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About your rent

Your Council House Rent
Problems paying your rent
Can I get help paying my rent?
Other welfare benefits
Frequently Asked Questions

Aberdeen City Council offers a wide range of rent payment options:

  • Aberdeen City Council website – pay securely using the Online Payment Facility. Payment can be made by either debit card or credit card.
  • Direct Debit - You choose the most suitable date for the Direct Debit to come off your account. Any dates from 1st to 28th for monthly payments and any working day for weekly payments. You can also choose to make fortnightly or 4-weekly payments. This can be set up over the phone or a mandate form can be found below under Related Documents. 
  • Automated Telephone Payment – telephone 03000 200 292 (option 1) and follow the step by step instructions. You will need a copy of your payment reference number, your credit/debit card details and a touch tone telephone. 
  • Payment Card – payment can be made by using your rent card at any Post Office or shop displaying the PayPoint logo. There are over 100 locations in Aberdeen. Find your nearest PayPoint.

You can order a new or replacement rent payment card below.

Order Post Office Payment Card

Your Council House Rent

At a meeting of the council on 3 March 2020 elected members approved a new rent policy, where rents would rise by 4.0% per year, for the next 4 years. However, the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in that rent increase policy being suspended and no rent increases were implemented for 2021/22 or indeed 2022/23. Full Council met on 1 March 2023 and agreed to implement a 4.0% increase starting from Monday 1 May 2023.

 

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Problems paying your rent

The Council’s rent recovery letters provide comprehensive advice around your rent and what support and advice is available including direct contact, plus details of the next recovery steps.  

Many of these letters will be hand delivered by your Housing and Support Officer, giving a further opportunity to answer questions and direct you to support/advice. 

If you are experiencing financial problems you should contact your Housing and Support Officer immediately. Your information will be dealt with in the strictest confidence, by our friendly and helpful staff.

Where possible a mutually acceptable payment agreement to repay any balance will be discussed and arranged. Our staff can also provide benefits advice, including eligibility for Housing Benefit and access to welfare benefits such as Universal Credit. 

There are a number of other Council services and agencies which can also help you. These services and agencies will listen to your concerns and if necessary liaise directly with the Council on your behalf to attempt to reach a solution. There is no charge for providing this service. The Council is happy to deal with these agencies.

Shelter Scotland can help you if you have difficulties paying your rent, are already in rent arrears or are facing court action due to rent arrears and/or council tax arrears. The earlier you make contact the easier it will be for their specialist team to help.

Payment Difficulties?60.96 KB
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Can I get help paying my rent?

If you have a low income and/or receive certain benefits you may qualify for financial assistance to help pay your rent. Housing Benefit and Universal Credit are benefits to help people who cannot afford to pay all, or a proportion of, their rent. It is open to anyone to apply. 

Benefit is worked out by comparing your income and your family circumstances with your rent to see if you qualify. If you have savings you could still qualify for benefit.

Do not delay applying as neither Housing Benefit nor Universal Credit can normally be backdated. Further advice and assistance is available from your Housing and Support Officer or online. 

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Other welfare benefits

You can get information about other benefits from the Benefits and Money Advice Team, the Department for Work and Pensions or advice agencies. Find out how to get money and budgeting advice or find out more about benefits and support available. 

 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common question and answers about rent. 

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Yes, it's a condition of your tenancy that you pay rent. If you decide that you wish to withhold rent because of outstanding repairs, it's important that you write to the Housing Services Manager to inform them of this

Yes you will need a new direct debit form because your rent account number will have changed. We will give you another form when you sign your new tenancy agreement.

Each year, we decide on the level of rent by taking into account the costs associated with providing the housing service together with the investment required in our housing stock (the properties that we own need to be maintained).

You can still pay at any Council cash office without your card - just tell the cashier your rent account number. Contact your local Housing Office who will arrange for a new card to be sent out to you. You can order a new card below.

Order a new rent card

The rent on a council property cover such things as repairs through wear and tear, keeping the property wind and watertight, improvements to the house from time to time, the services of your local council services office, buildings insurance, warden services and care and maintenance of communal areas.

Your rent does not cover fixing any damage you have done to the property (if we have to do this, we will charge you for it), re-decorating the inside of the house, council tax, insurance for the contents of the property, including your belongings, white goods, furniture, etc; phone, heating and other power bills, maintenance of your garden (if you have one).

A large amount of your rent goes into repairing and upgrading tenants' homes. If you fail to pay your rent, we can't do as much as we'd like to do for you and our other tenants. You may also be at risk of being taken to court and evicted from your home if you fall into arrears and do not pay. If you purposely do not pay your rent and you are evicted, we will not make you another offer of permanent housing.

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