Rents and service charges - frequently asked questions
Do you owe former tenants arrears?
What should I do if im going on holiday?
What should I do if I start working?
What should I do if my partner moves in?
What should I do if one of my children start working?
I have been informed by Housing Benefits of an overpayment, what should I do?
What are rent arrears?
Rent arrears are what you owe in unpaid rent and are caused by late, missed or part payment of your rent.
Lots of people have problems paying bills because of money or personal problems, if you are having problems let us know so we can help you deal with these, also see our How to Deal with Debt section for some helpful hints.
Do you owe former tenants arrears?
If you have left an Ealing Council property and owe rent from your previous tenancy with Ealing
Council, you will need to make sure that you clear the arrears.
We can offer you basic debt counselling and can agree an affordable repayment option with you
to clear the arrears.
You can contact the former tenants arrears officer on 0208 825 9249.
What should I do if im going on holiday?
You must ensure that your rent is paid in advance for the duration of your holiday. If you receive Housing Benefit please contact them to advise them off your holiday dates on 0208 825 7000.
What should I do if I start working?
If you are receiving Housing Benefit and start working, you should notify them immediately to prevent an overpayment from accruing. You may also be entitled to an extended 4 week payment.
What should I do if my partner moves in?
If you are receiving Housing Benefit and your partner moves in, you should notify them immediately, along with your Housing Officer, as this may affect your weekly Housing Benefit entitlement.
What should I do if one of my children start working?
If you are receiving Housing Benefit and your child starts working, you should notify them immediately, along with your Rents Housing Officer as this normally results in a Non Dependant Deduction being applied to your weekly housing benefit amount (see page on Housing Benefit).
I have been informed by Housing Benefits of an overpayment, what should I do?
If you believe the overpayment is not correct you should complete the attached dispute form,
attached with the original overpayment letter, and return it to your Housing Benefit office. If the
overpayment is correct, and you are still in receipt of ongoing benefits, this will normally be
recovered at a rate of £9.15 per week (in some cases £12 per week) from your weekly Housing Benefit
amount. You should therefore increase your weekly rent payments by the relevant amount when your
overpayment deductions begin.
