Council housing rent payments

Rent Change 2025 - 2026

Rent change letters have been posted to all residents that rent a residential property, garage, mobile home plot or mobility scooter store space from the Council.

We are required by law to give at least four weeks’ notice in writing of any variation to rent charges. The notice period began on 10 March 2025.

The changes to the weekly rental charge will take effect from 07 April 2025.

All rent changes have been made in accordance with the relevant Consumer Price Index (CPI) and have been agreed at the latest Cabinet meeting.

I accept the rent changes. What do I need to do?

If you accept the new rent charge, you must ensure that your rent payment methods are updated to reflect the changes from 07 April 2025.

UNIVERSAL CREDIT - HOUSING ELEMENT

If you receive Universal Credit, you are responsible for telling The Department of Work and Pensions that your weekly rent charge will be changing with effect from 07 April 2025.  The Council cannot notify The Department for Work and Pensions of this change for you.

You must therefore update your claim using your online account. You can only report your change in housing costs from 7 April 2025.

For more information on Universal Credit, for example, where you can apply and get further advice; please follow this link www.gov.uk/universal-credit or call 0800 328 5644.

STANDING ORDER

If you are currently paying by Standing Order, it is up to you to arrange for your bank to amend your standing order payments.

DIRECT DEBIT

If you are paying by Direct Debit, we will make the adjustments to your regular payments and a letter will be sent shortly showing you the monthly/weekly direct debit payments for the financial year 2025/2026.

If you wish to pay your rent by Direct Debit, please contact the Customer Services Team on telephone number 024 7637 6706 to set up a direct debit.

HOUSING BENEFIT

If you claim Housing Benefit, your claim will be adjusted for you and paid directly onto your rent account.

Although your rent will be changing, all other terms of your tenancy agreement remain the same.

I do not accept the rent changes. What do I need to do?

If you do not wish to continue with your tenancy at the new rent, you may terminate your tenancy by giving four weeks’ notice in writing to the Council at any time before 10 March 2025.

This gives the Council notice to quit your home to expire on or before 07 April 2025.

NB – for garage tenancies and mobility scooter spaces, the notice period is 7 days, so you must serve a notice to quit these tenancies anytime before 31 March 2025.

If you do not submit a notice to quit your tenancy giving the required notice period, you will be charged the new rent from 07 April 2025 until the termination is received and the keys are returned to the Council.

If you wish to terminate your tenancy, can you do so in the following ways:

Residential Homes:

Request a termination (notice to quit) form or submit your request in writing:

Garages:

Request a termination (notice to quit) form or submit your request in writing:

Mobile Home Plots:

Submit your notice to quit the plot in writing:

Mobility Scooter Store Space:

Submit your notice to quit the space in writing: