FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
General
1. What is The Rent Service and what does it do?
2. Where do I download leaflets & forms?
3. Do you give legal advice?
4. How do I find out which Rent Service office covers the registration area for my property?
5. I want to know what kind of tenancy I have?
6. Where can I obtain a copy of your annual report or business plan?
Housing Benefit
7. A Rent Officer has inspected the property that I am claiming housing benefit for. However, they have not notified me of their decision.
8. I am unhappy with the valuation that the Rent Officer has made on my claim for Housing Benefit. Can I appeal?
9. How do I know if The Rent Service has received the necessary paperwork from the housing benefit office dealing with my claim?
10. Can I find out before I take on a tenancy what the Rent Officer would value it as?
11. Can I appeal against a pre-tenancy determination?
12. What size accommodation am I entitled to?
13. How much housing benefit am I entitled to?
14. I want to rent another property. How much money am I entitled to?
Fair Rents
15. What do you mean by a Fair Rent?
16. How often can an application be made to have a Fair Rent registered?
17. Can a landlord or tenant apply jointly to have the rent registered on a property?
18. Does my landlord have to serve a notice of increase of a registered rent (Fair Rent) on a property?
19. Where can I find the application form to register a Fair Rent.
20. I have received notification from my landlord that my registered rent (Fair Rent) has been increased. I am not able to afford the increase. What can I do?
21. How do I complain about The Rent Service?
Working for TRS
22. What are the employee benefits for working in TRS?
Answers
General
1.
What is The Rent Service and what does it do?
The Rent Service is an executive agency of the Department for Work & Pensions.
We provide valuations for local authorities in England, for use in the assessment of claims for Housing Benefit. We also determine Broad Rental Market Areas and calculate the Local Housing Allowance amounts for the new Local Housing Allowance scheme under Housing Benefit reform.
We also register fair rents for tenancies that are covered by the Rent Act 1977 and The Rent (Agriculture) Act 1976. This includes some "secure" tenancies where the landlord is a Housing Association, and also some "Shared ownership" leases.
2.Where do I download Leaflets & Forms?
Use the following link to return to the home page, then click on Advice and Guidance on the left hand menu. Click on the type of leaflet or form you want from the menu (Fair Rent, Housing Benefit or other general information):
http://www.therentservice.gov.uk/
3.
Do you give Legal Advice?
The Rent Service is unable to give legal advice. We advise you to contact a solicitor, local law centre or Citizens Advice Bureau to obtain legal advice. Local libraries or your local authority web site may also have useful information that can help.
4.
How do I find out which Rent Service office covers the registration area for my property?
We have an office lookup facility on the Home Page of our web site- enter the postcode of the property and contact details for your local office will be displayed.
Please click on the following link:
https://ebusiness.therentservice.gov.uk/postcode/office_lookup.asp
5.
I want to know what kind of tenancy I have?
Generally, if your tenancy started on or after 15 th January 1989, you would normally have an Assured or Assured Shorthold Tenancy under the Housing Act 1988 (as amended by the Housing Act 1996). If your tenancy started before that date you may have a regulated tenancy under the Rent Act 1977.
You should generally refer to your tenancy agreement for further details, or contact your solicitor or Citizens Advice Bureau for advice.
6.
Where can I obtain a copy of your annual report or business plan?
These documents are available in PDF format on our web site under 'Corporate Publications'. Please click on the following link:
Housing Benefit
7.
A Rent Officer has inspected the property I am claiming housing benefit for. However, I have not been notified of their decision.
The Rent Officer will send their valuation to the appropriate housing benefit department who will then notify you of the amount of housing benefit you are entitled to. This will be based on the valuation made by the Rent Officer, but may also take into account your personal circumstances such as any income or investments that you may have.
8.
I am unhappy with the valuation that the Rent Officer has made on my claim for Housing Benefit. Can I appeal?
In the letter from your Housing Benefit office advising you of your award you will also be advised that you can appeal against the amount of benefit you have been awarded. If you wish to appeal, you must contact the housing benefit department straight away as there are strict time limits during which you can appeal. If you think the Rent Officer's valuation is wrong, you should say so when making your appeal. The housing benefit department can then ask for a redetermination of the Rent Officer's decision on your behalf. We produce a leaflet called The Rent Service and Housing Benefit which describes the process. Please click on the following link to our Internet page containing Housing Benefit related information leaflets and forms:
9.
How do I know if The Rent Service has received the necessary paperwork from the Housing Benefit office dealing with my claim?
