Leasehold Management

Your lease

Lease and transfer of part are legal contracts between you and Hackney Council. These agreements explain both parties’ rights and responsibilities.

Our Leaseholders Rules and Regulations (PDF, 871KB) and Freeholders Rules and Regulations (PDF,741KB) sets out the rules for leaseholders, freeholders and their tenants (if the property is let) living on Hackney Council estates. It also explains what you can expect from us and details some of our service standards.

The rules and regulations came into force on 1 April 2015. We consulted with all leaseholders and freeholders on the proposed introduction of new rules and regulations and your views were taken into account in finalising them.

Leaseholder and Freeholder Rules and Regulations consultation report (PDF, 1.62MB)
The introduction of rules and regulations for leaseholders and freeholders follows on from the implementation of new tenancy conditions in 2012. We will review the rules and regulations periodically and we will notify leaseholders and freeholders in writing of any changes we propose to make following any such review.

Rules and Regulations FAQ”s (PDF, 30KB)
What you can expect from us
Our service standards are included in the Leaseholders’ and Freeholders’ Rules and Regulations and explain the service you can expect from us for leaseholder services and freeholder services.

Contact our Leasehold and Right to Buy Service
service.charges@hackneyhomes.org.uk
020 8356 2299
Service charges
You will be charged for the works, utilities and services we provide to your block and/or estate.
Service charges are calculated from 1 April to 31 March each year and are broken down into a number of categories:

  • Buildings insurance (leaseholders only)
  • Cleaning and grounds maintenance
  • Concierge (where applicable)
  • Heating standing charge
  • Lighting, electricity and heating fuel (where applicable)
  • Management fees
  • Repairs and maintenance

Service charges are divided fairly between all flats in a block. We pay the proportion relating to the rent paying tenants which is then recharged to tenants through the rent and service charge they pay.
We will send you bills about your service charges twice a year:

  • Estimated bills (issued before April each year) are based on the estimated costs of providing the service for that financial year. Our Service Charge Estimate 2015-16 booklet (word, 172KB) provides information about your estimated service charge costs for 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016.
  • Actual bills (issued by the end of September each year) are based on the actual costs of providing the service for the previous financial year. Our Actual Service Charge 2013-14 (word, 165KB) provides information about your actual service charge costs for 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014.

Some service charges result in costs greater than £250 and are invoiced separately. These are referred to as major works.

If you have a query with your bill, for example, you think it has been miscalculated or you have been charged for a service you have not received, contact our Service Charge Accounts Team. We will look at your account and if we can see that you have been charged incorrectly we will make arrangements for any necessary adjustments. If you are not happy with the outcome of our investigation, you can make a formal complaint.
Contact our Leasehold and Right to Buy Service
service.charges@hackneyhomes.org.uk
020 8356 2299

Paying your service charges

Cashier’s office
Payments at the cashiers office will normally show on your account on the next working day.
Pay your housing rent or garage rent
To pay your housing rent or garage rent at the Cashiers Office, take your payment card and cash, debit card, credit card or cheque (made payable to ‘London Borough of Hackney’) to the Cashiers Office based at 2 Hillman Street, Hackney, London, E8 1FB from Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
Pay your service charges, shared ownership rent or major works
To pay your service charges or shared ownership rent at the Cashiers Office, take your cash, debit card, credit card or cheque (made payable to ‘London Borough of Hackney’) to the Cashiers Office baOnline payments
Online payments will normally take one working day to show up on your account.
Pay your housing rent or garage rent
To pay your housing rent or garage rent online, select Housing Rents on Hackney Council’s secure payment system. You will need your housing rent or garage rent account number.
To pay your housing rent or garage rent using online banking, use the following details:

  • Our bank: Lloyds
  • Our bank account number: 00641877
  • Our sort code: 30-00-02
  • Include your housing rent or garage rent account number as the reference.

Pay your service charges or shared ownership rent

To pay your service charges or shared ownership rent online, select Service Charges on Hackney Council’s secure payment system. You will need your service charge account number.
To pay your service charges using online banking, use the following details:

  • Our bank: Lloyds
  • Our bank account number: 00634021
  • Our sort code: 30-00-02
  • Include your service charge account number as the reference.

Pay your major works
To pay your major works online, select Hackney Invoices on Hackney Council’s secure payment system. You will need your major works invoice number.

To pay your major works using online banking, use the following details:

  • Our bank: Lloyds
  • Our bank account number: 00638817
  • Our sort code: 30-00-02
  • Include your major works invoice number as the reference.

at 2 Hillman Street, Hackney, London, E8 1FB from Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Post Office

Payments at a Post Office will normally take three working days to show up on your account.

Pay your housing rent or garage rent

To pay your housing rent or garage rent at a Post Office, take your payment card and cash or cheque (made payable to ‘The Post Office Ltd’) to your nearest Post Office.
Pay your service charges, shared ownership rent or major works
Service charges, shared ownership rent or major works cannot be paid at a Post Office.

Online payments

Online payments will normally take one working day to show up on your account.
Pay your housing rent or garage rent
To pay your housing rent or garage rent online, select Housing Rents on Hackney Council’s secure payment system. You will need your housing rent or garage rent account number.
To pay your housing rent or garage rent using online banking, use the following details:

  • Our bank: Lloyds
  • Our bank account number: 00641877
  • Our sort code: 30-00-02
  • Include your housing rent or garage rent account number as the reference.

Pay your service charges or shared ownership rent
To pay your service charges or shared ownership rent online, select Service Charges on Hackney Council’s secure payment system. You will need your service charge account number.
To pay your service charges using online banking, use the following details:

  • Our bank: Lloyds
  • Our bank account number: 00634021
  • Our sort code: 30-00-02
  • Include your service charge account number as the reference.

