your rent and service charge - 5
DESCRIPTION
rent service chargeTRANSCRIPT
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Your Rent And Service ChargesThis section tells you:
• Howwesetyourrent.
• Aboutservicechargesandhowtheyareset.
• Aboutthewaysyoucanpayyourrent.
• AboutHousingBenefit.
• Aboutyourrentstatement.
• Whattodoifyouarehavingdifficultiespayingyourrent.
• Whereyoucangetspecialistmoneymanagementanddebtcounsellingservices.
• Whatwillhappenifyoudon’tpayyourrentandservicecharges.
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How We Set Your RentTherentpaidtousbytenantscoversthecostofprovidingandmaintainingourhouses.Thisincludespayingforstaff,payingforrepairandmaintenanceworkonourhomes,andrepayingmoneyborrowedtofinancethebuildingofnewproperties.Weareanon-profitorganisationandthereforewesetourrentatthelowestpossiblelevel.Theamountofrentyoupayforyourhomewillvarydependingonthesizeandtypeofyourhome,whereyouliveandwhetheryouhaveaSecureorAssuredtenancy.Beforewechangeyourrentwehavetogiveyouamonth’swrittennotice.
Secure Tenancies
Ifyourtenancystartedbefore15January1989,theamountofrentyoupayisfixedbytheRentOfficeratCardiffCountyCouncil.TheRentOfficerisapublicemployee,andiscompletelyindependentoftheAssociation.Every2yearswecanapplytotheRentOfficerforyourrenttobereassessed.TheRentOfficerwillconsultwithyoubeforemakingadecision.IfyoudisagreewiththeRentOfficer’sdecision,youmustappealwithin28daystotheRentAssessmentCommittee.Wecanassistyouindoingthis.TheRentAssessmentCommittee’sdecisionisfinal,andisbindinguponyouandus.
Wecanaskforyourrenttobereassessedwithinthe2-yearperiodiftherehavebeenanychangestoyourhome,forexample,anymajorimprovements.
Assured Tenancies
Ifyourtenancystartedafter15January1989,youwillhaveanAssuredorAssuredShortholdtenancy.YourrentisfixedbytheAssociation,althoughforsomepropertytypestherentisrestrictedtoacertainlevelbytheWelshGovernment.
Yourrentisreviewedeveryyear,andwemustgiveyouatleastonemonth’snoticeinwritingofanyincreases.
IfyouthinkwehavesetyourrenttoohighyoucanappealtotheRentAssessmentCommittee.Theywilllookatallthefactsandsetarent.Thismaybehigherthantherentwewanttochargeyou.YoucanaskforadviceaboutyourrentfromtheCitizen’sAdviceBureau,theLawCentreorasolicitor.
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About Service Charges And How They Are SetWemayalsochargeyouaservicecharge.Thisisachargeontopofyourrent,andcoversthecostofadditionalservicesweprovide.
Theserviceswechargeforinclude:
• ProvidinganEstatesAssistant.
• Gardening.
• Cleaningandlightingcommunalareas.
• Servicingdoorentrysystems.
Ifyouarerequiredtopayaservicecharge,youwillhavereceivedaservicechargeschedulewithyourtenancyagreement.Thissetsoutalloftheserviceswechargeyoufor,andhowmuchtheyare.Yourservicechargesarebaseduponwhatitactuallycostsustoprovidetheservice.
Servicechargesarereviewedannually.Wearerequiredtogiveyouatleast28days’noticeifweintendtoincreaseyourservicecharges,andwewillconsultyoubeforechangingthem.Thiswillgiveyoutheopportunitytogiveusanyfeedbackontheservicesyoureceive,andtoseehowyourchargesarecalculated.Thereisfurtherinformationaboutservicechargesinthe‘Tenants’Guarantee’.
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About The Ways You Can Pay Your RentYour rent is payable every Monday in advance for that week. This is a condition of your tenancy agreement.
IfyoupayyourrentafterMonday,yourpaymentmaynotshowonyourrentalaccountforthatweek,andyouraccountwillshowinarrears.
Ifyouwishtopayyourrentmonthly,itshouldbepaidinadvancefortheforthcomingmonth.Ifyouneedanyassistancewithcalculatingyourmonthlypayments,pleasecontactyourRentsOfficerorCustomerServiceAdvisoron02920259100.
Ifyouwouldliketopayyourrentatanyotherfrequency,pleasecontactyourRentsOfficerorCustomerServiceAdvisor,on02920259100,foradvice.
