Affordable rent and how to pay - Plymouth Community Homes

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Affordable rent and how to pay

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Contents
How to pay 3
The Direct Debit payment incentive scheme 4
Your affordable rent and how it is calculated 5
Frequently asked questions about your affordable rent 5
Other frequently asked questions 6
Contact details 7

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How to pay
How is my rent charged?
Your rent is charged on a weekly
basis and is due weekly in advance.
You can pay weekly, fortnightly or
monthly. If you choose to pay
fortnightly, your payment will need
to be for the current week and week
following. We check your account at
the end of each week.
Your account will need to be kept up
to date however you choose to pay.
How can I pay my rent?
There are a number of ways you
can pay your rent:
• By Direct Debit
Direct Debit is a safe and easy
way to pay. If you set up a Direct
Debit then you are protected by
the Direct Debit Guarantee. You
can pay weekly, fortnightly, four
weekly or monthly on any date
you choose. These payments
should be made in advance in line
with the terms of your tenancy
agreement. (Plymouth Community
Homes is offering an incentive if
you choose this option – see
page 4.)
• Using a debit or credit card
You can pay over the telephone,
24 hours a day, every day, by
telephoning 0844 557 8321. This
service is operated by “Allpay” and
you will need to tell the operator
the 19 digit number that appears
across the middle of your payment
card.
• Online
You can pay online at the
Plymouth Community Homes
website. Just click on ʻpay your
rentʼ and you will be directed to
the ʻAllpayʼ payment site
https://www.allpayments.net/
allpayments/. You will need to
enter the 19 digit number that
appears across the middle of
your payment card.
• By text
Once you have completed the
simple 4 step registration process
online at:
https://www.allpayments.net/
textpay/logon.aspx then simply
pay by texting “pay” and the text
code, along with the amount you
want to pay and your password to
81025. You will receive a
confirmation text message that we
recommend you keep. The only
cost is the standard text message
fee which may be charged by your
phone provider.
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• In cash
You can make a
cash payment at
any outlet
displaying the
PayPoint sign.
• By cash or cheque
You can pay by cash or cheque
at any post office.
How will I know you have
received my payments?
Statements are sent out four times
a year showing your payments,
charges and account balance;
however an interim statement can be
provided on request from your local
housing office. You can also get an
account balance over the phone by
calling your local housing office.
What if I lose my payment card?
You can request a new payment
card by contacting your local
housing office (see page 7).
How do I set up a Direct Debit?
• We can set up your Direct Debit
over the telephone – just contact
your local housing office. Contact
numbers are listed on page 7.
• If you would like to set up your
Direct Debit by completing a form
rather than over the phone you
can obtain a mandate form from
any local housing office.
• You can set up your Direct Debit
to pay your rent and service
charges – weekly, fortnightly, four
weekly, and monthly on any
date(s) you choose.
• If you sign up to pay by Direct
Debit you will receive a £10
voucher and if you keep your
Direct Debit payments going for
12 months we will send you a £20
voucher in April 2013.
• Free Quarterly Prize Draw –
everyone paying by Direct Debit
for three months has a chance of
winning £100 worth of vouchers.
Iʼm an existing Direct Debit
customer. Will I get a voucher?
Yes. We want to show our
appreciation so if you keep paying
your rent by Direct Debit for the
whole year we will send you a £30
voucher in April 2013.
Why are we offering an incentive
to sign up to Direct Debit?
Direct Debits are the most efficient
way for you to pay your rent and
service charges. It is also the safest
and most cost effective method for
Plymouth Community Homes to
take payments. The efficiency gains
from not handling cash can then be
reinvested into the services we can
offer to our tenants.
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How do you work out what my
affordable rent should be?
The rent is based on a proportion of
market rent at the time the property
is advertised and let. There is no
fixed amount for affordable rent, but
as a guide, the rent is based on a
calculation of market value for
private rented homes in Plymouth. It
will be no more than 80 per cent of
this. An affordable rent will still be
lower than renting privately
although it is higher than rents that
some other PCH tenants might pay.
How and when do you work out
the increase in my rent?
Your rent will be reviewed every
April. It includes the annual
increase which is the Retail Price
Index (RPI) at the previous
September plus 0.5%. This yearʼs
increase is 6.1%.
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When are the rent-free weeks?
We ask you to pay your rent for the
whole year over 50 weeks rather
than 52. The ʻrent-free weeksʼ will be
the weeks starting the 2 April and 24
December 2012. If you pay your rent
by Direct Debit monthly then the
rent for the year is paid in 12 equal
instalments. The amount you pay
for the full year will be the same as
paying by other payment methods.
If you are in arrears of rent, have a
court order, or another arrangement
to clear arrears, you will still be
expected to make payments during
these weeks.
How do I apply for Housing
Benefit?
If you have a low income and do not
get any help to pay your rent at
present, you may be entitled to
Housing Benefit. You can get an
application form from any housing
office, or from the city council
Housing Benefit Office in the Civic
Centre.
I am receiving Housing Benefit.
Do I need to reapply?
IF YOU RECEIVE HOUSING
BENEFIT NOW, YOU DO NOT
NEED TO REAPPLY.
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.
What if I fall behind with my rent
or service charges?
If you are having difficulty in paying
your rent, please contact your
housing officer as soon as possible.
Do not ignore it. The problem will
only become worse. Our staff will do
their best to help you and provide
advice.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT NOT TO
IGNORE LETTERS SENT TO YOU.
Even if you have applied for help to
pay your rent before, but did not
qualify for Housing Benefit, it is
worthwhile applying again. If you
wish to make a claim, you will need
to provide proof of your identity,
income and savings – you can bring
this, with your application, to your
local housing office for checking.
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Contacting Us
Plymouth Community Homes
Head Office
Princess Court
23 Princess Street
Plymouth
PL1 2EX Tel: 0800 012 1474
Whitleigh Housing Office
101 Whitleigh Green
Whitleigh
Plymouth
PL5 4DE Tel: 0800 917 9498
North Prospect Housing Office
91-93 North Prospect Road
North Prospect
Plymouth
PL2 2NA Tel: 0800 917 9499
Estover Housing Office
Leypark Walk
Estover
Plymouth
PL6 8UE Tel: 0800 917 9496
Devonport Housing Office
10-12 Granby Way
Devonport
Plymouth
PL1 4AB Tel: 0800 917 9497

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Plymouth Community Homes
Princess Court
23 Princess Street
Plymouth PL1 2EX
Telephone: 0800 694 3101
Email: info@plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk
Web: www.plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk
Registered Office: Ground Floor, Princess Court,
23 Princess Street, Plymouth, PL1 2EX
Charitable Industrial and Provident Society Registration No: 30637R