You need to pay the amount stated on your Rent Notification letter unless the following circumstances apply:

• You are in receipt of Housing Benefit - Housing Benefit will write to advise your new Allowance for 2026/27. The amount you need to pay is your rent, less your Housing Benefit Allowance.
• You are on a Court Order - The amount you need to pay is rent less your Housing Benefit Allowance (if applicable) plus the amount agreed on your Court Order.
• Your rent account is in arrears - You need to pay Rent less Housing Benefit Allowance (if applicable), plus the arrears to bring your account up to date. If you are unable to do this in one payment, you may be able to set up an arrangement to pay the arrears over a longer time period. Please contact your Housing Income Officer who will discuss this with you and come to an acceptable and affordable agreement to clear your arrears.

If you are still unsure of how much rent you need to pay, call our Customer Service Centre on 0300 003 5454.

No.

We need to inform you of the full rent for the property you live in. These are the figures on your Rent Notification Letter.

If you claim Housing Benefit:

• You must tell your local council about any changes in your rent
• If the Council is unaware of your increased rent, you may not receive the full benefit you are entitled to.
• The Council will send you a letter about your new Housing Benefit amount
• If you feel your Housing Benefit is wrong, you need to check the amount with your local council.

Housing Benefit can help pay for:

• Your rent
• Service charges.

Housing Benefit won't pay for personal things like:

• Alarm monitoring
• Heat and light
• Extra services (like private gardening).

Look at the back of your Rent Notification letter. You'll see a list of rent and service charges. Any charges in the "Other service charges" section may not be covered by Housing Benefit, so you will have to pay these charges yourself. The exception being if you have a charge for Adaptive Equipment - in some circumstances Housing benefit will pay for this charge.

It is your responsibility to ensure the Housing Benefit you receive is correct and going forward you must notify the local council of any changes to your circumstances throughout the year.

No.

We need to inform you of the full rent for the property you live in. These are the figures on your Rent Notification Letter.

If you get Universal Credit:

• You need to tell the Department of Works and Pension (DWP) about your new rent after 6 April 2026
• Log into your Journal to update your rent figures
• If you tell the DWP before this date, they won't increase your payments
• Community Housing cannot do this for you
• It's YOUR job to make sure the DWP knows your new rent
• If you don't tell them, you'll get less money than you should
• The DWP will remind you to do this in your Journal in early April
• You must do this before your April Universal Credit payment, or you might miss out on money.

Universal Credit can help pay for:

• Your rent
• Service charges.

But it won't pay for personal things like:

• Alarm monitoring
• Heat and light
• Extra services (like private gardening or stairlift maintenance).

Look at the back of your Rent Notification letter. You'll see a list of rent and service charges. Any charges in the "Other service charges" section will not be covered by Universal Credit so you will have to pay these yourself.

It is your responsibility to ensure the Universal Credit you receive is correct. You must notify the DWP of any changes in circumstances.

The new rent year starts Monday 6 April 2026. Rent is charged every two weeks after that date, except for the collection free periods.

There are 4 weeks where rent will NOT be charged to your rent account. The collection free periods are the weeks commencing - 14 December 2026 and 21 December 2026, and also the 22 March 2027 and 29 March 2027.

Rent will be charged again on Monday 5 April 2027 which will be the start of the 2027/28 rent year.

There is a rent calendar included with your Rent Notification showing the dates your rent is due.

If you are a monthly Direct Debit payer, you will still receive these collection free periods as your rent is calculated by using 48 weeks (52 weeks – 4 weeks rent free) divided by 12 equal monthly collections.

Customers who have a monthly tenancy agreement, are charged a monthly rent on the 1st of each calendar month.

Your total rent every two weeks might include:

• Basic rent
• Service charges (if they apply to your home).

Your basic rent has gone up as stated in your tenancy or licence agreement or as per Government Legislation.

We use September's inflation figures to work out the increase:

• CPI (Consumer Price Index) was 3.8%
• RPI (Retail Price Index) was 4.5%
• We add 1% or 0.5% to these
• Which one applies depends on your agreement type.

