How do I pay rent or service charges?

SBHA offer you a range of ways to make rent and service charge payments 24/7. We have made it easier for you to pay your rent online.

We can accept payments using the following methods:

• By direct debit – this is the preferred option
• By internet banking
• By debit or credit card
• Online through your Customer Portal - Coming Soon using your tenancy reference number to access your account.
• By standing order – please contact us for details
• Recurring Payments
• At any post office or PayPoint outlets. We will give you an Allpay rent payment card to do this

IMPORTANT: You can no longer pay your rent in the SBHA Offices. Please do not send cash in the post to us.

 

Pay rent here

If you hold a shared ownership lease, you will pay us rent on the share of the property that you do not own.

 

When do you set my rent?

We set your rent when you first buy your home. This rent will not be the same for neighbouring or similar properties even if the share you own home is the same. The initial rent level is set at the time of the sale.

Rents are reviewed in April each year and will be increased by the retail price index plus up to a maximum percentage set out in your lease (Rent Setting Policy). In some older leases there is a different formula.

If you buy extra shares in your home, the amount of rent you pay will go down.

If you buy your home outright, you will no longer pay rent to us, but may (depending on the type of lease you have) have to continue to pay ground rent to a freeholder.

 

How we use the rent you pay

We have to borrow money to help pay for the shares of properties we own. Most of the rent you pay will go towards repaying those loans.

If there is a surplus in any year, we add this to our reserves. We use the reserves to help develop other housing schemes.

We understand that managing your finances and getting out of debt can be difficult.  We urge anyone who has recently lost this their job, had a change of circumstances or someone has moved out of the property to contact the income.team@sbhg.co.uk detailing the changes.

We have an in-house debt and benefits advice team who can help you with money and benefit problems. The service is free and confidential.  Alternatively, there are lots of local and national organisations who can help.

 

Contact our debt and benefits advice team