Rent
How can I pay my rent?
There are lots of ways you can pay your rent, including by direct debit. To find out the different ways to pay your rent, visit the rents section of our website.
Where can I pay my rent?
You can pay your rent at a range of different places, including at local shops, online or over the telephone. To find out all the options available to you, visit the rents section of our website.
Can I claim Housing Benefit?
We want everyone who would qualify for Housing Benefit to claim the help they are entitled to receive. You can make a claim for Housing Benefit if:
- You pay rent to Sheffield Homes.
- You pay rent to a landlord.
- You pay rent to a Housing Association.
- You are a boarder whose rent includes meals.
- You live in a Hostel.
- You live in a mobile home or houseboat.
- You are renting under a shared ownership arrangement.
- If you are a joint tenant we can help pay your share of the rent.
You will not be entitled to any Housing Benefit if:
- You are not responsible for paying the rent. However, in certain circumstances, you can be treated as the person who is responsible for paying the rent, even if your name is not on the Tenancy Agreement, for example, you are the partner of the person named on the Tenancy Agreement.
- Either you or your partner, or both of you together, have more than £16000 in savings (unless you get the guaranteed part of Pension Credit).
- You pay rent to a close relative who lives with you.
- You live in a care home, such as a nursing home or elderly person's home.
- You rent from your ex-partner and you both used to live there.
- You are the parent or guardian of your landlord's child.
- You live in the home as part of your job.
- You are an asylum seeker, unless you've been given refugee status or indefinite or exceptional leave (also called discretionary or humanitarian leave) to remain in the United Kingdom.
- You have been admitted to the United Kingdom on the condition that you have no recourse to public funds. This means that you must not claim benefits.
- You are a sponsored immigrant and have lived here for less than five years.
- You are in the United Kingdom illegally or your permission to stay has run out. It is advisable to visit Sheffield City Council’s webpage that has further information about Housing Benefit and People from Abroad (new window), if you are considering making a claim for Housing Benefit, but are newly arrived in or recently returned to the United Kingdom.
Are there any other circumstances that might affect my eligibility to Housing Benefit?
You may not get Housing Benefit if any of the following apply:
- You used to live with your landlord as a family member, relative or friend, and now pay that person rent.
- You live in a property run by a religious order and you are a member of that religious order.
- You rent from a trust and you are also a trustee or beneficiary.
- You rent the property from a company and you are a director or employee of the company.
- You used to own the property which you now rent.
- You are a student (most full-time students don't qualify, but some do). You can find further information about students eligibility to claim Housing Benefit by visiting Sheffield Council’s ‘Students’ page.
- You are temporarily living away from your usual home.
To find out what to do and where to go to get further information go to Points of Contact for Benefit Help.
In addition there is further details for People from Abroad, wishing to check their eligibility to claim Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit.
How do I pay off any former rent arrears?
You should contact the Former Tenants Team on 273 5437 to discuss the arrears and make an arrangement to pay. If necessary they will audit the account and explain any queries you might have.
If you do not pay your former tenants arrears, we can refuse to re-house you, and it may also affect your prospects of being housed by another Local Authority or Housing Association.
In addition, we will continue to pursue you for your debt and may take legal action against you, for example a County Court Judgment.
This could stop you from getting credit with catalogue companies, personal loan firms and mortgage lenders.
As a final resort, we may instruct County Court Bailiffs to take possession of your belongings. These can be sold to help pay off your debt.
If you do not pay your former tenants arrears, we can refuse to re-house you, and it may also affect your prospects of being housed by another Local Authority or Housing Association.
In addition, we will continue to pursue you for your debt and may take legal action against you, for example a County Court Judgment.
This could stop you from getting credit with catalogue companies, personal loan firms and mortgage lenders.
As a final resort, we may instruct County Court Bailiffs to take possession of your belongings. These can be sold to help pay off your debt.
Can I claim back any credit from my rent account?
If you are a council tenant and your rent account is more than 4 weeks in credit, or you are a former tenant and your account was in credit when your tenancy ended, you can request a refund. This request should be in writing to the Debt Recovery Unit. PO Box 1918. Sheffield S1 2XX.
You can also hand it in or post it to your Local Area Housing Office.
A cheque should be sent out within 21 days of your request being received.
If you wish to discuss this please speak to the Debt Recovery Unit via the North Or South Call Centre on 0114 2053333 or 0114 2930000.
Is contents insurance included in my rent charge?
No, contents insurance is not included in your rent. If you have not arranged for the contents of your home to be covered by insurance then you would have to replace all your possessions yourself.
You can arrange your own cover or we do offer a contents insurance scheme to tenants.
Our insurance is affordable and you can spread the cost by paying in weekly instalments at the same time as your rent. Cover starts as low as £1.53 for £9000 cover (there are even lower rates for people over 60).
To apply for contents insurance you must complete an application form from a pack, which is available from all local area housing offices and First Points.
You cannot be accepted if you have rent arrears, so if you do have arrears please take the information for when your account is clear. The cover is for fire, theft and flood with some useful extras such as accidental damage to certain electrical appliances, and the contents of your freezer. Premiums depend on the level of cover- they are the same wherever you live and are simply paid with your rent.
If all of this meets your needs then fill in an application and, subject to the necessary checks, we will have you up and running as soon as possible.
If you would like any further information about the scheme please call our Rent Incomes Team on 2735656 or 2735448.