This increase helps us:

• Maintain and improve homes to a good standard
• Make homes cost effective and efficient
• Meet new safety rules
• Meet the Governments new home safety measures and Climate Change agenda
• To plan to build more new homes to meet demand and reduce waiting lists
• To continue to deliver and develop efficient services.

Service charges can be fixed or variable. If you have a social rent home, your service charge is fixed.

This means:

• The amount on your Rent Notification letter won't change this year
• It's easier to plan your money
• If costs go up, you won't pay more this year
• If costs go down, you won't get money back
• We look at the lower costs when setting next year's charge.

Variable service charges are for leasehold homes. These can change from the amount on your Rent Notification letter.

We:

• Look at what each service actually costs
• Send leasehold tenants the accounts
• Change their rent account to match
• This could mean paying less or more than the amount stated on your Rent Notification.

To learn more about your service charges, look at the question - What are my service charges for and how have they been calculated?

Service charges reflect the actual charge of providing a service. This means charges can increase as well as decrease.

The Company continue to review and negotiate service charge contracts to achieve value for money, without compromising the service.

Our service charges are calculated by looking at the actual cost of providing that service over the past 12 months, and estimated charges for the forthcoming 12 months.

Your rent notification shows the service charges applicable to your property. For an explanation of these charges, please refer to the question - What are my service charges for and how have they been calculated?

CPI = Consumer Price Index and RPI = Retail Price Index is an index that measures the monthly change in prices paid by UK consumers as a percentage.

The Government rent standard sets the annual rent review at CPI plus 1% for Social and Affordable Rents.

Other types of leases maybe based on a RPI increase, such as Shared Ownership properties.

In addition to your basic rent element, your property may attract Service Charges. Your letter will show which charges apply to your property. Different charges are calculated in different ways. An explanation of each element follows:

Bulky Refuse/Fly Tipping

• Fly tipping is illegal and causes damage to the environment. Community Housing does not offer a free rubbish collection service, but we do remove rubbish as a duty to prevent further deterioration to the environment and area in which you live BUT the cost of rubbish removal is passed onto our tenants in the form of service charges.
• The exception to this is when you help us identify an offender. We will then charge the person at fault for the cost of removing their dumped rubbish. This charge would then NOT be passed on to our tenants.
• Charges are calculated by looking at what the Company has spent during the past 3 years to remove rubbish from your area. This average figure is increased by a percentage based on assumptions provided by market experts to cover the anticipated costs for the next 12 months. The figure is then divided equally between the residents in that area.
• An "area" could relate to a block of flats, a street or Estate.

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)

• Provision and maintenance of Closed Circuit Television.
• Service charges are calculated by identifying repairs over the past 3 years, then apply CPI plus 1% to the average of the 3 year costs to establish estimated costs for the next 12 months.

Communal Cleaning

• Cleaning of communal areas, including windows. Communal cleaning is outsourced to an external company and costs for 2026/27 reflect their costs of providing the service.
• Window cleaning charges are based on the current cost of providing the service plus any expected increase in price.

Communal Heat & Light

• Gas and electric costs for communal areas.
• The Company pays the bills for the whole building as the supply comes from communal systems. The cost of utilities is then apportioned between communal space and space covered by flats.
• This charge is based on actual costs incurred over the last 12 months plus any increases forecast over the next 12 months. We review the market regularly to ensure we are getting the best rates available for our housing stock.

Communal Water/Sewage

• This service charge covers water rates and also periodic testing for legionella for communal water supplies in your building. The increase is calculated by adding CPI + 1% to the previous years costs. If your personal water supply is sourced from a communal supply, the cost of water rates is apportioned between private flats and communal areas and charged accordingly.

Developer's Management Fee

• Third Party Management costs charged to the Company for services provided at developments. Previous years costs are increased by a percentage based on assumptions provided by market experts to cover the anticipated costs for the next 12 months. If the development is very recent and Community Housing have not yet been invoiced Management costs, the price will be frozen with no increase applied to the following years charge.

