Here are some of the common questions we are asked relating to your rent as a Cadwyn tenant, find more information below
What happens to the rent I pay?
Cadwyn tenants are charged rent in order to maintain their tenancy with us. Your rent is used towards repairs and on-going maintenance to your home. It is also used to build more affordable housing and reinvested in the community.
What happens if I don’t pay my rent?
Paying the rent is very important. If you do not pay the rent you could lose your home. Without payment of rent we will have no other choice than to start legal proceedings meaning you could face eviction. Some people can get help from the government to pay their rent. This is called Housing Benefit or Universal Credit.
If paying your rent is a problem for you, Cadwyn Rent Management Officers are available to help and support you and provide advice.
Can I get help with my rent?
You might be able to claim housing benefit or universal credit to help you pay your rent. If we offer you a home, we can assist you with making these applications.
If you can claim housing benefit, then you would need to complete a housing benefit application form. These can be obtained from your local council or any HUB, or you can apply online.
To apply for universal credit, you will need to complete an online application, for the DWP.
If you would like to calculate your benefit entitlement visit https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/AboutYou
Will housing benefit or universal credit pay my council tax?
If you are entitled to housing benefit, then the application form is for both, rent and council tax reduction. However, if you are claiming universal credit, you will need to complete a separate application form for council tax , which can be obtained from your local council.
How can I check if I am up-to-date with my Rent?
We will send you a rent statement every 3 months. You can view an up to date rent statement and manage your account in the My Cadwyn app
On my ‘Rent Statement’ what does ‘AR’ or ‘CR’ mean?
‘AR’ is short for ‘Arrears’ which means not enough money has been paid to cover your rent
‘CR’ is short for ‘Credit’ which means you’ve paid your rent on time and some extra to put your rent account in credit
If you have been paying your rent each week or month but your statement says you are in ‘arrears’ please contact us straight away so we can find out what has happened.
My Direct Debit didn’t go through; will it automatically be put through again?
No, we do not reapply for direct debits. If you notice that a DD has not gone through, you must pay in a different way, which are detailed in Ways to Pay Your Rent here
We will write to you to inform you about your direct debit not being paid and discuss payments by another method, but your bank will also inform you.
Why have I been sent a rent arrears letter when I don’t pay rent?
If we write to you about arrears, please contact us straight away so we can help to sort things out. It could be that benefits due to be paid direct to us, have not been received. Remember, your claim for housing benefit or universal credit, is your responsibility. You must ensure that you have given your Council or DWP, all the information needed, to process your claim.
Is my electricity, gas or water covered by Housing Benefit?
No. Electricity, gas and water are completely separate payments that you must pay. When you move into your home you should check the reading on your electricity and gas meters.
You can choose to change who you buy your electricity or gas from to get a better deal – you can do this online on sites such as uSwitch and Which? Switch
What can I do if I’ve just lost my job but I still need to pay rent?
- Claim Housing Benefit or Universal Credit.You will have to apply directly to your local council for Housing Benefit as they each have their own forms or online for Universal Credit.
- Claim Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA) and put the application in straight away as the claims take time to process.
- Visit Turn2Us website to see what other benefits you can get.
- Let us know. We can see what we can do to try and help.
- Get in touch with our Financial Inclusion Team on 029 2049 8898 or email FITeam@cadwyn.co.uk
What if I already get Housing Benefit or Universal Credit but I am still having difficulty paying my rent?
Contact us on 029 2049 8898 and let us help you find the help you need.
Additionally you can visit the Turn2Us website to see what other benefits you can contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau
You could also make a list of all the money you receive (from work/benefits/savings/etc) and all the things you have to pay for (rent, council tax, bills, food, etc) to work out if there is anything you could save money on. To do this:
- Make a list of everything you need to pay for, starting with rent and council tax, and list them in order of how important they are, or how much they charge for late payments.
- Check you are claiming all the money from benefits that you can. You can use the entitledto.co.uk site but if you’d like more help, you can call us and we can talk you through the form.
- Write down all the money you receive and all the things you have to pay for, and then see how much is left at the end.
- If you find you have more money going out then is coming in, look to see if there is anything that you could give up once in a while to save some money, if not, consider calling one of the agencies listed below for advice.
- Call the people or companies you owe money to and explain your situation. Try and work out an agreement to pay off what you owe them.
You can also call your local Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB), your local Shelter Advisor or a debt charity such as the ones listed below: …………………………….