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Rent Information

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For further information, please ring Tenant Services on our Account Helpline Freephone 0800 923 2700 Option 4

Maidstone Housing Trust is committed to collecting all housing rent. The recovery of housing rents has a major impact on our service provision to all tenants. Under the terms of each tenancy agreement, all tenants are required to pay their rent weekly in advance.

Deliberate non payment of rent can result in eviction, with no guarantee that the local Council will rehouse the evicted tenant again. Tenants are therefore urged to make sure that payment of their rent is a top priority. Paying rent effectively keeps a roof over your head - what could be more important!!

These pages will explain to you the importance of paying your rent and give information on how you can pay. There is also helpful advice given on ways in which you can reduce the likelihood of potentially falling into arrears.

How to Pay

We try to make it as easy as possible for you to pay your rent. You will be issued with a rent calendar at the start of your tenancy and then annually. There are various methods by which you can choose to pay your rent. These are as follows:-

Direct Debit

The easiest and best way to pay is by Direct Debit. The Trust will give you advance notice of the monthly collection amounts and payment date. Therefore should your level of rent alter, there is no need to notify your bank.

You can also now pay weekly by Direct Debit, payment is taken every Friday in advance of your rent which is due on the following Monday.

To apply please complete and return our Direct Debit form (this is a PDF file and will open in a new window) or contact the Rent Accounting Team on 01622 212514 or 01622 212518. As the most efficient way to pay, payers stand to win in a regular prize draw as part of our Trust Plus Reward Scheme.

Using your Allpay 'Swipe' Card, you can pay your rent:

At any Post Office/Shop/Outlet

displaying an ePay, Payzone or Paypoint sign.

Click here for a list of local outlets (this is a PDF file and will open in a new window)

By Phone

These can be made with a debit card by telephoning the Allpay 24 hour service on 0870 243 6040. Please remember to have your tenancy number to hand.

By Post

Send your cheque (made payable to Maidstone Housing Trust) or postal order to the Trust's head office at Whatman House. Please clearly write your tenancy number on the back of your cheque or postal order. If you would like a receipt, please ask for one when sending payment.

Internet

Visit www.allpay.net and follow the on screen instructions.

When to Pay

Your rent is payable weekly in advance. Your rent is due each Monday and you should allow three working days for payment to reach your account if at all possible. You can also arrange to pay monthly if you wish, but you must pay in advance for the month to come.

You get four non payment weeks every year. You will see that these weeks are clearly marked on your rent calendar. If you have arrears, we expect you to pay during these periods to reduce them.

Rent Statements

These are sent to tenants quarterly in March, June, October & January. If you would like to receive a statement at any other time, please contact your Account Manager.

The Rent Statements for 2008/09 will be run in the weeks commencing 03/03/08, 30/06/08, 29/09/08, 29/12/08 and 30/03/09. They will be posted to tenants shortly after these dates.

Housing Benefit Claims

All Housing Benefit claims should be made to Maidstone Borough Council's Benefit Office at 13 Tonbridge Road , Maidstone , ME16 8HG.

If you have a query regarding your claim or are not in receipt of benefit but would like to apply please telephone the Council's Benefit Call Centre on 01622 602557.

The Trust has a specialist Welfare Benefits Adviser, Graeme Martin, who will be pleased to assist you. More information on Benefits Advice is on our Benefits Page. Our Welfare Benefits Advisor also holds a 'drop-in' surgery on Monday at our Shepway Area Office between 9am and 1pm, and Thursday at our Park Wood Area Office between 9am and 1pm.

Rent you owe

If you have worries about paying your rent, or you have fallen behind with your payments, it is important that you contact your Account Manager. They will be able to give advice and will discuss when and how you can pay off the money that you owe. They will also set up a suitable repayment arrangement.

What will happen if I don't pay my rent?

If you fall into arrears and do not contact us to arrange payment, your account manager will contact you. He or she will be able to give you advice on where to go from there.

If your arrears continue to grow, we may serve a Notice of Seeking Possession (if you are an assured or assured shorthold tenant) or a Notice to Quit (if you are a non secure tenant). This gives you 28 days in which to pay us the money you owe or make a suitable arrangement to do so.

If you still do not repay what you owe we will apply to the County Court for a Possession Order. This means that you could lose your home if you do not pay us the money you owe at the rate the court decides. In certain circumstances we may ask the court for outright possession of your home.

If we take legal action because you owe rent arrears you will have to pay the court costs as well as pay back the arrears. If you stick to your repayment plan, you will not be evicted. If you break your repayment promise we can apply to the court for a warrant to evict you from your home. You have the right to appeal against eviction by direct application to the court.

If you are evicted for non-payment of rent we do not have to re-house you.

We will only take eviction action if every effort to help you has failed. Please keep in touch with us as we are here to help.

If you leave your tenancy owing rent you will be contacted at your new address to arrange payment of your outstanding debt. Failure to make adequate arrangements to pay your arrears will result in a County Court Judgment against you, which could affect your ability to gain credit.

Help and advice

We have Service Standards on Paying your Rent, which we aim to meet.

Always remember to ask for help as soon as possible if you cannot pay your rent. Advice is available free from:

date published: 29/01/2008