Communal TV Aerial

• Provision and maintenance of the communal TV aerial. This includes periodic contract costs and additional ad hoc repairs.
• Charges are based on the contracted costs of rental and servicing of the equipment, along with a 3 year average of ad-hoc repairs, increased by the contractors forecasted price increase.

Door Entry and Equipment

• Provision and maintenance of the door entry system which is a security feature for the majority of our residential flats.
• Charges are based on the contracted costs of servicing of the equipment, along with a 3 year average of ad-hoc repairs, cost of providing a phone line if applicable, and replacement costs of the equipment. These costs are increased by a percentage based on assumptions provided by market experts to cover the anticipated costs for the next 12 months.

Enhanced Housing Management

• This service charge is applied to our Independent Living Schemes including Berrington Court and contributes towards the staff costs for non-care related services.
• Service charge increases are calculated by looking at the actual staffing costs for the following financial year.

Equipment Maintenance

• Cost of providing and maintaining communal equipment i.e. furniture, white goods and carpet in shared areas of the flat, shared residence or complex in which you reside.
• Charges are based on 3 year average repairs and maintenance costs, and forecasted replacement costs of the furniture or equipment. These costs are increased by a percentage based on assumptions provided by market experts to cover the anticipated costs for the next 12 months.

Fire Alarms, Equipment & Emergency Lighting

• Provide and maintain fire alarms, equipment and emergency lighting. This would be applicable to residential areas with multiple flats.
• Charges are based on the contracted costs of servicing and testing of the equipment, along with a 3 year average of ad-hoc repairs, and replacement costs of the equipment. These costs are increased by a percentage based on assumptions provided by market experts to cover the anticipated costs for the next 12 months.

Grounds Maintenance

• Seasonal cutting of communal grassed areas and hedges, shrub maintenance, sweeping of un-adopted roads and spaces. NB - this is NOT the private Gardening Service that tenants can opt into for their non communal gardens.
• Charges for 2026/27 have been increased by a percentage based on assumptions provided by market experts to cover the anticipated costs for the next 12 months.
• A review of this service in respect of delivery and charges is currently underway.

Housing Management Systems

• The maintenance and management of equipment relates to alarms and communication devices installed in customers' homes.
• These costs are increased by a percentage based on assumptions provided by market experts to cover the anticipated costs for the next 12 months. The current year charges based on a contracted price for delivery of the service.

Lift Maintenance

• Provision, maintenance and insurance costs associated with any passenger lifts in a block.
• Charges are based on the contracted costs of servicing of the equipment, along with a 3 year average of ad-hoc repairs, cost of providing a phone line where applicable, lift insurance and replacement costs of the equipment. Any increases are advised by the contractor.

Management Fee

• Costs associated with managing services and service charges. This fee applies to all service charge elements and is calculated at 15% of your total service charge value.

Pest Control

• Services provided for health and safety and property protection purposes. Costs are set at contractor prices.

Staircase & Corridor Lighting & Security Lighting

• Cost of supplying lighting to communal areas of shared residential properties.
• Increase based on estimated consumption and increase in rates provided by a Utility broker.
• Community Housing constantly review suppliers to obtain the best deal for our customers with energy prices.

Below is a list of Other Service Charges you could be paying for

These are charges that may not qualify for Housing Benefit Allowance or Universal Credit, which means you may be liable to pay these in full.

