you fail to make satisfactory payments or clear the account.

If you are a non-secure tenant and fail to meet your rent responsibilities you will be served with a Notice to Quit.

If your are an introductory tenant you will be serviced with a Notice of Intention to Seek Possession.

What happens if I am given notice to attend court?

If the rent arrears are not cleared or reduced to our satisfaction we can apply to the court for a Possession Order. You should seek legal advice and attend the hearing.

If agreement is reached on paying the arrears by installments and you keep to the agreement the court may grant us a suspended Possession Order. You may be liable for the costs of the court hearing.

Can I be evicted for rent arrears?

If you persistently fall into rent arrears and do not keep to agreements to pay the arrears we can apply to the court for a warrant to evict you. We can do this if you break the terms of a suspended Possession Order or if the court gives us an immediate Possession Order.

If you have lost your home through rent arrears you may be classed as being intentionally homeless. This could mean that you would not be re housed, you would only receive housing for a temporary period.

Former Tenant Arrears

Former tenant arrears are unpaid debts left on a property after the tenant has moved out, these are usually outstanding rent and service charges but could include other charges such as court costs, if legal action has been taken against you.

You are expected and required to clear all housing debt before your tenancy ends. You must contact us so that we can agree an affordable payment plan which will be managed by the Council’s income team. Failure to pay the debt off can lead to court action. It can also affect your credit status and prevent you securing a new council or housing association property in the future.

Paying My Council Rent And Service Charges