Skip to main content

Paying Your Rent

Your rent is a weekly charge for the accommodation where you live. Paying this charge is your main responsibility under your Tenancy Agreement and is due weekly, each Monday in advance. To ensure that your payment is applied to the right account, we will give you a reference number which you can use to make payments using the methods details below.

It is important that you always keep your rent payments up to date as, if you don’t, you may be evicted and lose your home. This would make it very difficult for you to be rehoused in social housing again and will affect your ability to get credit in the future.

About Your Rent

Seaside Homes rents are pegged at Local Housing Allowance rates so that the rent is covered by Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit.

Your Rent and Welfare Benefits

Some longer term tenants may still be in receipt of Housing Benefit. However the Government is gradually moving all welfare benefit recipients over to Universal Credit as an alternative payment method.

If you are in receipt of Universal Credit, the benefit payment you receive will include your rent which you need to pay to us as your landlord. This will always be the case unless you make a specific arrangement to have your rent paid directly to the landlord. This will NOT happen automatically. If you would prefer to have your rent paid directly to us please speak to the Credit Control Team on: 01273 294400 – option 3.

If you are still in receipt of Housing Benefit a direct rent payment to us as your landlord would normally have been set up when you first moved in. If you receive Housing Benefit direct to yourself, it is your responsibility to pass on the rent payment to us as your landlord.

How to Pay Your Rent

If you receive housing benefit or Universal Credit towards your rent, you may find it easier to have this paid directly to us as your landlord. This and other options available, will be discussed with you by your Housing Officer before you move in.  If at a later date you wish to set up a direct payment to us as your landlord, please speak to the Credit Control team on 01273 294400 – option 3

Rent payments can be made in the following ways:

  • Standing Order – if you have a bank or building society account you can set up a standing order by instructing your bank to make regular payments from your account directly to Brighton & Hove City Council.
  • Online at the Brighton & Hove City Council website –  Use your Person Reference or Payment Reference Number when paying your rent online. You can use this link to pay your Seaside Homes rent online.
  • By telephone using your debit or credit card.
  • PayPoint at a bank or PayPoint outlet –  The Credit Control Team will issue a card with your reference number and details on it upon request.

Whichever of these methods you choose, please contact the Credit Control Team on 01273 294400 (option 3).

They will provide you with a reference number and all the details you require to make payment by your preferred option.

Customer Online System

Seaside tenants can now register on Brighton & Hove City Council customer online service to view your rent account and other associated accounts online 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can link to the online payments system, print off an account statement or offer a repayment arrangement if you are in arrears.

To register visit:  www.brighton-hove.gov.uk

Struggling to Pay Your Rent

If you are struggling to pay your rent it is important to speak to the Credit Control team as soon as possible as they may be able to help you.  Tel: 01273 294400– option 3

Failure to keep up with your rent may result in you losing your home.  It may also affect you being accepted for a social housing home via Homemove.