Our rents are calculated to ensure the financial viability of Ferguslie Park Housing Association, the costs of managing and maintaining our houses, the sums that require being set aside for future maintenance and the affordability of the rents to our tenants.

Our rents are measured in the Scottish Federation of Housing Association’s Affordability Tool to monitor that our rents remain affordable to our tenants.

Our average rents (at 31st March 2023) are demonstrated in the table below;

Your Offer of Housing Letter will contain the specific rent charge, any service charges and when you are due to pay your rent for the property on offer to you. When you sign a contract with us, called a Tenancy Agreement, your total rent details will be contained within this document.

We offer various means for you to pay your rent so that paying rent can be easy and convenient for you. See our Pay Your Rent section of our webiste for full details.

Rent at Ferguslie Park Housing Association is charged 4 weeks in advance. This means your first payment is due when you sign our tenancy agreement.

Paid monthly? Do not worry. If your circumstances require to pay your rent on a per calendar month basis, your rent payment required will differ to the 4 weekly amount stated on your Tenancy Agreement. Your Housing Services Officer will advise you of this charge.

Example of how we calculate your monthly charge;

4 weekly rent of £300 x 13 4 weekly charges = £3900 annual rent

Annual rent £3900 / 12 monthly payments = £325 monthly rent

In this example the 4 weekly rent is £300 and the per calendar month conversion is £325. A calendar month rent will always be slightly higher than the 4 weekly rent as a monthly rent is paid 1 time less within the year.

Our rents are reviewed every annum to ensure the Associations viability and carry out our essential services. We will always consult you on any proposed change to your rent and provide time to consider and respond. The table below sets out our most recent rent reviews.

Non- payment of rent could result in losing your home and be left with expensive legal costs to cover. If you have any financial difficulties you must contact us right away. Our Housing Services Team is available to help manage your tenancy. Our Welfare Rights Service can also provide debt advice and provide benefit eligibility checks to help maximise your income.

As the occupier of the home, you are responsible for paying Council Tax to the local authority, Renfrewshire Council.

You can check the Council Tax for a particular property by visiting www.saa.gov.uk/renfrewshire or by contacting Renfrewshire’s Council Tax Department on 0300 300 0300 or emailing council-tax.finit@renfrewshire.gov.uk

Council Tax Discounts

You may be eligible for Council Tax discounts depending on your circumstances. Renfrewshire Council offer a Single Person Discount of 25% to adults over 18 and who live alone. You may also be eligible to claim a 10% unfurnished property discount in some circumstances.

Our Welfare Rights Service can help you notify the Council Tax office of your change in address and apply for any discount that you may be entitled to.

More information on Council Tax can be found by visiting Renfrewshire Councils website at www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/

Another core cost of running a home is fuel bills. On the day that you sign your Tenancy Agreement, be sure to take readings from your new meters and contact your preferred energy supplier as soon as possible.

Citrus Energy specialise in helping social housing tenants manage their energy bills and find the best deals available.

With energy prices continuing to rise, shopping around for the best rates and tariffs is increasingly important. Comparison websites such as www.comparethemarket.com , www.gocompare.com and www.uswitch.com can also provide the best deals available.

Your energy cost is formed on a number of factors including;

Winter Fuel Discount

Many energy suppliers offer discounts over the winter to those who meet their qualifying criteria.

Our Welfare Rights Service is available to help you check that you are eligible for any winter discounts on your energy and help you apply to your energy provider.

As your landlord, Ferguslie Park is responsible for insuring the building which you let, however we are not responsible for the contents of your home. This means that we were are responsible for insuring the protection of the building but you are responsible for insuring the protection of your belongings within the building. We strongly advised that all tenants to get contents insurance.

Thistle Tenant Risks offer contents insurance which is specially designed for Scottish social housing tenants. Details of insurance packages on offer can be found on the Thistle website www.thistleinsurance.co.uk .

Be sure to shop around for the best Home Content Insurance cover that meets your needs. Comparison websites such as www.gocompare.com and www.comparethemarket.com can provide the best deals available.

In addition to your key bills to run a home, other ongoing costs to plan for includes;

• Food

• Transport – bus/rail passes, motoring contracts

• Entertainment and Internet – wifi, tv licence, streaming services.

• Childcare

• Small Repairs

• Leisure/ Hobbies – clubs, memberships, subscriptions.