Advice about how to pay your rent and what to do about paying your arrears
What could you do with £60,000?
This is the amount owed this year by Oxbode tenants in rent arrears!. This money could have given each tenant £160 of extra repairs, built a family house, or provided a free handyman service.
Why we chase rent arrears
Your rent is used to pay for repairs, paying the money we borrowed to build your house and running the office.
If we don't collect all the rent, we have to look at ways of saving money such as not carrying out some repairs and not being able to improve your home and the estate you live in.
We check every tenant's rent account each week and contact those tenants who have not paid. It is important that every tenant pays rent.
We want to help you sort the problem out before your debts get too big for you to manage.
We can help you if you fall behind with your rent.
The services that we offer :
- A range of payment methods
- A city centre office location open five days a week
Help
- Evening/lunchtime office appointments
- A home visit service from your Housing Officer
- Confidential advice from fully trained staff with flexibility to agree a realistic repayment plan
- Your Housing Officer is available to help and visit tenants who need advice.
- Advice on Housing Benefit problems
Advice
- Referral to Citizens Advice Bureau, Money Advice Service
- Referral to a free welfare benefits advice service
New Ways to pay your rent
- Cash, cheque - at our office
- Swipecard - at any Post Office or shop with a Paypoint sign. Contact us if you would like a swipecard
- Standing order or direct debit - this pays your rent automatically from your Bank Account. Contact us if you would like a standing order or direct debit set up
- Debit or credit card payments - You can now phone 24 hours a day and pay any amount you wish by Switch or any credit card automatically to your rent account. Phone this number 0870 2436040, have your card ready and follow the instructions
Did you know that while you are in arrears you…
- Will not be able to apply for a transfer even if you have been accepted onto the transfer list and are in great need of a move.
- Will not be able to have a mutual exchange approved until you have completely cleared all your arrears.
- Will get a poor reference from us. If you are moving on to another landlord or buying a property we are duty bound to give a reference detailing your rent payment history. A poor reference will affect your chances of moving.
- Will find it very difficult to get credit if your case is taken to Court. This is recorded nationally and you will find it difficult to get credit cards/store cards or payment plans.
We are here to help
For confidential advice please get in touch with us.
Oxbode HA - 01452 505359
Further help
You can also get money and rent arrears advice, help about benefits and any other problems from the following organisations:
White City Project
110 Finlay Road
Tel: 423881
Citizens Advice Bureau, Money Advice
75-81 Eastgate Street
Tel: 528017
Gloucester Law Centre
75-81 Eastgate Street
Tel: 423492
Housing Benefits Team
Herbert Warehouse, The Docks
Tel: 522232
Shelter
3rd Floor Messenger House
35 St Michaels Square
Tel: 310748