Rent Collection

How can I pay my rent?

There are lots of options available. You can pay by standing Order, Direct Debit, over the phone, via online banking, on the council website, using a bar coded letter at any PayPoint.

Click here to be taken to the councils tenants page for more information. You can also call us on 020 8523 9433 or come into the office, to get advice or get a direct debit form/standing order form/bar coded letter.

I'm in arrears, how can you help?

It is very important to speak to us early to prevent legal action being taken. Call Mrs Edwards on 020 8523 9433. She can give you advice over the phone or make an appointment with you to discuss your account. The appointment can be in our office or, if you would have trouble getting to us, she can arrange to visit you in your home. She can agree a repayment plan with you to stop the arrears action, give benefits advice, and help you apply if you have no-one else who can help you with this. She can also refer you to the CAB for general debt advice if you owe other people money too.

How often should I pay?
You should be paying your rent in advance to keep to the terms of your tenancy agreement. Your rent is charged weekly. If you want to pay less frequently than weekly this is not a problem, but all your payments should be in advance.
This means that if you want to pay monthly you should pay for the month coming not the month you have just had.

If you allow your account to go into arrears you are in breach of your tenancy agreement.

What will happen if I don't pay my rent and don't make an agreement with you?

Ultimately you could lose your home and you would have to find yourself somewhere else to live.

If you don't pay you will be served with a legal notice called a Notice of Seeking Possession or a Notice of Possession Proceedings depending on what type of tenancy you have. It will give you 28 days to clear your account.

If you do not do this then a court date could be applied for. You would be notified of a hearing at Edmonton County Court and we would ask the judge to award the council with a possession order against you. We would also ask for court costs (currently just over £500) which would be added to your debt and a Money Judgement Order which will affect your credit rating.

If you still do not clear your account, or keep to the court agreement, the council will instruct us to apply for an eviction date.

At any stage of this process you can stop it getting worse by talking to Mrs Edwards. We will do all we can to work with you to keep you in your home but you must talk to us. Are you in arrears now? If you haven't made an agreement already call Mrs Edwards now on 020 8523 9433 or e.mail her at amanda.edwards@walthamforest.gov.uk

How do I calculate a monthly rent?

First work out the rent for the whole year. Most years have 52 Mondays in them but sometimes there are 53. This year there are 53, the new financial year starting on 7th April 2025 will be 52 rent weeks. You get 2 weeks rent free at Christmas. Multiply the number of weeks with a charge by your weekly rent, then divide by 12.

Example Weekly rent £150 53 Mondays in the year
53 - 2 = 51 51 x £150 = £7,650 £7,650 / 12 = £637.50
The rent would be £637.50 every month

I am paying the correct amount monthly, why does my account still go into arrears sometimes?

When you pay the same amount each month it is an average. There are two issues: 1. Some months have 4 Mondays in them and some have 5 Mondays. On months with 4 Mondays you slightly overpay and in months with 5 Mondays you slightly underpay.
2. When you pay monthly you pay 2/12 less rent each month because of the 2 weeks rent free at Christmas. Your arrears will look worse each month up to December but as long as you have calculated correctly you will pay the correct amount over the year. If you want us to check that the amount you are paying is correct please ring us on 020 8523 9433

I’m paying monthly do I still get the rent free weeks in December?

Yes, 2 weeks have no charge added to your account in December. But you are paying an average rent monthly and so need to pay the same amount even in December. If you wish to pay less in December due to higher expenses, this is acceptable, but you will need to pay more in all the other months to ensure you pay your whole rent in the year. Please talk to us to calculate the monthly amounts.

When does my rent go up?

Rent increases happen on the first Monday in April every year. You will receive a letter around the end of February which tells you what you new rent will be.

If you pay by direct debit your instalments will be recalculated and you will receive a new schedule through the post.

If you receive Housing Benefit paid weekly into your rent account this will be recalculated automatically.

If you are on Universal Credit and get paid Housing costs you will need to log into your UC account and tell them the new rent figures. If you do not do this they will not increase your benefit.

If you have a standing order or regular payment set up you will need to contact your bank and update the payment amount.

I am experiencing financial difficulties what should I do?

Speak to a money advisor to see if there are any benefits you might be entitled to. You could call the Citizens Advice Bureau on 0808 278 7838 (free call) for help. If you cannot pay your rent you must speak to us straight away so we can help you to make a plan to keep you in your home. It is important that you prioritise your rent and council tax to stop legal action being taken against you. If you don’t pay your rent you are risking losing your home.

I am being migrated to Universal Credit what do I need to know?

Your Housing Benefit will stop. You should tell the DWP that you have rent liability so they can pay you Housing Element instead. You will need to tell them: how much rent and service charge you have to pay; that you have 2 weeks free in the year; and that your landlord is the London Borough of Waltham Forest. You can find your rent details on your last increase letter and your last statement, or you can call the office quoting your payment reference and we will look it up for you.

The DWP will pay your rent money to you but you can ask them to pay it directly into your rent account. You should tell us when your first payment will be and agree an amount that you will pay. Universal Credit will pay you monthly in arrears for your rent which may put your account in arrears. It is your responsibility to pay this back and stop your account going into arrears.
Talk to us now and agree a repayment plan by calling 020 8523 9433.

I am being charged bedroom tax, what can I do about it?

Bedroom tax means that the government thinks you are in a property that is too big for you. They reduce your benefits to try and encourage you to move to a smaller property. You can apply to the council for a transfer or do a mutual exchange. Talk to us about how to move to smaller accommodation or click here for more information.

Whilst you are waiting to move of if you are unable to move you, may be able to claim Discretionary Housing Payment from the London Borough of Waltham Forest to help cover this benefit gap.
Click this link for more information. If you are unable to make an application yourself please contact us and we might be able to help you.

If you want to move to smaller accommodation please talk to us, we can give advice on the options available to you and we might be able to help you with this.

My Housing Benefit has stopped, what should I do?

You should speak to Housing Benefits on 020 8496 3000, at the automated menus select 3 at the first menu 2 at the second menu and 3 at the third. Ask them why your benefit has stopped and what you need to do about it.

Make sure you make all applications, complete all reviews, and provide all requested evidence on time to help keep your benefits running.

Once you have spoken to them let us know what you have done and agree how much you will pay whilst you wait for your claim to be assessed.

Can I have my Housing Element paid directly to my rent account?

Sometimes the DWP will agree to make payments from your Universal Credit directly to your rent account. You should send them a journal entry requesting this. If you are in arrears we may ask the DWP to make direct payments. We may also ask for extra money to pay your arrears. The DWP will decide if this is possible and how much they will pay. You are still responsible for making sure that all the money due is paid. You might still need to make payments to your account.

I am in credit, how do I get a refund?

To apply for a refund you need to complete an application on the Waltham Forest website. Click here to go to the refund page. You will need to scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the green button "Request a refund"

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Rent Collection