With our rent increase for 2024/25 and with the rise of prices elsewhere too, we want to provide our customers with as much support as possible when it comes to paying your rent.
Some of our customers may need additional help from time to time and we can do this with a range of things from:
If you feel you need further advice or support, contact us on 03332 404 444 and press option 3 or email [email protected] to talk more about how we can help.
If you want to find out for yourself what benefits you may be entitled to, or want to work out your own budget plan, then the following tools are available to access freely:
If you are struggling in any way, please contact our Income Team today by calling 03332 404 444 and choosing option 3, or emailing [email protected]
How is my rent worked out?
Registered providers of social housing including Freebridge must charge rents in accordance with the Rent Standard, as set by the regulator of social housing.
Social rent levels are set by a reference to a formula-based method to ensure that similar rents are paid for similar properties. The current method is created on the basis that social rents take account of:
• which county the property is in
• local earnings
• number of bedrooms in a property
Every year the Regulator of Social Housing and The Government publish advice on how to update the formula to the new annual Consumer Price Index and calculate rent increases using the correct annual percentage to change their rent.
What if I claim Universal Credit?
If you claim Universal Credit, you will get a 'to do' prompt on your online Universal Credit account, to update your new housing costs. On 1st April you must complete this 'to do' by updating your new rent and service charges if applicable.
If you fail to do this, your Universal Credit claim will be calculated incorrectly and as a result you may not be paid what you are entitled to. If you report the change late, your payments will not be backdated.
What if I claim Housing Benefit?
If you claim Housing Benefit, we will contact your local council to tell them your new rent.
Following your rent letter, you will get another letter from the council telling you how much benefit you will get, and it will tell you how much of the rent you must pay yourself.
I pay a Service Charge, how is this calculated?
Service Charges are calculated by reviewing the actual costs incurred for services during late 2022/23 and early 2023/24. We then apply any over or under charges from previous years in order to calculate the weekly figure that you will pay from April 2024.
If one of your charges is zero in 2024/25 it is likely to be becuase our estimate last year was too high.
What is the ‘Landlord’s Notice proposing a new rent under an Assured Periodic Tenancy of premises situated in England’?
This is the legal notice that we are required to send to you to confirm the detail of the rent increase. It also contains details of any other fixed service charges that you are liable for.
If you are struggling with affording any of your household costs such as heating your home, or buying food, please contact our Tenancy Support Team on 03332 404 444 and hold the line.
You can also email them at [email protected] as we may be able to help with bills through our Support Fund.
If you are interested in reading more about our wider plans for rent increase support, or if you are a professional working with customers and want to know what additional support we provide, you can read our Rent Increase Support Plan.
I am worried about how I will afford my bills – is there any help available?
We want to provide you with as much support as possible when it comes to paying your rent.
Some of our customers may need additional help from time to time and we can do this with a range of things from:
• Access to our Tenancy Support Fund which was set up to help those that need it
• One-to-one conversations with a member of our Tenancy Support Team to identify what support we can offer
• We’ll provide information and advice that you need about paying your rent and financial help available to you
• We’ll help you with money management and budgeting
• We’ll help when it comes to checking whether you could be eligible for any benefits or Universal Credit, and support you with the applications
So, if you feel you need further advice or support contact us on 03332 404 444, and press option 3 or at [email protected] to talk more about how we can help.
You’ll need to amend your payments to cover any changes in your rent and charges. Don’t worry if you pay by Direct Debit, as we’ll change your payment amount.
If you have any type of payment arrangement on your account including a court order, then these payments will need to increase to reflect the change.
Customers who do not pay on time could face legal action, but by working together we will make sure this is a last resort.
We have a dedicated Support Fund to help customers who find themselves in financial difficulty. We will work with customers who are referred to us to complete an initial financial assessment, before offering further assistance with vouchers for utility payments, food, or specialist items such as school uniforms.
If you need additional help please do contact our Tenancy Support Team at [email protected]
or call us on 03332 404 444, hold the line and then ask to speak to our Tenancy Support Team.
Click one of the below if you need support with:
We understand that it can be very stressful if you are facing redundancy, but we have teams here to support you and make sure you can access the support and help that you may need.
We’ve put together a simple guide to what your first steps should be when looking for alternative work and/or applying for financial support.
Other help available:
