Paying Your Rent

Paying Your Rent

Paying your rent on time is essential to maintain your tenancy. Upon signing up for your tenancy, you will discuss with the housing team how you intend to pay your rent, such as via Direct Debit. They will also discuss whether you are entitled to any Universal Credit to support your rent payments.

Ways To Pay Your Rent

Please Note we do not take cash payments at the Office.

Direct Debit

You can pay by monthly Direct Debit on either the 1st, 15th or 28th of each month. Please contact us if you wish to set this up. With a direct debit, when your rent is increased, the payments are increased to reflect this. You do not have to do anything.

Debit or Credit Cards

You can pay your rent using your debit or credit card over the phone or online.

My Home

If you have an email, you can sign up for My Home, where you can pay your rent online, and it goes directly to your account without the delay of bank transfers.  If you would like assistance in setting up your account on My Home, please contact us at info@wmhaltd.org.uk or 0151 647 5471

Standing Order

If you have a bank account, you can arrange to have regular payments made straight to us from your account. You will need to fill out a form telling your bank when to make the payments and how much to pay. Payments by standing order can be weekly, fortnightly, 4 weekly or monthly. However, you will have to make any changes needed to the payments. Contact us for a form and our bank details.

Housing Benefit

If you are claiming Housing Benefit, you can choose to have the council pay the money directly to us. Please note that all Housing Benefit claims will shortly be transferring over to Universal Credit for claimants of working age. If you currently receive Housing Benefit and are concerned about how the switch will affect you, please get in touch via info@wmhaltd.org.uk or by giving us a call on 0151 647 5471.

Universal Credit

If you are receiving help towards your rent by Universal Credit, this will be paid directly to you, and arrangements need to be made to pay your rent by one of the methods above. If your account is substantially in arrears, we will apply for an Alternative Payment Arrangement, which means UC will pay the rent element directly to us. We can also apply to have arrears deductions from your benefit in some circumstances. This will mean that the Department of Works and Pensions will make deductions from your personal benefit and send it to us each month.

Don’t Forget

Housing-related benefits in the form of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit do not always cover the full amount of your rent. If you are not entitled to have all of your rent paid, you are responsible for paying the difference. You can pay this amount in any of the ways described on this page.

Are You Struggling To Keep Up With Rent Payments?

Paying your rent on time is essential to sustaining your tenancy. Failing to pay your rent on time may result in action against you and could result in you losing your home. However, we understand there may be a time when you have problems paying your rent.

You must contact the Rent Arrears Officer straight away if you are having problems paying your rent. If you inform us as soon as you have struggles, then we can work together to find a solution and manage your rental payments.

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We Will:

  • Offer you a private interview at our office or in your home

  • Check if you can claim help towards your housing costs

  • Work out reasonable repayments to help you pay the money you owe

  • Assist you in accessing debt-related advice to enable you to maximise your income

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What We Will Do If You Are In Arrears

This is the action we will take if you owe us money for rent. At each stage we will give you the chance to make an agreement to pay. If you keep to your agreement to pay then we will not take any further action.

  • If you cannot pay all the money, we will aim to make a repayment  agreement with you

  • If  you do not keep to your agreement or fail to respond, we will send you a Notice of Seeking  Possession

  • If  you still do not work with us to pay the money you owe, we will seek a Court  Order

  • Failure to pay after the court order may result in a bailiff being instructed to evict you

Remember, we can only help you if you keep in contact with us and work with us to resolve the situation. If you are concerned about your rental payments, you can contact us via email at info@wmhaltd.org.uk or via phone at 0151 647 5471.