Money Matters
Rent is payable weekly but apart from rent there are other things that have to be paid for on a regular basis once someone has taken up a tenancy. Some of these are listed below.
| Council Tax | This is money everyone has to pay to the Council for services such as: removing rubbish, repairing roads, street lighting and other things. |
|---|---|
| Water Rates | This money is payable every month and is used to ensure we have clean drinking water and that any repairs to broken pipes are done. |
| TV Licence | This is payable to the BBC and without a license televisions cannot be used. This money pays for the up-keep of the transmitters. |
| Electricity | In order to have lights, hot water and electrical appliances working in the home it is necessary to have electricity from a supplier. This must be paid for and can be expensive unless careful with its use. |
| Gas | Some homes need gas in order to have heating, hot water and to be able to cook. This must be paid for and can be expensive unless careful with its use. |
| Telephone | A home telephone costs money. A line rental fee has to be paid each month plus any amount spent to make telephone calls. Even if a telephone only receives calls, the line rental fee still has to be paid. |
| Recharges | This is a charge that is made if the Landlord has to make repairs due to damage a tenant has caused. If someone cannot afford to pay immediately, this amount can be paid in weekly payments to be agreed with the Housing Officer. Most repairs are not rechargeable. The Tenant handbook will give details. |
Many of these things can be paid for directly from a Bank account so that people do not have to withdraw money and physically go to various places to make payments. Most people that have a Bank account pay for things in this way. More information on banking and insurance is available from the links on the left.
Your rent can be paid directly from your account by direct debit. Ask your landlord for a direct debit form. Someone will be able to assist you with the form if needed.
DEBT PROBLEMS
Money can sometimes bring problems with debt. Seek advice from your Housing Officers regarding rent arrears. The Council and Housing Associations are experienced at helping people with rent arrears and debt. They will be happy to help find a solution to your rent arrears and the earlier you approach them the easier it will be to sort out.
There are many organisations who are also available to give advice in these circumstances.
www.citizensadvice.org.uk Citizens Advice Bureau
www.clsdirect.org.uk Legal Services Commission helpline no: 0845 345 4 345
www.ccs.co.uk Consumer Credit Counselling Service- freephone 0800 1381111
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