Rent and service charge

For more information on rent and service charge please refer to our ‘Rent/service charge’ leaflet.

1. How can I pay my rent /service charge?

We provide a range of ways for you to pay your rent/service charge and you can chose the one from the options below that suits you best

• Direct Debit
• standing order
• at the Post Office or other payment centre
• by phone to allpay – 0844 557 8321
• over the Internet - www.allpayments.net
• by post
• by Callpay
• by text
• in person
• by Housing Benefit

2. How often will I be sent a rent statement?

We will send you a rent statement at least four times each year and you can also ask for one at any time from your local office or by contacting the customer service centre at Balham on 0330 123 0220.

3. Can you help me complete my housing benefit form?

Yes we can, if you would like assistance with completing your housing benefit form please contact your local office and ask to speak to your housing officer. If you are a London resident we have a welfare benefits officer whose dedicated role is to assist our residents with housing benefit queries. You contact the welfare benefits officer by calling 0330 123 0220. We also run a weekly surgery at the Balham office and a surgery at our Church Manor office on the last Thursday of every month.

4. How does Viridian set it rents?

Most residents have assured tenancies and rents are adjusted annually using the Rent Restructuring formula as directed by our regulator the Tenant Services Authority. This means that the change in rent will be calculated using the proceeding September’s published Retail Price Index (RPI) plus a further 0.5%, and then plus or minus up to £2 per week depending on whether or not the rent is at target level.

Rent restructuring also applies to residents with secure tenancies but increases are limited to the registered rent level. For shared owners the rent increase is also based on RPI with detail depending on terms of the lease.

Service charges are also reviewed annually. These are set based on an estimate of total spend for the scheme divided by the number of residents. Service charge estimates can go down as well as up.

5. When is my rent/charge increased?

For assured tenancies all rent increases come into place on the first Monday of April each year. For secured tenancies increase dates will vary depending on the terms of the tenancy. Shared owners currently have increases applied in October but this is currently being reviewed.

6. What bills am I responsible for paying?

You’re responsible for paying all utility bills including water rates, gas, electric, telephone and TV license. If you require further information please contact your local office and speak to your housing officer.

7. Am I responsible for paying the council tax?

Yes, you are responsible for paying your council tax. The Directgov website provides useful information on Council tax. You can contact your Local Authority directly for further information.

8. Can I pay my rent online?

Yes you can, you can pay your rent online at www.allpayments.net, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You will need your allpay card or the reference number in order to do this.

9. How often do I need to pay my rent?

Your rent/service charge is due every Monday. You can choose to pay your rent/service charge weekly or monthly in advance, and it is your responsibility to ensure that your rent account does not get into arrears.

10. How can I check my rent account?

You can check your rent account by calling your local office, they will be able to tell you the balance on your account – in order to do this we will ask you a few security questions which may include your date of birth, tenancy reference number, tenancy start date or the password you set on your account. Your local office can send you a rent statement in the post and we also send you a quarterly rent account statement.

11. Will my rent increase?

Yes in most years as the rent increase formula laid down by the Tenant Services Authority is based on annual inflation. Rents will therefore increase each year unless there is significant deflation.

12. What will happen if I pay my rent late or have financial difficulties?

If you do not pay your rent then you may lose your home, it is therefore very important that you contact us so we can talk through the situation with you and agree how to resolve the problem. We may be able to assist you by

• agreeing a repayment plan
• assisting you with an application for Housing Benefit or chasing outstanding benefit claims
• providing you with contact details for local debt-counselling organisations

13. How do I apply for Housing Benefit to help pay my rent?

You can check your eligibility for Housing Benefit on the Directgov website, this will direct you to your Local Authority housing benefit pages where you will find details on how to apply.

14. What does my service charge cover?

A service charge is based on the cost of providing services not included in your rent such as the cleaning and maintenance of communal areas, replacement of scheme assets and other scheme specific services.Your schedule of services describes the services we provide to your scheme.

15. How can Viridian help me with my rent arrears?

If you have rent arrears, please contact us as soon as you are able to, we can discuss the rent arrears with you and there are a number of ways in which we may be able to help you. This could include setting up a repayment plan or assisting you with a Housing Benefit claim. You should never just ignore the problem, we have a robust arrears procedure and in some instances we may take you to court and you could end up losing your home. If you are experiencing difficulties with rent arrears you should contact your local office and ask to speak to your housing officer who will be able to assist you.