• Activities
  This charge funds the Lifestyle Co-ordinator and the activities they arrange at our Extra Care Schemes, Berrington Court.
• Adaptive Equipment (Installed)
  Servicing and Maintenance of Adaptive Equipment in homes such as stairlifts and hoists. This means if you have a hoist and stairlift, or two hoists, you will be charged double the amount of a property with 1 hoist or stairlift.
  Charges are based on the contracted costs of servicing of the equipment, along with a 3 year average of ad-hoc repairs increased by the contractor’s forecasted price increase and apportioned equally across all units of equipment.
  Service Charges for 2026/27 are capped below the actual cost of providing the service.
• Alarm Monitoring
  Monitoring & response services personal alarm systems. Our lifeline alarms are operated 24 hours per day, 365 days per year and deal with countless emergency situations and wellbeing calls each day. For 2026/27 there is no increase.
• Catering Contribution
  Provision of meals and snacks service at Extra Care schemes at Berrington Court. The charge contributes to the infrastructure and facilities necessary for the caterers to provide this service. Tenants are offered meals at a subsidised rate and the increase for 2026/27 has been calculated at CPI + 1% which is capped below the actual costs of providing the service.
• Personal Heat & Light
  Gas and electricity (where applicable) for individual flats at schemes.
  The Company pays the bills for the whole building as the supply comes from communal systems. The cost of utilities is then apportioned between communal space and space covered by flats.
  This charge is based on actual costs incurred over the last 12 months plus any increases forecast over the next 12 months. Costs are apportioned by the number of bedrooms.
  We review the market regularly to ensure we are getting the best rates.
• Private Use Water/Sewage
  If your personal water supply is sourced from a communal supply, the cost of water rates is apportioned between private flats and communal areas and charged accordingly.
  Increases are based on previous years costs plus CPI + 1%.

There are lots of ways you can pay your rent at various locations.

Direct Debit

This is our most popular and easy payment method. Direct Debits are set to collect equal payments throughout the year which will enable you to budget. You receive written notification to advise you of the collection dates and amounts. Check your Notification to ensure you agree with the collections that have been set.

Notifications are sent at least 5 working days before funds are collected from your bank account. This allows you time to query anything you are unsure of with one of our friendly Customer Service advisors or Finance staff.

The convenience of a Direct Debit means if your rent needs amending in the future, such as the annual rent increase, you do not need to take any action. We will automatically amend the collections to the correct amount and advise you of the change.

To set up a Direct Debit you can either complete a Direct Debit mandate which can be obtained from our Customer Service Centre 0300 003 5454 or alternatively, where charges are available, we can set up your Direct Debit instruction by telephone. You will need to have your bank details to hand.

Payment line/Debit card

Call our payment line on 01562 733007 or 0300 003 5454, Mon - Fri 8.30 am to 5.00 pm to speak to a friendly operator before being transferred to a secure payment line where you key in your debit card details. You will need your rent reference number and debit card to make a payment using this method.

Post Office or PayPoint outlets

You can pay cash, cheque or debit card at a Post Office (make cheques payable to "The Post Office") and cash at a PayPoint outlet. You will need an allpay payment card to make a payment using either of these methods.

Standing Order, BACs, Bank transfer

You can instruct your bank to make payments directly to us. Our bank details are:-

Barclays Bank Sort Code: 20-46-14
Account number: 30124222
Account name: Community Housing Rent
Rent reference number

It is essential to include your Rent Account reference number otherwise we will not know who has made the payment and it will not be credited to your rent account.

allpay Mobile App

This can be downloaded from the Apple Store, Windows Phone Store or Google Play.

Automated 24 hour phoneline

Call 0330 041 6497 to make a debit card payment. You will also need your allpay payment card.

Online or Text payments

You can pay your rent via text message at any time of the day. Just log on to www.allpayments.net/textpay to register

Call us immediately on 0300 003 5454 or email incometeam@communityhousing.co.uk

We are here to help. We can offer advice, discuss your rent account with you and if you do find yourselves in rent debt, discuss a payment plan to pay this back over a set period of time.

There is also support available on our website in the Money Advice section.

Our Benefits and Budgeting Calculator, provided by Policy in Practice, allows you to:

• Compare income under both current legacy benefits and Universal Credit.
• Explore 'what if' scenarios to assist with decisions about work or budgeting.
• Save and download information to help manage your finances effectively.

Please DO NOT ignore your rent debt, it will continue to increase and legal action will be taken if you do. You will then also have to pay the Court Costs as well as the rent debt. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can help you.

