Paying your Rent

The government has told all social housing providers, like Mossbank , how to set rents.

Why does my rent go up every year?

Rents go up with inflation over time to cover increases in our costs.  The government’s rules link rent rises to annual inflation as measured each September.

Is there any limit to how much my rent goes up?

The government has set a rule that limits how much a tenant’s rent can go up in any year.  No one with a tenancy less than a year old will have a rent increase.

What does my rent pay for?

Most of Mossbank’s income comes from the £4m of rent it collects each year.  From that it pays for the running costs of repairing and letting homes and managing its properties and estates.  Also, over £1m a year is paid in interest on bank loans that have been borrowed to improve the transferred properties and to buy new properties.

Who decides how much my rent goes up?

Mossbank’s Board, of which four of the twelve members are tenants, decide on rent levels.  They consider Mossbank’s running costs and financial commitments before making these decisions.  In four of the last five years the board have capped rent rises increases for the benefit of tenants.

This year the board set a cap of £4 a week to keep rents affordable.  This has kept rents for about 500 properties lower than they would have been if they had been set according to the Government rules.

Would I pay less if I rented from someone else?

Councils use the same government formula that Mossbank uses and Manchester Council would have set similar rents if the 2008 transfer had not happened and it had remained the landlord.  But it would not have had the money to pay for the works that have been carried out to the estates since transfer and so your home and estate would not have been improved as it has been.

Mossbank’s rents are set below private market rents and are less than those of nearby properties let from a private landlord, who would be unlikely to provide the range of repair and housing management services that Mossbank does.

When should I pay my rent?

Your rent is due in advance every Monday from the start of your tenancy. If you prefer you can pay rent in advance fortnightly or monthly. You cannot pay your rent in arrears.

How do I check my rent balance?

We will send you a rent statement four times a year. This will show all the payments you have made and whether you owe any rent. You can contact the Income Generation Team on 0161 226 4211 for an up-to-date balance or a printed statement of your rent account at any time.

You can also check your rent statement online by going to http://www.mosscare.org.uk/tenantExtranet/ and filling in your login details.

What do I do if I have problems paying the rent?

Contact our Income Generation Team at our Head Office in Moss Side on 0161 226 4211.  They will help you to apply for any benefits or grants that you may be eligible for.