Pay your major works

To pay your major works online, select Hackney Invoices on Hackney Council’s secure payment system. You will need your major works invoice number.
To pay your major works using online banking, use the following details:

  • Our bank: Lloyds
  • Our bank account number: 00638817
  • Our sort code: 30-00-02
  • Include your major works invoice number as the reference.

Post

Payments may take up to ten working days to show up on your account.
Pay your housing rent or garage rent, service charges, shared ownership rent or major works
To pay your housing rent, garage rent, service charges, shared ownership rent or major works by post, send your postal order or cheque (made payable to ‘London Borough of Hackney’) to the Cashiers Office, 2 Hillman Street, Hackney, London, E8 1FB. Please write your account number, full name and address on the back of your postal order or cheque. Do not send cash in the post.

Bank

Payments at your bank will normally take two working days to show up on your account.
Pay your housing rent or garage rent
To pay your housing rent or garage rent at your bank, use the following details:

  • Our bank: Lloyds
  • Our bank account number: 00641877
  • Our sort code: 30-00-02
  • Include your housing rent or garage rent account number as the reference.

Pay your service charges or shared ownership rent

To pay your service charges or shared ownership rent at your bank, use your instalment slips. Your bank may charge for this service.

Pay your major works

To pay your major works at your bank, use your invoice. Your bank may charge for this service.
Phone
Payments by phone will normally show on your account on the next working day if paid before 6pm.
Pay your housing rent or garage rent, service charges, shared ownership rent or major works
To pay your housing rent, garage rent, service charges, shared ownership rent or major works by phone, call our 24 hour payment line on 020 8356 5050 or contact our Neighbourhood Contact Centre.
neighbourhoods@hackneyhomes.org.uk
020 8356 3330

PayPoint

Payments using PayPoint will normally take three working days to show up on your account.

Pay your housing rent or garage rent

To pay your housing rent or garage rent using PayPoint, take your payment card and cash to your nearest shop which has a PayPoint service.
Pay your service charges, shared ownership rent or major works
Service charges, shared ownership rent or major works cannot be paid using PayPoint.

Standing order

A standing order is an instruction from you to your bank or building society to pay a set amount to us weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Payments other than weekly must be made in advance. You must let your bank or building society know when your payment amount changes.

Pay your housing rent or garage rent

To pay your housing rent or garage rent by standing order, complete a rent standing order form (Word, 32KB) and return to your bank, or contact your bank with the following details:

  • Our bank: Lloyds
  • Our bank account number: 00641877
  • Our sort code: 30-00-02
  • How much and how often you want to pay
  • Your housing rent or garage rent account number

Pay your service charges or shared ownership rent

To pay your service charges or shared ownership rent by standing order, complete a service charge standing order form and return to your bank, or contact your bank with the following details:
Our bank: Lloyds
Our bank account number: 00634021
Our sort code: 30-00-02
How much and how often you want to pay
Your service account number as the reference
Payments are due in advance on the first of the month.
Pay your major works
Please contact the Major Works Recovery Team on 020 8356 2299.
Contact our Neighbourhood Contact Centre
neighbourhoods@hackneyhomes.org.uk
020 8356 3330

Direct Debit

A direct debit is an instruction from you to your bank or building society that you want us to collect money from your account. All direct debit payments are protected by your bank’s direct debit guarantee.

Pay your housing rent or garage rent

To pay your housing rent or garage rent by direct debit, select a payment date that suits you (1st, 8th or 16th and 24th of each month) on a rent direct debit form (Word, 1,355KB) and return to us or contact our Neighbourhood Contact Centre.

Pay your service charges or shared ownership rent

To pay your service charges or shared ownership rent by direct debit, select a payment date that suits you (3rd, 15th or 23rd of each month) on a service charge direct debit form (Word, 2,564KB) and return to us or contact our Neighbourhood Contact Centre.

Pay your major works

To pay your major works by standing order, contact the Neighbourhood Contact Centre.
Contact our Neighbourhood Contact Centre
neighbourhoods@hackneyhomes.org.uk
020 8356 3330

Calculating your service charges

Service charges are calculated using a living space factor. We give every property a living space factor based on the number of bedrooms in the property. We then use this to work out your share of the total charges.
For services provided to your block, we work out your share of the total block charge by comparing your living space factor with the total number of living space factors for the block that benefit from those services.
Living space
Factor
Bedsit
1.5
1 bedroom
3.0
2 bedroom
4.0
3 bedroom
4.5
4 bedroom
5.0
Example of service charge calculations
Mr and Mrs J Bloggs live at 25 Saffron Close on Queens Park Estate in a two bed flat. Queens Park Estate is made up of two blocks 1-30 and 31-60 Saffron Close. Each block comprises of 30 x two bedroom units which is represented by a living space factor of 4.0 per unit.
Living space factor calculation

Mr and Mrs Blogg’s Block Living Space Factor for 1-30 Saffron Close is 30 flats x 4.0 = 120
Total block living space factor of Saffron Close is 120 x 2 = 240
Estate % calculation
Estate %: 4.0 divided by 240 x 100 = 1.6666%
Block % calculation
Block %: 4.0 divided by 120 x 100 = 3.3333%
Proportion against your estate and block
Costs based on actual service charges for 2006-07:
Estate roads footpaths and drainage total cost is £51.08
Block cleaning total cost is £875.73
Mr and Mrs Blogg’s share of the estate roads footpaths and drainage charge is £51.08 x 1.6666% = £0.85
Mr and Mrs Blogg’s share of the block cleaning charge is £875.73 x 3.3333% = £29.19
Contact our Leasehold and Right to Buy Service
service.charges@hackneyhomes.org.uk
020 8356 2299