Rent

Your rent

Your rent is due every Monday and must be paid weekly, fortnightly or monthly in advance. We will review your rent each year, if your rent goes up we will write to you at least four weeks in advance of the increase. Any rent increases usually start in the first week of April.

How your rent is made up

Your rent is made up of:

• Net rent: This is the basic rent you pay.
• Service charges: Additional charges for facilities shared by residents in your block or on your estate such as block cleaning, estate cleaning, grounds maintenance, communal lighting, digital TV aerial charge and a concierge if you have one.
• Water rates: The council pays the water company on your behalf and these charges are added to your rent. These are adjusted yearly if the water company increases or decreases their charges.
• Heating/ hot water: These costs are for communal heating where it is shared with other households.
  Insurance (optional): The council runs a home contents insurance scheme where you pay your insurance premium weekly with your rent. (See hackney Councils website)

  We will send you a statement of your account every three months setting out:

• what rent you have been charged
• the payments you have made
• any housing benefit you have received.

Calculating your rent

The terms and conditions of your tenancy agreement sets out the council’s responsibilities and your responsibilities for paying your rent. You will be given a copy of the terms and conditions when you sign your tenancy agreement.
Hackney Council is responsible for setting the level of your rent. Your rent is based on the value of your home, average income for the area, government guidelines and also the council’s overall budget.
All council homes have been given a value which is based on the amount it would have cost to purchase the property in January 1999. The higher the value of your property, the higher the amount of rent you will pay.
To protect you from large rent increases, the government has capped the amount your rent can increase by in any one year.

Refund of overpaid rent

If your rent account is in credit because you have paid too much, you can apply for a refund. Your account will be checked to make sure the credit balance is correct and check that you do not owe any other debts to the Council. If any debts are owed they will be paid before any refund is agreed.
Refunds can be paid by BACs transfer directly into your bank account or by cheque.

How to request a refund

Download and complete the refund application form (See Hackney Councils website)
Send completed forms to:
Rent Accounts, Hackney Homes, Christopher Addison House, 72 Wilton Way, London E8 1BJ
You can email us the completed refund application form to: housing.rents@hackneyhomes.org.uk or Fax: 020 8356 2240