Your home is at risk if you do not speak to us.

The good news is you do not need to do anything.

We will work out your payments for the next financial year. Any Housing Benefit Allowance or arrears balance left at the end of this financial year will be accounted for when we calculate your Direct Debit collections for 2026/27. We will also take into account the collection free periods.

You will receive written notification from our Direct Debit agents, allpay, advising your new collection amounts and dates. If you think this is incorrect, please contact us and we will review the calculations. It is your responsibility to ensure your rent is set at the correct level.

The notifications will be issued at least 5 working days before the rent is collected from your bank account.

Your Direct Debit is calculated by dividing your annual rent which is normally 24 fortnights rent (48 weeks) into 12 equal monthly instalments.

This means each calendar month, 4 weeks rent is collected by Direct Debit throughout the year. This ensures you pay the same amount each month making it easier for you to budget, whilst still benefiting from the collection free periods.

NB: Collection free weeks are included in the monthly Direct Debit calculations, again the aim is to collect a regular amount each month to help you budget your bills. The equal collections each month means the same amount of rent will be collected in December and March.

The amount of rent you need to pay is likely to have changed. Therefore, you need to contact your bank and instruct them to amend the amount you pay; we cannot do this on your behalf.

Check out the section - How much Rent do I Need to pay? but if you are still unsure, we can advise you of your new payment amount. Call our Customer Service Centre on 0300 003 5454.

You can change your payment method to one that's more convenient for you at any time.

There are a range of payment options available for our customers, check out the question - Where/how can I pay my rent?

If you wish to set up a Direct Debit or require an allpay payment card to pay at the Post Office, PayPoint or online, or wish to discuss payment methods, please contact our Customer Service Centre on 0300 003 5454.

Yes.

A monthly Direct Debit is calculated by taking the annual rent due and dividing it equally into 12 monthly collections. Paying the same amount each month will make it easier for you to manage your outgoings and bills.

When rent is charged each fortnight, but payments are made monthly, the periods don't always align. This means that some monthly payments are taken in on time in advance, others are paying for a rent for the previous week or fortnight.

Please refer to the question - What does the payment schedule look like for fortnightly charges and monthly payers? which demonstrates the charging periods and monthly payments, and which rent charge period your monthly rent payment relates to.

Your garage rent is calculated by applying the Retail Price Index inflation figure from September 2025 to your current fortnightly rent charge. This will be the new rate charged from April 2026 for our tenants.

Sometime our garages are rented to private customers who do not rent a property from Community Housing. In this instance VAT is applied to the garage rent figure. The VAT element needs to divide equally into the rent debits raised each year, so it is not uncommon for the basic garage rent element to be rounded down until the VAT calculation evenly applies.

Your garage plot rent is calculated by applying the Consumer Price Index inflation figure from September 2025 to your currently quarterly charge. Then this is rounded down to a figure containing 2 decimal places.

Shared Ownership tenancies have a lease which dictates the rent increase applicable to your property each year.

The front page of your rent review notice details the percentage that your rent is increasing by.

Your rent notification will state your rent for the next financial year, insurance charges and any service charges applicable.

In addition, you will receive summary of rights and obligations and also your annual service charge budget.

With the exception of Shared Ownership customers who have an "old style" lease, a Form of Notice will be included with your rent notification. This shows you the calculation used for your revised rent in accordance with the percentage of the property you rent from Community Housing.

For customers on a new "repairs" lease, you will also receive an updated notification of repairs allowance so you can keep track of this each year.

Check your Rent Notification letter and the FAQ's to ensure you haven't missed the information you require.

If your question is still unanswered, you can email information@communityhousing.co.uk clearly explaining your query. We aim to respond within 5 working days.

Alternatively, you can logon to our online tenancy management system, MyCommunity to view your rent details or use our online form on our website to contact us. You can also telephone our Customer Service Centre on 0300 003 5454, who will direct your call to the relevant department.

See the table below.