Rent payment advice

5 min read

This page provides tenants with information about paying their rent and rent-related queries.

You can pay your rent weekly, fortnightly, monthly or four-weekly, as long as you pay in advance.

On this page:

• Ways to pay your rent
• Problems paying your rent
• Falling into arrears
• Rent-free weeks
• Managing your rent online
• If you claim Universal Credit

Ways to pay your rent

You will need your 6/7 digit payment reference number for most of the methods below. You can find your payment reference number:

• by looking at the top right hand corner of any letter from the rents department, next to the words “payment ref”
• at the bottom of your payment card, under your name – please remember to take off any 0’s at the start

You can pay us using the following methods:

Pay online

You can use the button below to pay your rent online, this is one of the easiest ways to pay.

Pay by Direct Debit

Direct Debit is a secure and convenient payment method where you authorise us to deduct the agreed rent amount from your bank account, at specified intervals. You can download, print, and complete the Direct Debit mandate form. Then, return it to the address at the top of the mandate.

Pay by standing order/online payment transfer

You can pay your rent through an online bank transfer or set up a standing order to go out at your specified interval. You will need to provide your bank with the Reading Borough Councils bank details:

• account number: 00271502
• sort code: 30-91-31

You must include your 6/7 digit rent number as the reference.

Pay by card

You can use this to pay in any shop that has the PayPoint logo.

Pay by phone

If you call 0118 9372 784, you will be able to pay using a credit or debit card.

Problems paying your rent

If you are having difficulty paying your rent, you should contact us immediately on 0118 937 2784 or you can send an email to rents@reading.gov.uk and include your name, address and contact telephone number, and we will respond within 3 working days.

Falling into arrears

If your rent is not paid, the money owed is called arrears. Rent arrears are a priority debt and the outcome of not dealing with them are serious and you could be evicted.

Contact us as soon as possible if you fall into arrears. We will need details of your income and outgoings to create a plan you can stick to.

If you do not contact us, we will take action to recover the money. We will add any court fees to the money you already owe. 
You should also contact us if are in arrears when you move out – you will still have to pay them.

Contact the court team on 0118 937 2784
Contact the recharge team on 0118 937 2369

Rent-free weeks

There are 3 rent-free weeks in a year except for those on a non-secure tenancy agreement. Rent-free weeks fall on bank holidays. If you are in arrears, you will have to pay through these weeks.

The rent-free weeks for 2024 are:

• Monday 6 May
• Monday 26 August
• Monday 23 December

Managing your rent online

Manage your rent online by logging in to your Housing Online account.

If you claim Universal Credit

Universal Credit (UC) is a payment to help with your living costs and it is paid monthly. You may be able to get it if you’re on a low income, out of work or cannot work.

You will need to tell Universal Credit about your annual rent charge by updating your Universal Credit journal. Visit our Universal Credit page for a step by step guide on how to do this.