We appreciate that tenants may at some time have difficulty paying their rent. Help and advice is always available and we will make every effort to take a sympathetic approach where someone is having financial difficulties.
If you know you will have difficulty paying your rent it is best to get help and advice as quickly as possible from our Housing services Team. You can discuss your arrears by telelphone or make an appointment to come to the office. If this is not possible, our staff can visit you at home.
Our staff can make an affordable arrangement for you to pay back your arrears. We do this by considering how much money you have coming in and how much you must payout.
If you are joint tenants, you should remember that each member of the joint tenancy is responsible for making sure that the rent is paid in full.
To talk to us about your rent account please call us on 01475 783637 or email us at office@clochhousing.org.uk
Universal Credit (Housing Costs) - For most working age tenants, Universal Credit replaced Housing Benefit and the help with your rent, in mosty cases, will be paid directly to you instead of Cloch. If you struggle to manage money or have other difficulties, you should choose to have help with your rent paid to the association directly. Universal Credit could help meet the cost of your rent (excluding any payment towards arrears) and any eligible service charges. You will be asked about the number of bedtrooms you have to compare with how many you are thought to need, to see if you are underoccupying the property. To make a claim for Universal Credit you must make an online claim at the Unversal Credit Website.
Housing Benefit helps people who are not of working age pay their rent. You could get Housing Benefit if you are on other benefits or if you're working but in most cases, if you are of working age you must claim Universal Credit. If you want to make a claim or get advice realting to Housing Benefit you should contact Inverclyde Council.
Please note that any delay in applying for universal Credit or Housing Benefit may mean a loss of benefit and could result in rent arrears.
Both Housing Benefit and Universal Credit can be paid direct to Cloch. In this case it is still your responsibility to ensure payment is being made and that you reply to any correspondance from Inverclyde Council or the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). Failure to do so could result in your payments being cancelled, leaving you to pay your full rent.
If you think we have broken the tenancy agreement or failed to do anything we promised you can make a complaint using our complants procedure. If we have failed to carry out our maintenance obligations under the Scottish Secure Tenancy Agreement, you have the right to withhold your rent until we do comply with our obligations.
However, you may only do so if:
- You have notified us of the need for a repair in writing; AND
- We have not done these repairs within a reasonable period; AND
- You have made a formal complaint under our Complaints Proceudre; AND
- You have finished the Complaints Procedure and are still dissatisfied with 3 months having passed since you made the formal complaint.
You are strongly advised to take legal advice if you are considering withholding your rent, as non-payment of rent could result in your home being repossessed.
You can manage your rent online by going to our My Cloch Tenant Portal. There you'll be able to make a payment and set up a direct debit or standing order. Alternatively, if you prefer you can contact our office where a member of our team will be able to assist.