Your rent explained

When you pay your rent, the money is put into the Council's Housing Revenue Account. This money pays for the housing services we offer you. It also covers things like the Council’s borrowing costs for major repairs to properties. Every March, we write to you to tell you how much your rent and service charge (if applicable) will be for the year ahead. 

• How we work out your rent
• Service charges included
• Are increases covered by Housing Benefit?
• Further information

How we work out your rent

Haringey Council's housing rents are calculated in accordance with government guidance whereby local authorities use the same standard formula to work out the rents. The formula is based partly on the size and market value of the property and partly on the level of local earnings.

Service charges included

Tenants also pay service charges for specific services provided to their building or their estate. Service charges are set at a level that ensures the costs of these services are recovered - the Council does not make any profit from them. These service charges include:

• Concierge services
• Grounds maintenance
• Communal lighting
• Street sweeping
• Estate road maintenance
• Caretaking
• Door entry system maintenance
• TV aerial maintenance
• Window cleaning
• Cleaning – Sheltered, good neighbour and converted properties 
   

Service charges are set to cover the estimated cost of providing services and are only charged where you receive the service. 

Are increases covered by housing benefit or universal credit?

Rent and service charge increases may not necessarily be covered by housing benefit or Universal Credit. This will depend on your personal circumstances.

Also, Housing Benefit is calculated based on how many bedrooms you need rather than how many bedrooms you actually have in your council home. This means that if you are under-occupying your home, or, put simply, if you have bedrooms that the Government thinks you don't need, your Housing Benefit (or Universal Credit) will be reduced.

Read more about housing benefit

Read more about universal credit

Further information

If you have any questions about your rent please contact our Income Collection team via Customer Services on 020 8489 5611 or email the team at incomecollectionteam@haringey.gov.uk.