Calculating council rent and service charges
Your rent is due every Monday for the week ahead and includes water, heating, insurance and other service charges.
Your rent calculation
Since April 2003 the rents charged by Basildon Council have been calculated by using the Government's national formula. The formula intends to:
- prevent councils from being able to set rents at whatever level they choose
- make sure rents are affordable
- remove unjustifiable differences between council rents and housing association rents
Service charges
Service charges are included in your total rent, which are payable to us and can include charges for:
- flat block caretaking/cleaning
- communal lighting to your flat block
and if you live in sheltered housing your services charges could also include:
- providing a scheme co-ordinator (warden)
- providing alarm linked services
- maintaining the common room and laundry facilities
- Basildon Careline Services
More about the service charge calculation
- Estate Cleaning service charges are based on the total cost of the service for each area.
- The area cost is sub-divided into estate/block costs.
- The estate/block costs are then divided between the number of properties within the estate/block and take into account the number of bedrooms within each property.
- Estate Management and communal TV aerial charges are flat rate charges applied to tenants of flats and maisonettes, and are calculated to recover the cost of providing the service.
- Support service charges are directly related to the cost of the support provided e.g. a Sheltered Warden or Careline charge.
- Heating and hot water charges are based on the amount charged by the energy provider.
- Water, sewerage and insurance charges are not set by the Council, these are set by the local Water Authority and Aviva Insurance UK Ltd.
Difficulties paying rent?
If you have a problem paying your rent it is best not to wait until you receive a reminder. Your tenancy could be at risk. Help and advice on how to avoid or reduce rent arrears is available, just contact the Income Collection Team.
You can also seek advice and support from Basildon Council's Housing Advice team, all aimed to keep you in your home. This can include benefits advice, where the housing advice officer will liaise with your Revenues Officer and help with County Court applications. If your home is at risk please call in to the Basildon Centre between 8.30am and 4.45pm, Monday to Friday to see a Housing Assessment Officer (drop-in service, no appointment is required.)
Alternatively, there are several agencies that can offer free and confidential advice, see related links below.
Help for those on a low income
If you are unemployed or on a low income (including a pension), you may be able to get Housing Benefit to help you to pay your rent. For advice on how to claim see Housing Benefit
It is not normally possible to backdate benefit so please do submit your Housing Benefit claim as soon as possible