Rental homes
How is your rent calculated?
Each year, we’ll be making a small increase to our rent and service charges in order to provide improved services to customers within our communities.
This rent increase is consistent with almost all social housing landlords across the UK, to coincide with the government’s recognition that social rents must increase to support the funding of services.
What value do you get from your rent?
- Provision of your fully maintained home
(such as bathrooms, kitchens, roofs, aids, and adaptations) - Neighbourhood services
(including managing estates to maintain standards and preventing anti-social behaviour) - Advice and services to help you manage your tenancy
What are service charges?
– Service charges and which types you pay
Service charges are a fixed weekly charge (paid along with your rent payments) and are for the costs of various services supplied by Aspire Housing and it’s contractors in addition to the provision of your home.
A wide range of additional services are supplied by Aspire Housing, but not all may apply to you as they will vary according to the type of property that you live in.
Most of our customers contribute towards the costs of the grounds maintenance and estate caretaker’s services, with the total charge for the Borough being split evenly between all customers. Our Service Charge policy declares that Aspire Housing will only recover the cost of services and does not make a profit from service charges. The additional services that you are charged for are set out on your rent letter which identifies the rent and service charges for the new rent year. The list below describes what each service charge covers and the standard of service (where applicable) that you can expect to receive.
Service Charges for Rental Homes
These charges are not applied to all homes. Please see your rent letter for your specific list of charges.
This covers services to communal areas, including grass and hedge cutting, shrub bed maintenance, tree works, and the upkeep of hard-standing areas.
Grass cutting takes place between March and October, weather permitting. Hedge cutting is completed once a year, typically between October and February.
Our team provides regular inspections of streets and garage areas.
- Litter removal is immediate.
- Graffiti in communal areas is removed within 24 hours.
- Hazardous materials are cleared within one working day.
- Other rubbish and dumped items are removed within three working days.
Some of the new development sites are subject to external estate management charges. These costs are initially covered by Aspire Housing and then recharged to residents.
Residents in community living schemes contribute towards the water costs for shared spaces, calculated based on invoices received by Aspire Housing.
Customers in community living schemes with communal rooms contribute towards the gas heating costs of these areas.
Residents in flat blocks and community living schemes pay for the bi-weekly cleaning of shared floors, stairs, landings, and entrance areas.
Customers in extra care accommodation receive an enhanced service, with separate cost calculations.
Windows in communal areas are cleaned monthly, with charges reflecting the contracted service rates.
Extra care accommodation residents receive an enhanced cleaning service.
Service Charges for Shared Owners
In addition to the charges listed above, Shared Owners may also have additional service charges.
These charges are not applied to all homes—please see your rent letter for your specific list of charges.
- Buildings Insurance:
Aspire Housing remains the freeholder and is legally responsible
for ensuring adequate buildings insurance is provided. An equal share of the total premium is applied to your invoice.
Please note that personal belongings are not covered by this insurance, so you will need your own home contents policy.
- Management Costs:
Aspire Housing applies a management charge of **10%**
for the administration of services provided to Shared Owners and Leaseholders.
- Furniture Reserve:
This applies to **Mill Rise customers only**,
contributing towards the reserve for replacing communal area furniture.
Some Shared Owners may be required to contribute to a **Sinking Fund** for unadopted roads and communal parts of the property.
The Sinking Fund ensures that all Shared Owners, regardless of when they purchased their property, share the financial
responsibility for maintaining the development. Without it, future owners would bear the full cost of major repairs.
The fund offsets the need for large one-off payments when major works are required.
By law, Aspire Housing must consult with you before commissioning any major works unless it is an emergency.
**Monies held in the Sinking Fund are kept in ‘trust’, meaning Aspire Housing cannot use them for other purposes.
Interest earned is added to the fund and reflected in the audited accounts. Funds from one scheme cannot
be used to support another.
How to Seek Help in Making Payments
If you are struggling to pay your rent, it is crucial to contact our Income Team as soon as possible
to discuss your situation.
You may be eligible for **housing or other welfare benefits**. If you have concerns about service charges or the
standard of service received, please contact us—we will work to resolve or respond to your concerns satisfactorily.
For assistance, please contact Customer Services on 01782 635200