Paying your rent
The information on this page gives details of paying your council rent. As well as being available online this information is also available in a printed booklet format and for you to download - see related documents below.
Your rent is worked out using a formula that the Government has set for all councils. It takes into account local wages, house prices and the number of bedrooms in your home.
If your rent includes a service charge these will be listed separately on page 30 of your tenancy agreement. It is a condition of your tenancy that any service charges or charges for other support services for your home are part of the rent and must be paid in advance.
Rent is due every Monday from the start of your tenancy until your tenancy ends. You can pay your rent and other charges on a calendar monthly basis but payment must be made in advance by the sixth day of the month.
If you are joint tenant
Joint tenants are equally responsible for paying all the rent and any arrears of rent. We can ask for the rent from either or both/all of the joint tenants. If one tenant leaves, they still remain liable to pay the full rent.
When you become a tenant you will be given a plastic swipe card. You will need this when you make payments at a payzone or post office. If you lose your swipe card and require a replacement please contact our Customer Contact Centre on 020 8547 5003.
Paying your rent
The most preferred way for you to pay your rent is by direct debit. As long as you have a current account with a bank or building society you should be able to pay your rent by direct debit. You need to tell us your account details and sign a direct debit instruction telling your bank or building society that you agree to us collecting your rent from your account. We will ask for the money from your account on the sixth day of the month. You can also pay by direct debit every two weeks (fortnightly).
If you pay your rent by direct debit you don’t need to remember to pay it each week or month, however you need to make sure that you have enough money in your account to cover the rent when we collect it.
To arrange to pay your rent by direct debit please contact the Rent Accounting Team on 020 8547 4741.
Ways to pay your rent
When you sign up for your tenancy a plastic swipecard will be ordered. This may take up to 10 days to arrive. You will need this to make payments to your rent account at a:
- Post Office
- Payzone
You can also pay:
- By Direct Debit or standing order
- Credit or Debit Card
Charges apply for paying by credit card. Use the automated telephone service on 0845 359 1111. If there is a problem with the automated service phone 020 8547 5617/8 between 9.30am and 4.30pm. - Online at www.kingston.gov.uk - this is a 24 hour service, 7 days a week.
- Telephone/Online Banking with your own Bank
You can make a payment using the telephone or personal computer banking services offered by your own bank or building society. - By post: You can send a cheque or postal order made payable to The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames quoting your account number and name and address on the back, to us at the
Customer Contact Centre
Guildhall 2
High Street
Kingston KT1 1EU.
Post-dated cheques are not accepted. - From your salary: If you work for the Council you can ask the Rent Accounting Team to arrange for your rent to be taken out of your salary.
- From your pension: If you have a council pension you can ask for the rent to be taken out of your pension.
Rent increases
Changes to your rent and service charges/other charges usually take place on the first Monday in April. However, changes may occur at other times during the year.
If your rent and service charges/other charges are going to increase we will write to you telling you about the change and how much your rent will be.
Any changes will happen four weeks after the date you were told about them.
Changes to the water charge will be made by your water supplier. You will be told about any change in the amount due for water charge but there is no advance notice. The change will happen immediately.
Housing Benefit
If you are not working or you are on a low income you may be entitled to receive help with paying your rent. To find out if you can get help with paying your rent you must claim Housing Benefit.
Your Income Recovery Manager will help you with completing the claim form to make sure that the claim form and any information in support of your claim is provided to the Housing Benefit Department. You are also responsible for following up the claim.
A claim should be processed within four to six weeks of all the necessary information being received by the Housing Benefit Department but it may take longer in busy periods.
They are unable to assess your entitlement to Housing Benefit until you provide all of the requested information in support of your claim. Therefore, delays in providing information will mean that you remain liable to pay your full rent.
If you are waiting for a claim for Housing Benefit to be processed you must tell your Income Recovery Manager.
Where any rent is payable by Housing Benefit it shall be paid directly to your rent account.
You can contact the Housing Benefit Department as follows:
- By telephone on 020 8547 5001.
- By email to hsngben@rbk.kingston.gov.uk
- In person by visiting the Housing and Council Tax Benefit reception in Guildhall 2.
Opening times: Monday to Thursday 8.45am to 5.00pm and Friday 8.45am to 4.45pm.