Rent & Service Charges

Your rent

Rent charges 2007

Rent Restructuring 2007
On 7th April 2003, the Council began implementing the government’s changes for the calculation of weekly rents. These changes are being phased in over nine years. The change is called ‘rent restructuring’. April 2007 will be the 5th year of implementing ‘rent restructuring’.

2007 rent and service charge increases
The average weekly rent increase will be 5%, which falls within the range of RPI (3.6%) plus 0.5%, plus a further £2. This complies with the government guidelines for the phasing in of ‘rent restructuring’. Heating & hot water charges will be increased by 4.9% also. Concierge, garages, parking spaces, cages will be increased by 5% also. Concierge charges will be increased by 4.1% (RPI plus 0.5%). These increases will be implemented from Monday 2nd April 2007.

Unpooling of Service Charges
The weekly standard charges for tenants receiving the service will be increased by 4.1% from 2nd April 2007.

The details are:

	Current	New
Caretaking	£6.42	£6.88*
Estate Services	£1.07	£1.11*

*Estate services includes communal lighting and upkeep of communal gardens.

Refund Policy
A refund policy was introduced in April 2004 for total loss of the caretaking service. Tenants may make a request to their area housing office, for a refund of the service charge for caretaking, where there has been a total loss of the caretaking service for more than 5 consecutive working days.

The refund rate from 2nd April 2007 will be £1.33 per day (currently £1.28 per day), from the sixth working day of the service loss until the restoration of the service.

Refunds will be credited to rent accounts (net of any housing benefit adjustment).

How much should I pay from 2nd April 2007?
The new charges are clearly detailed on the enclosed rent increase letter. The total weekly charges amount is the total of the property charges only and excludes any charges for parking facilities or housing benefit entitlement (where applicable).

Parking Charges
There will be no increase to parking charges during 2007/8.
You should add your current parking charge to the above property charges to determine the total amount due each week.

Housing Benefit
If you are in receipt of housing benefit, you will receive a letter from the Benefits Service that will give details of your new benefit entitlement and the revised amount you should pay each week.

Direct Debit Payers
You will receive, as normal, a letter of your revised payment details effective from Monday 2nd April 2007.

Rent Statements
The next quarterly rent statement will be printed week commencing 12 March 2007 and will include a breakdown of the rent charges applicable from Monday 2 April 2007, as well as details of housing benefit entitlement (where applicable) from Monday 2 April 2007.

You should receive your rent statement along with the quarterly newsletter by Saturday 1 April 2006.

This year there will be no separate weekly charges notification letter issued at the end of March.

If you require any further assistance in determining the weekly amount payable you should contact your local area housing office.

Rent increases 2007 (Pdf file 451Kb)