Advice on paying your rent

The money you give us in rent is vital for maintaining our properties and providing the levels of support you and our other tenants & owners both expect and deserve. To keep everything running smoothly, please make your payments in advance, on or before the first day of each month to avoid your account falling into arrears. This is also a condition of your tenancy.

There are many ways to pay, simply choose the one that’s best for you:

• Direct Debit – our recommended method
• Debit card – select the ‘Make a Payment’ button on our website
• Standing Order
• Bank transfer (BACS)
• Allpay card – Allpay provide payment solutions on behalf of Viewpoint. Please ask us to order a card for you which will allow you to pay:
  • At any shop you see the Pay Point Sign and also at your local post office
  • Via the Allpay app or at allpayments.net
    
    

We are still able to accept the methods below however, the options above are preferable:

• Cheque or cash to your Coordinator, if you have one
• Cheque sent by post to our head office

When paying by Standing Order, BACS, cheque or our new online debit card payment option, please use your tenancy reference number to allow for quick processing. Don’t have this? Please contact our Housing Team on 0131 668 4247, option 2 and we will be happy to provide this.

Housing Benefit & Universal Credit

If you are entitled to benefits to pay your housing costs, please remember, it is still your responsibility to make sure that your rent is being paid.

You should therefore:

• Make sure that the relevant Local Authority has all the information it requires to process your housing benefit claim.
• Make sure the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has all the information it requires to process your claim to enable them to pay your housing costs for Universal Credit.
• Notify the Local Authority or Department of Work and Pensions immediately if there are any changes in your circumstances that might affect your claim.

What to do if you can’t pay your rent

Anyone can have money troubles. If you are experiencing difficulties in paying your rent, it is essential that you contact your Housing Officer as soon as possible. We can work out a regular repayment agreement based on how much you can afford to pay. Paying a small amount towards your arrears is better than paying nothing at all.

Welfare Rights Service

Eleanor Eccles is our Welfare Benefits Officer and can advise you of any benefits you may be entitled to, and assist in applying for them, in confidence. You can find out how she can help here.

Debt Advice Service

Viewpoint is working in partnership with the ARCHIE housing group and CHAI’s (Community Help & Advice Initiative) Money Advice Service to provide regulated, specialised debt advice to all of our tenants. The ARCHIE members are:

• Lister Housing Co-op
• Manor Estates HA
• Prospect Community Housing
• West Granton Housing Co-op

Any tenant looking for advice on debt ranging from basic budgeting all the way to being at risk of bankruptcy is eligible. Owners from our shared ownership properties are also eligible. If you would like to be referred to this service, please contact our Housing Team.