Thereareseveralwaysthatyoucanpayyourrent:
Rent Card
YoucanpayusingyourrentcardatanyPostOffice,oranyoutletdisplayingthePayPointorPayzonelogo.PleasecontactyourCustomerServiceAdvisoron02920259100,foralistofalltheoutletsinyourlocalarea.Ifyouneedanewrentcard,pleasecontactyourCustomerServiceAdvisoron02920259100.
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Direct Debit
Wecanarrangetodebityourrentdirectlyfromyourbankaccount,atafrequencyagreedwithyou.Thistakesallofthehassleoutofpayingyourrent,aswedotheworkforyou!PleasecontactyourCustomerServiceAdvisororRentsOfficertosetupyourdirectdebitoverthetelephoneon02920259100.Don’tforgetthatittakesupto14daystosetup,sopleaseallowenoughtimeforthecommencementofyourdirectdebit.Wewillalwaysinformyouinadvanceofanychangesintheamountofrentwewillbecollecting,andyoucancancelyourdirectdebitatanytimebyinformingyourCustomerServiceAdvisorandyourbank.Remember,youmustensurethatyouhaveenoughmoneyinyourbankaccount.
Standing Order
Thisisaninstructionthatyougivetoyourbanktopayusonaregularbasis.Thisdiffersfromadirectdebit,asyouwillberesponsibleforinformingyourbankofanychangesinpaymentsthatarerequired,forexample,whenyourrentincreases.Ifyouwouldliketopaybystandingorder,pleaseaskyourCustomerServiceAdvisorforaStandingOrderMandate.Remember,youmustensurethatyouhaveenoughmoneyinyourbankaccount.
Counter Payments
Youcannowmakecounterpaymentsatouroffices,byusingachipandpinfacilityinreception.Youcanpaybyusingdebitorcreditcardsandyouwillbegivenareceiptuponpayment.Thissavesyoucarryingcash,aspaymentwillcomedirectlyfromyourcard.
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Debit/Credit Card on the Internet
Youcannowpayyourrentoverthephoneoron-line,usingyourdebitorcreditcard.
Itcouldn’tbeeasier...bothservicesareavailable24hoursaday,365daysayear.
Youwillneedtohavethefollowinginformationtohand:
• Yourallpay.netcardnumber.Thisisdisplayedonthefrontofyourrentcard.IfyoudonothavearentcardpleasetelephoneourCustomerServiceAdvisorson02920259100.
• Yourdebit/creditcardnumber.
• Theexpirydateofyourdebit/creditcard.
• Theissuenumberofyourdebit/creditcard(forSwitchcardsonly).
• Theamountyouwishtopay.
Debit/Credit Card over the telephone or in the office
Youcannowpayyourrentinreceptionviaourchipandpinmachine,allyouneedisyourdebit/creditcardandyourpinnumber.Topayoverthetelephone,pleasecallourrentsteamon02920259100duringofficeopeningtimes.
Topayonline,pleasefollowthelinkonourwebsitewww.taffhousing.co.uktoAllpay.Youwillreceivefullinstructionson-line.Again,pleasekeeptheauthorisationcodeforyourpaymentinasafeplace.
TomakepaymentdirecttoTaff,simplyringourofficeson02920259100andmakesureyouhaveyourdebit/creditcardavailable.Thisisaquickandeasymethodtomakepaymentsdirecttoyourrentaccount.
Cheque
Yourchequeshouldbemadepayableto‘TaffHousingAssociation’.Youcansendorbringyourchequetoourofficeat:AlexandraHouse,307–315CowbridgeRoadEast,Canton,Cardiff,CF51JD.Pleaseremembertoputyournameandaddressonthebackofthecheque.
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About Housing Benefit
IfyouareentitledtoHousingBenefittoassistyouwiththepaymentofpartorallofyourrent,youcanarrangeforthistobepaiddirectlytousbytheHousingBenefitDepartment.Foradviceonthisoption,ortoobtainanapplicationform,youcancontactyourRentsOfficerorCustomerServiceAdvisoron02920259100,ortheHousingBenefitDepartment,on02920872087.
AnofficerfromtheHousingBenefitDepartmentholdsasurgeryatourofficeseveryTuesdayafternoonfrom9.30am.IfyouhaveanyqueriesaboutyourHousingBenefitclaim,pleasecallintoseethem.
HousingBenefitevidencecanbehandedintoouroffices,oryoucangodirectlytoMarlandHousetoproducealldocuments,usingtheirfasttrackservice.
ThereareseveralveryimportantthingstorememberifyouclaimHousingBenefit:
• ItisyourresponsibilitytoensurethatyourHousingBenefitispaidtousontime.Please do not forget that the responsibility for payment of rent remains with you, not the Housing Benefit Department.