Please find your TRS local office on our web site and contact them directly.
https://ebusiness.therentservice.gov.uk/postcode/office_lookup.asp
10. Can I find out before I take on a tenancy what the Rent Officer would value it as?
You need to complete a pre-tenancy determination (PTD) form which is available on our web site, or from your local authority housing benefit department (HBD).The PTD form needs to be signed by you as the prospective tenant, and either the landlord or landlords agent, and returned to the local authority Housing Benefit department that covers the area where the property is located. This form must not be sent direct to The Rent Service.
The Rent Officer may wish to inspect the property you are thinking of renting, although it is not necessary for them to visit all properties.If there are services included in the rent (such as fuel bills, water charges, laundry or room cleaning), the Rent Officer will deduct the value of these as these are not included in Housing Benefit payments. More information is available in our PTD leaflet.
11.
Can I appeal against a pre-tenancy determination?
You can only appeal and ask for a redetermination if you have taken up tenancy of the property and submitted a claim for Housing Benefit at the property. The process is then the same in Question 8 above.
12.
What size accommodation am I entitled to?
See the rooms calculator on TRS web site at the following link:
http://www.therentservice.gov.uk/online-services/room-calculator.asp
13.
How much Housing Benefit am I entitled to.
The amount of benefit you are entitled to is calculated by the Housing Benefit department. The Rent Officer will value the property you are occupying and decide the maximum rent that could be payable for your tenancy.The Housing Benefit department will use this figure as a basis for your calculation of benefit, but will take into account your personal circumstances such as any income or investments you have. To find out the level of benefit to which you are entitled you need to contact the Housing Benefit office dealing with your claim.
14.
I want to rent another property. How much money am I entitled to?
In this case we would advise you to take out a pre-tenancy determination. (See question 10) The following link will take you to a page with further information relating to obtaining a pre-tenancy determination:
http://www.therentservice.gov.uk/advice-guidance/housing-benefit.asp
Fair Rents
15.
What do you mean by a Fair Rent?
The Rent Officer can register Fair Rents for most privately rented accommodation which was let before 15 January 1989. This is allowed for in the Rent Act 1977.
Landlords or tenants can apply to the Rent Officer for a rent to be registered. They can apply jointly if they want or on their own. There is no charge for this service. Rents can generally be re-registered every two years to keep them up-to-date by either landlord or tenant, or earlier if a significant change takes place. A joint application by both landlord and tenant can be made at any time.
For further information please click on the following link to access our fair rent information leaflets:
http://www.therentservice.gov.uk/advice-guidance/fair-rent.asp
16.
How often can an application be made to have a Fair Rent registered?
The landlord can apply 1 year and 9 months after the effective date of the last registration, however the new registered rent will not become effective until the two year period has elapsed.
An application can be made at any time if it is made jointly by the landlord and tenant or there has been a change of circumstances that makes the old rent no longer fair.
To download an application form, click on the following link and scroll down the page:
17.
Can a landlord or tenant apply jointly to have the rent registered on a property?
Yes at anytime, the date the new rent is registered will also become the new effective date.
18.
Does my landlord have to serve a notice of increase of a registered rent (Fair Rent) on a property?
Yes, the landlord is required to serve a notice of increase on the tenant. There is a prescribed form known as 'notice of increase' form no 1 which is available from legal stationers.
19.
Where can I find the application form to register a Fair Rent.
Click on the following link and scroll down the page:
20.
I have received notification from my landlord that my registered rent (Fair Rent) has been increased. I am not able to afford the increase. What can I do?
Contact your local authority Housing Benefit office and they will send an application form for you to complete.
You may be entitled to either full or partial benefit. Please let them know if you have a special requirement when you request the application form e.g. large print.
21.
How do I complain about The Rent Service?
You can complain - in person, by phone or fax, by letter or by e-mail. We will treat your complaint seriously, however you make it. We will direct your complaint to a member of staff who will be able to deal with it properly for you (usually, this will be a member of staff based locally).
We will deal with your complaint quickly, politely and where appropriate we will explain our position or any action we take.
We will avoid using jargon and get our facts right, giving explanations which are clear and easy to understand. After we have settled your complaint, we may ask for your comments on how we have dealt with it.
'If things go wrong' - Complaints Procedure Poster
Working for TRS
22. What are the employee benefits for working in TRS?
For information on the benefits for working with TRS, please view our 'Total Rewards Statement'.