Social housing

There are some bills which have to be paid. It doesn't matter how hard we try to pretend they're not real and that they will go away, they almost certainly will not disappear and ignoring a bill can only make the situation worse.

If you live in council-rented accommodation, the rent you pay is probably the most important bill that you need to make sure you pay. Every year Medway Council runs a campaign targeted at people living in council accommodation. It is aimed at encouraging them to ensure their rent is paid on time.

As a tenant of Medway Council, you have the responsibility to pay your rent in full and on time. This is stated clearly in the tenancy agreement that you sign when you become a tenant. If you do not pay the rent, it becomes arrears. This is not good for you, as unpaid rent soon mounts up. Although our rents are set at what the government terms as an affordable level, several weeks or even months of unpaid rent can soon leave you with a sum that seems impossible to pay.

It is also not good for the council as your landlord. The rent that you pay does not pay for any services that the council provides other than housing services. Similarly, Council Tax paid by people in Medway does not pay for the services provided by the Housing Department. Housing is like a separate business within the council and it therefore needs the rent you pay to make the business work.

If you do not pay your rent and any other debts that you owe to the Housing Department, it means it has less to spend on your homes. The department takes this so seriously that even if you move to another landlord or away from the area, becoming a former tenant, it will still pursue you for the money you owe. It has officers whose job it is to do this.

Whether you are a current or former tenant, the council can and will take you to court to force you to pay what you owe. This however, is often a last resort, and council officers are more than willing to help you find a way to effectively manage your debt and arrange an affordable payment agreement that meets your needs and circumstances. If the council has to take you to court over money that you owe, your chances of successfully applying for a new council property, moving to a private landlord or getting a mortgage are dramatically reduced. You will also have to pay for the cost of the court case, which is on average £150. If bailiffs are involved, you will have to pay their costs too.

Some facts and figures on the debt owed to the Housing Department:

The current amount of money owed to the Housing Department by current and former tenants stands at approximately £300,000.

This would buy approximately 85 new fully fitted kitchens or 187 new bathroom suites. It could buy 30 door entry systems for blocks of flats and sheltered accommodation, providing more security for council tenants and helping to reduce anti-social behaviour.

To put it another way, £300,000 could put 78 new roofs on houses, could fit 85 properties with double glazing, or install 120 new central heating boilers. All these options could help to save tenants money and have an impact on the environment, by making their homes more energy efficient.

The council has many simple payment options to make paying rent easy and convenient.

Medway Council, in conjunction with the Citizens Advice Bureau, has produced a debt counselling information pack for tenants who are having problems with paying their rent.

The contents are intended to be used as a self-help pack to help people work out their finances. The pack gives useful ideas for letters, tips on sorting out priority debts first and how to work out a realistic repayment plan for other debts.

Housing benefit can also help when it becomes difficult to pay the rent.

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