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You may have to pay service charges in addition to your rent each week. These are charges towards the cost of looking after your housing, and will show separately on your rent advice.
Service charges can be for:
Other charges can include:
You will only be charged for services you receive.
If you don't receive a service, you won't be charged for it – for example, if you live in a block without lifts, you will not be charged for a lift.
The charge amounts below are from 1 April 2024.
Caretaking and concierge charges depend on service hours and the types of service provided.
| Service provided | Weekly charge |
|---|---|
| Caretaking | Between 79p and £18.84 |
| Concierge | Between £43.12 and £46.50 |
Other service charges include the following.
| Service provided | Weekly charge |
|---|---|
| Lift maintenance | £4.11 |
| Door entry system | £4.34 |
| Communal electricity | Between £1.93 and £4.34 |
| Emergency lighting | 29p |
The weekly charges above do not apply to tenants in sheltered housing.
There is a weekly service charge of £13.10 for all tenants in sheltered housing.
You must pay services charges with your regular rent payment. There are a number of easy ways to pay your rent – go to how to pay your rent and charges.
Services charges can be included in your Housing Benefit claim if you receive Housing Benefits.
If you don't qualify for Housing Benefit because your income is slightly above the required amount needed to be eligible, you may re-apply when your service charge amounts change and include the new amount in the overall rent for your claim.
If you have difficulties paying your rent and charges, we can talk with you about your budget and give advice to help you make sure you can pay – go to difficulties with your rent.
