Your rent and service charges explained & how to pay A fresh approach to people, homes and communities www.berneslaihomes.co.uk This leaflet gives you important information about the rent and other charges you pay us for living in your home. What is rent? Rent is the payment you make to us for living in your home. The total rent is made up of net rent and, in some cases, extra charges. Net rent This is the largest part of your total rent and is the amount you pay us for living in your property. We assess your rent in line with guidance from the Government. Extra charges Some properties have services or facilities that we charge extra for. The extra charge could be for any of the following. 2 www.berneslaihomes.co.uk • Heating and hot water – some of our properties have a shared heating system where the heating and hot water comes from a central boiler. If you have shared heating we charge a fixed amount each week for this. • Water charges – some tenants (usually in sheltered housing schemes) pay water rates with their rent. We pass the payment to the water authority. • Charges for services – in sheltered housing schemes we make a weekly charge for any property where a warden and alarm service are provided under your tenancy. We will tell you about the charges when we offer you a property and when you sign your tenancy agreement. In February each year we will tell you about any increases to any extra charges that you pay with your rent. The new amount will be due from April. How we work out the rent for your home The Government sets out how all councils and housing associations work out rent. The aim is that eventually, rents for similar homes in the same area will be comparable, no matter whether the landlord is a council or a housing association. This is known as the 'target rent'. The Government says that councils should be charging the full target rent for each of their properties by April 2023. www.berneslaihomes.co.uk 3 We work out your rent by using the Government formula, based on the national average rent of £78.36 and taking account of: • the number of bedrooms in your home; • the average wage in South Yorkshire; and • the value of your home, as set in 1999 by independent valuers. 70% of your rent will be based on the number of bedrooms in your home and the average wage in South Yorkshire, and 30% will be based on the value of your home. If you want details of the formula, just call 01226 774613, 01226 774631 or 01226 774685. Can I appeal against the amount of rent you charge me? Yes, you can appeal by: • visiting your nearest Barnsley Connects office; • ringing Barnsley Connects on 01226 775555; • writing to us at Berneslai Homes, Rents, PO Box 627, Barnsley, S70 9FZ; or • sending an email to [email protected]. Your appeal must be against the way we have worked out your rent and not, for example, about any repair work or Housing Benefit. If you appeal, you must continue to pay your rent while we consider your appeal. If your appeal is successful we will refund any rent you have overpaid since the date of your appeal. 4 www.berneslaihomes.co.uk If we do not agree with your appeal we will ask the District Valuation Officer to review the rent we charge. However, this valuation may be higher and we would then have to increase your rent further. How do I know what to pay? We increase your rent once a year. In February each year we will tell you what your rent is for the coming year. You will pay this new amount from April. We will send you a rent statement every six months, so you can keep an eye on how much rent you're paying. When do I pay? Rent becomes due every Monday, to cover the previous week. However, you can choose to pay your rent every week, every two weeks or every month. We charge you rent for 48 weeks each year. Every seven years, you will pay rent for 49 weeks of the year. www.berneslaihomes.co.uk 5 When we work out your rent, this is for a full 52 weeks. We then work out how much you will pay for 48 weeks. For example: £51.86 x 52 = £2696.72 divided by 48 = £56.18. This is the amount you pay so you get four weeks a year with no rent charged. These are called 'rent-free weeks' and they are at the beginning of April, August Bank holiday, Christmas and New Year. To keep your rent up to date, you should always pay it in the week it is due. How can I pay my rent? As we have said, you can pay your rent every week, every two weeks or every month. We will only let you pay every month if you keep your rent up to date. If you pay every month, the payment will be for the coming two weeks and the two weeks that have just passed. Direct debit This is the most convenient way to pay. You can pay direct debits every week, every two weeks or once a month, on any date you choose. To set up a direct debit, phone the Rents Team on 01226 774613, 01226 774631 or 01226 774685. Make sure you have your bank account details when you phone, or you can fill in the form attached to this leaflet and send it to us. 6 www.berneslaihomes.co.uk Standing order You would need to check whether you can pay standing orders from your account. If you can, phone the Rents Team on 01226 774613, 01226 774631 or 01226 774685. They will give you the information you need to set this up with your bank. Swipe card This is a payment card with a unique identification number. It is small enough to keep in your purse or wallet. You can only make rent payments with this card. You cannot use it to make payments to any other company. This card allows you to pay: • by cash, cheque or debit card at any post office; or • by cash at any outlet displaying a Pay Point sign. Just take your payment and swipe card to the counter. You will be given a printed receipt as proof of your payment. Your payment will be credited to your account within two working days. Pay online You can pay by debit card by visiting our website at www.berneslaihomes.co.uk. This service is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day. We do not accept credit card payments. www.berneslaihomes.co.uk 7 By phone You can call the automated service seven days a week, 24 hours a day, on 01226 779397. Please make sure you have your rent reference number and debit card details to hand. Direct from your salary Employees of Berneslai Homes or Barnsley MBC can have their rent paid straight from their salary. You will need to contact payroll and tell them your rent reference number, the amount to be paid and your payroll number. You should never send cash through the post or drop it through the letterbox at a local Barnsley Connects office. We will not be responsible if your cash gets lost. 8 www.berneslaihomes.co.uk Can I get help towards my rent and council tax? You need to fill in a claim form for Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Second Adult Rebate. You can get a form from any Barnsley Connects office or by phoning 01226 775555. When you have filled in the form, take it to your local Barnsley Connects office along with two forms of ID and proof of all your income. Staff at the Barnsley Connects office can help you fill in the form if necessary. If you want an explanation of how your benefit is worked out, you can ring Barnsley Council's benefit department on 01226 774743, or visit a Barnsley Connects office. www.berneslaihomes.co.uk 9 If the benefit department cannot help you with your query straight away, they will arrange an appointment for you to see a Benefits Officer at your local Connects office. If you are waiting to hear about the claim you have made for benefit, you can help by making sure the benefits department have all the information they need to process your claim. What will happen if I fall behind with my rent? It is important that you pay your rent on time. If you have difficulty paying your rent, it is better for you to tell us as soon as you can. We promise to listen and we will help you pay what you owe, if we can, by: • making sure you are getting all the benefits you are entitled to; • offering you advice on how to budget and prioritise your debts; and • making a sensible, affordable repayment plan so that you can repay what you owe. Will you remind me if I do not pay? Yes, we start to take action once you get two weeks behind with your rent. If you pay every month, we take action after you have missed one payment. 10 www.berneslaihomes.co.uk We will contact you either by writing to you, phoning you, sending you a text message or visiting you in your home, to agree a way for you to pay what you owe. If you do not contact us, or do not make regular payments to pay the rent you owe, we will take legal action against you. This could lead to you losing your home. The first stage of legal action is us giving you a Notice of Seeking Possession (NoSP) or, if you are an introductory tenant, a Notice of Possession Proceedings (NoPP). This means we are taking action to take back your home. If you still do not bring your rent up to date, we will ask the court to make a decision about your tenancy. If we take you to court you will have to pay the court costs, which are usually several hundred pounds. If the judge agrees with us and you do not pay us what you owe, you will lose your home. www.berneslaihomes.co.uk 11 How you can help us When you contact us, you need to tell us your rent reference number. If you cannot give us this information we may not be able to help you. This is because we have to follow data protection rules and we can only discuss your account with you. Giving us your reference number helps us identify who you are. If you need to talk to us about a relative’s rent account, they will have to contact us to give us their permission to let us talk to you. We may need to contact you about your rent account, so try to keep us up to date with your details and phone number. Contact us If you have any questions or concerns about paying your rent, phone our Rents Team on 01226 774613, 01226 774631 or 01226 774685. Or you can email the team at [email protected]. Leaflet designed in consultation with the Federation of Tenants & Residents Association. 12 www.berneslaihomes.co.uk To pay your rent by direct debit please phone 01226 774613, 774631, 774685, or fill in this form and send it to: Berneslai Homes Rents Team PO Box 627 Barnsley S70 9FZ. Please fill in this form with a ballpoint pen. Your details Your full name: Your address: Your phone numbers: Home: Mobile: Your rent reference number: w ww ww . wb .ebr en rens el sa li ah iohmo ems e. sc .oc. ou .ku k 7 Your bank details The name of account holder: Your bank or building society account number: Your branch sort code: The name of your bank: The address of your bank: The date you prefer to pay: (please tick one only) Monthly on each month Fortnightly on day of each fortnight Weekly on day of each week www.berneslaihomes.co.uk Your rent & service charges new.qxd:Your rent 1008 9/2/12 10:00 Page 16 A fresh approach to people, homes and communities This leaflet provides information about the rent you pay and other charges that we may charge. This also provides information on how to pay your rent and any support available. If you need help understanding this information, please call Customer Services on 01226 775555. ese jobs n: who will work management If you are on our getting involved mailing list we will contact you. InBerneslai ‘Open House’, our tenants’ Homes Limitednewsletter. is a company controlled by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council. At meetings, registered conferences and events. and Wales, number 4548803. Registered Office: 10th bytenants guarantee, in England On our website at Off Sackville Street BARNSLEY, South Yorkshire S70 2RD. www.berneslaihomes.co.uk www.berneslaihomes.co.uk. A fresh approach to people, homes and communities ency. How to contact us about getting involved? homes and be orks with the o the local esentatives can e. If you would like more information about how you can get involved, please contact our Community Engagement Team in one of the following ways. manage ging your estate, out exactly what’s best option for are available. ation about the munities and ome useful site k/housing of Tenant ons (NFTMO) has about existing p a new one. m m 3 A company limited floor, Gateway Plaza, 01226 775555 Phone: 01226 772727 Email: communityengagement @berneslaihomes.co.uk Post: Gateway Plaza, P.O. Box 627, Barnsley S70 9FZ If you need help understanding this information, please ask one of our staff or phone Customer Services on 01226 772720. 01226 775555 Berneslai Homes Limited is a company controlled by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council. A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, number 4548803. Registered Office: 10th Floor, Gateway Plaza, Off Sackville St., Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2RD. www.berneslaihomes.co.uk 01226 775555 01226 775555 For more information about the Barnsley Federation of Tenants’ and Residents’, you can contact the Federation Support Officer in one of the following ways. Phone: 01226 240110 Email: [email protected] Post: 01226 Federation Resource Centre 775555 Prospect Street, Barnsley, S70 2NR 01226 775555 01226 775555. 01226 775555. different nd what’s ng involved. ds to keep you Like us on Facebook October 2011 b e rnes l a i h o m e s . c o . u k Follow us on Twitter October 2011 9 w w w. berneslaihomes.co.uk www.berneslaihomes.co.uk Gett Working your hom
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