Jigsaw Homes charges rent every Monday. Your tenancy agreement states that ‘Your rent is due weekly and in advance’.
For existing tenants who have a clear rent account and normally pay on a monthly basis their new monthly payment will be calculated by using their rent charge as at 5 April 2021 and multiplying it by 50 weeks and dividing by 12. If an account is in arrears, this will be factored into any calculations.
If you pay your rent by direct debit, your payments will be recalculated and you will be sent details of your payments in the post. If you pay by standing order, you will need to inform your bank of your new rent charge. If you have any questions please contact us.
The Government framework outlines the calculation to initially set an affordable rent, which equates to approximately 80% of market rent for a similar property within the area. This rent will then be increased or decreased each year dependent upon the government rules at that time. The annual 1% rent decrease also applies to affordable rent. The Government framework outlines the calculation to initially set an affordable rent, which equates to approximately 80% of market rent for a similar property within the area.
The current government rules state that from April 2021 Affordable rents can increased by no more than last September’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 1%.
The CPI in September 2019 was 0.5%.
Affordable rents in April 2021 will be increased by 1.5%
Fair rent applies to a tenancy that began before 15th January 1989. The rent is calculated independently by the Valuation Office Agency every 2 years.
The rent that Valuation Office Agency register is the maximum that can be charged until the rent is registered again.
It is possible that we may review the amount that we are charging you on the first anniversary of the registration but this amount will never be greater than the registered rent.
The service charges you pay will depend on where you live and the services you receive. Your tenancy agreement states which services you receive. These details are also listed on your rent review notice. Some may be personal to you, such as personal heating and hot water, water rates or home contents insurance.
Depending on the kinds of service charges you receive, these may increase or decrease on an annual basis. You will receive notification of any changes to your service charges with your rent review notification.
Housing benefit and Universal Credit cover most communal charges but NOT any charge that is personal to you.
At the rent review date, you will receive details of your rent and service charge for the coming year. When you receive this, you have to make the necessary arrangements to pay it.
If you are paying by Direct Debit , we will make the necessary alterations to your Direct Debit. Once this is done, you will receive a letter notifying you of the payment amounts and the dates this money will be taken from your bank account. Direct Debit is our preferred method of payment.
If you are paying by standing order through your bank, you should inform your bank of any changes in the amount you need to pay and ensure that your payments cover both your existing and new rent charges.
If you are claiming Housing Benefit, we will inform your Local Authority Housing Benefit Department of your revised rent and service charge. It is your responsibility to ensure your Housing Benefit is paid at the correct rate.
If you are claiming Universal Credit, you will need to notify the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) of any changes to your rent and service charge. The association is unable to do this on your behalf. Depending upon your Universal Credit claim, you can do this by:
- Updating your journal, if your Universal Credit claim is solely managed online
- contacting Universal Credit on 0800 328 5644
- providing a copy of the rent charge letter to DWP/Job Centre Plus
If you are worried that you might not be able to pay your rent, you should contact us immediately. You can also seek advice from a citizen’s advice bureau or housing advice centre.
We offer a confidential money advice service to assist tenants in dealing with benefit entitlements, debt problems, and also provide advice on other matters concerning finances. This is a free and confidential service that may increase your household income, or enable you to make more use of it.
Social rent or ‘Formula Rent’ is initially set using a calculation outlined in the Government framework. The aim of the framework is to make the process of setting rents across the country impartial and linked directly to the value of the property you live in, the number of bedrooms and the average earnings within the region.
The current government rules state that from April 2021 social rents can be increased by last September’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 1%.
The CPI in September 2019 was 0.5% so most rents will increase by 1.5% from April 2021