The way your rent is set depends on the type of tenancy you have. If you have a secure tenancy, you pay the Fair Rent set by the Rent Officer. If you have an assured tenancy, you pay the assured rent set by us.

Fair Rents

Every two years, we will review your rent and decide if an increase is necessary. We will not propose an increase greater than the rent we set for assured tenants.

Once we have decided the new rent, we will complete the necessary application form and send it to the Rent Officer who is independent of CCHA. The Rent Officer considers the proposed rent. The Rent Officer will also send you a copy of the application, which will state the rent we have asked for.

If you object, you could ask the Rent Officer for a consultation to discuss the rent and explain your objection. If you want a consultation, you must write to the Rent Officer within 28 days of receiving the notification of the proposed increase. When setting your rent, the Rent Officer will ignore the rent we have requested, any shortage in the supply of properties, your personal (including financial) circumstances, and ours. The Rent Officer will only consider the age, character, locality and state of repair of the property.

Once the Rent Officer has decided the new rent, both you and CCHA will be told what it is. If the rent set is higher than the current rent, we will increase your rent after giving you four weeks’ written notice. Your rent will not increase for another two years.

If you feel that the new rent set by the Rent Officer is unreasonable, you can appeal against the decision. Your appeal must be in writing within 28 days of receiving the letter telling you the new rent. Do remember that, if you appeal, your rent could go up or down.

Full details of the Fair Rent system are available in a leaflet published by the Rent Officer Service. For a copy, please contact your local office.

Useful contact point – our Customer Services Team.

Assured Rents

Every year we review your rent and decide if an increase is necessary. Our aim is to set and maintain rents at levels that are affordable to tenants on low incomes, while making sure that we can pay for good quality housing management and maintenance services. The rent will also take account of the size and type of the property. Once the rent has been set, we will inform you of it by giving you four weeks’ written notice.

Need further information? Please ask for our leaflet ‘Rents: A Guide to Tenants’.

Changes to your Rent

Following the rent review, please bring your rent card in so that we can enter the new rent and the effective date on your card. If you are claiming Housing Benefit, make sure you inform the Council of your new rent.

Please note that if your Housing Benefit is paid direct to us, we will tell the Council of your new rent automatically.

Useful contact point – our Customer Services Team.