• IfyoureceiveHousingBenefitforonlypartofyourrent,youmustmakearrangementsforpayingtheremainder.
• YoumusttelltheHousingBenefitDepartmentandyourRentsOfficerifyourcircumstanceschange,forexample,ifachildreachestheageof18,someonemovesinorout,oryoustartwork.If you do not inform the Housing Benefit Department of any changes, you may receive benefit which you are not entitled to, and you will be asked to repay it.
• YoumustansweralllettersyoureceivefromtheHousingBenefitDepartment,evenifyouthinktheyalreadyhavetheinformation.If you do not, your benefit may be cancelled, and you will have to pay the rent yourself.
• YoumustfillinandreturnanewHousingBenefitformwhenyoureceiveone.If you do not, your benefit may be cancelled, and you will have to pay the rent yourself.
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• Ifyourbenefitstops,foranyreason,youwillhavetopaytherentyourself.
• IfyouneedanyhelporadvicewithyourHousingBenefitclaim,pleasecontactyourRentsOfficeron02920259100.
• IfyouareindisputewiththeHousingBenefitDepartmentregardingyourclaim,wecanreferyoutoourWelfareRightsOfficer,whowillbeabletoassistyouwithclaimsforbackdatedbenefitorappeals.
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About Your Rent StatementWewillsendyouarentstatementevery3months.Thisshowsalltherentwehavechargedyou,andallthepaymentsyouhavemade.Youshouldcheckthisstatementcarefullytoensurethatallyourpaymentsarethere.IfyouhaveanyquestionsaboutyourrentstatementpleasecontactyourRentsOfficerorCustomerServiceAdvisoron02920259100.
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What To Do If You Are Having Difficulties Paying Your RentIfyouareexperiencinganydifficultiesinpayingyourrent,pleasecontactourRentsTeam,on02920259100,assoonaspossible.Wewilldowhateverwecantoassistyouinmaintainingyourrentpayments.Ifyouwouldlikeadviceonwhatbenefitsareavailabletoyou,orrequiresupporttodealwithdebts,wecanreferyoutoourTenancySupportTeam.IfyouwouldlikefurtherinformationaboutTenancySupportpleasecontacttheTaffTenantSupportTeamon02920259100.
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Where You Can Get Specialist Money Management And Debt Counselling ServicesIfyouthinkyouneedspecialistadviceaboutyourfinancialaffairs,youcancontact:
RiversideAdviceCentre 029 2034 1577
TheCitizensAdviceBureau 0870 126 4028
NationalDebtline 0808 808 4000
CardiffLawCentre 029 2049 8117
HousingBenefit 029 2087 2087
ConsumerCreditCounsellingService 0800 138 1111
TheUKInsolvencyHelpline 0800 074 6918
TaffHousingAssociationhasaspecialistin-houseWelfareRightsOfficer.Youcanreachthisserviceon02920259193.
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What Will Happen If You Don’t Pay Your Rent And Service ChargesTherentyoupayusisourmainsourceofincome.Weneedittocarryonprovidinghomestopeoplewhoneedthem.Thisiswhywearequicktoremindyouwhenyouoweusrent.
Ifyoudofallbehindwithyourrent,wecanhelpyouby:
• Givingyoubenefitsadviceandhelpingyouclaimanybenefitsyoumightbeentitledto.
• Makinganaffordablerepaymentarrangementwithyouifyoucan’taffordtopaythemoneybackstraightaway.
• Ifyouaremorethan4weeksinarrears,andareinreceiptofIncomeSupportorIncomeBasedJSA,wecanapplytotheDepartmentofWorkandPensionstohavesomemoneydeductedfromyourweeklybenefittopayoffyourarrears.
Ifyoudon’tkeeptoanarrangementwithus,orfailtocontactusaboutyourarrears,wewillissueyouaNoticeofSeekingPossession.Thisisthefirststeptowardstakingyoutocourttoregainpossessionofyourhome.Ifwehavetotakeyoutocourt,younotonlyrisklosingyourhome,butyouwillalsoincuradditionalcourtfees.Remember,wedon’twantanyonetolosetheirhome,butifyoudon’tpayyourrentwewillhavetoaskyoutoleave.Ifyouloseyourhomebecauseyouhaven’tpaidyourrent,itisunlikelythattheCounciloranotherhousingassociationwillre-houseyou.
Ifyoufallintoarrearspleasefollowthisadvice:
• Carefullyreadanylettersyoureceivefromus.Theywillexplainwhatyouneedtodo,andwhatyourrightsare.
• Contactusimmediately–wecanhelp.
• Cometoanagreementtopayoffyourarrearsinawayyoucanafford, and stick to it.
• Takeindependentadvice.