Paying your rent

Temporary Accommodation

We are currently unable to accept direct debits for persons in Temporary Accommodation, to make a payment, please use our payment line or arrange a standing order.

Direct Debits

The easiest and most convenient way to pay your Housing rent is by Direct Debit. We are able to collect Direct Debits weekly, fortnightly, 4 weekly or monthly on any day that suits you.  Please contact us via MyStAlbans

You can make payments online with a debit card by visiting our payment portal.

Payment Portal

You will need your 8 digit tenancy reference number to pay via our automated payment line on 0161 785 3880 - Choose Option 2

If you wish to pay your rent by Standing Order you will need to quote the Council's bank details shown below:

Account Number: 01403818
Sort Code: 40:40:01

You will also need to quote your 8 digit tenancy reference number, which you can find on your most recent rent statement.

You can pay your rent by cash or card at the Post Office or any shop displaying the PayPoint sign using your rent card.  If you need a replacement card contact us via MyStAlbans

You can pay your rent via debit card or credit card by calling the Council Offices during opening hours, on 01727 819301.

It is important that you contact us without delay if you have difficulty paying your rent. You can do this via MyStAlbans

We can:

• check that you are receiving all the benefits that you are entitled.

• help you to access additional help if needed. 

• help you to reach an agreement to maintain and reduce the arrears on your rent account. 

• arrange an appointment for you to come to see us to discuss your arrears or arrange a home visit if you are unable to come to the office.

If an agreement to make regular payments to reduce your rent arrears is made and this agreement is kept to then no further action will be taken.

If we have tried to contact you and have received no response, we may have no option but to take legal action that could result in you losing your home. If we must take this action you will incur costs which you will need to pay and you could be evicted from your home.

It is important that you do not ignore letters sent to you regarding your rent arrears and sort out any problems with your rent at an early stage

If you do not make and keep to an agreement to pay your rent arrears we will serve you with a Notice of Seeking Possession. This is the first step to starting legal action.  The Notice of Seeking Possession gives you 28 days to deal with your arrears and try to resolve them.   

After the 28 days if no attempt has been made by you to pay and reduce your arrears we will start court action which could result in you losing your home.

We try to avoid evicting tenants from our housing, our aim is to help tenants stay in their homes, however, we will evict as a last resort.

If the court orders outright possession or if the you do not keep to the terms of the order we can apply for a bailiffs warrant to evict you from the property

Before we do this we will apply to the Housing Review Panel for permission to evict you.

The Housing Review Panel is a team of senior managers who consider the case, review your rent payment history and decide whether to give permission to evict.

They may agree that a bailiff warrant should be applied for or give you a final chance to bring your account back in line with the terms of the order.

You will be notified in writing of the decision of the panel.

If you do not bring your rent account back into line with the court order then we will apply to the court for a bailiffs warrant.

You will be contact by the court and told the date of your eviction, they will also inform us and we will contact you as well.

If you need further advice you may wish to contact Citizens Advice or the Harpenden Money Advice Centre.