How your rent is set
We work out your council rent using a formula set by the government, taking into account various factors, including:
The average manual wages in the local area – A comparison is made between the average wage in our region and the national average wage.
The value of your home – A comparison is made between the value of your home and the national average council property value. The value is based on a formula supplied by central government.
The number of bedrooms in your home – The more bedrooms in your home, the higher your rent will be.
When you pay
The rent year runs from the first Monday in April of the current year to the first Monday in April of the following year. The week runs from Monday to Sunday.
Your rent is payable for 50 weeks of the year (or 51 in some financial years). This is because we do not charge rent over the Christmas period. If you receive Universal Credit and pay your rent monthly you must pay twelve equal instalments, and if you pay by direct debit this is taken into account in the payment calculations.
Could my rent be different to my neighbours?
Yes. If you have more bedrooms than your neighbours, or if your property is valued higher because, for example, it has a garden, you could have a higher rent than your neighbours.
The rent may be different for near identical homes if they are in different locations, as location is also a factor in estimating the value of a property.
If you recently moved into your home the rent charge may have been set higher than the rent paid by long-standing tenants for similar properties because of rent restructuring.
