How to pay your rent
Find out all the convenient ways you can pay your rent with us.
There are plenty of ways that you can pay your rent simply and easily. You can do this online or over the phone and if you need support, we’re on hand to help.
Direct Debit
This is the quickest and safest way to pay your rent, as well as being a preferred method of payment. It allows us to take the payment directly from your bank every week on Friday or monthly between the 1st and the 28th. We do not offer direct debits on the following dates: 29th, 30th, or 31st.
We can set up the Direct Debit for you over the phone or we can send you a paper Direct Debit mandate form that can be filled out and returned to us. This gives you one less thing to worry about with the protection of the Direct Debit Guarantee.
Contact us to set up a direct debit, we are happy to help.
Online
To pay your rent online, you will need:
Your 13 – 14 long reference number Housing Rents begins with the number two, Garage rents begin with the number three.
Your rechargeable works reference begins MM.
Internet banking and standing order
You can pay your rent directly from your bank account. For our bank details, please contact our Customer Services Team with your housing reference number to hand.
Debit or credit card
To improve security and allow us to answer your calls more efficiently, you are no longer able to call us to pay your rent or charges. However, you can still use our 24-hour automated payment system for paying your rent via debit or credit card, by calling 0800 585 360 and pressing option 1.
PayPoint Outlets
You can pay your rent with cash or debit card at any PayPoint in the UK, and many are open 24 hours a day. This service is free.
Post Office
You can pay by cash, debit card or cheque, (payable to “Post Office Ltd”). Remember to take your rent payment barcode with you.
Get in touch
If you’d like to discuss how best to pay your rent, are struggling to afford your rent or would like further information on any of the payment options, you can contact your Income Officer via our Customer Services Team.
Extra support
We know that sometimes circumstances can change, and we’re here to help if you need help with paying your rent.
Service Charge Policy
Click below to read our policy on service charges
53 week rent year
As a tenant of Somerset Council, you are charged rent on a weekly basis. However, every five to six years, the rent year has 53 weeks instead of the usual 52 weeks to align with the calendar year. In the Sedgemoor area, two of these weeks are rent free over Christmas.
This additional week will happen in 2024-2025, starting from 1 April 2024, when you will need to pay for 51 Mondays instead of 50.
How will this affect you?
- If you pay by Direct Debit, your payments will have already been adjusted to cover this additional week.
- If your rent is covered by Housing Benefit, this will continue to be paid weekly and will not affect you.
- If you clear your rent account every week, this won’t affect you.
- However, if you pay your rent monthly, you’ll be a week short this year.
For those on Universal Credit, it’s important to note that it’s calculated on a 52-week basis, and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) calculates your monthly rent by multiplying a week’s rent by 50 (52 minus 2 rent free weeks), then dividing by 12. DWP does not recognise this additional week. This means that every five or six years, when there are 53 Mondays in a financial year, you’ll need to pay a little extra each week to ensure your rent is covered.