Guidance On Making A Payment
One of the easiest and quickest ways to pay your rent is by calling Wigan and Leigh Housing's Contact Centre on 01942 705040. Please have your card details and rent reference number handy when you ring us
For information on the different ways to pay, please click here. Please note that it isn't possible at the moment to view your rent account online. This service will resume in Summer 2012. This is because the service is being upgraded.
Online
You can pay your rent using our online payments facility. Click on the link below if you want to make a payment online. You are paying for 'Council House Rent' and your reference number to use is your 9-digit payment reference number beginning with '8' :
Direct Debit
If you have a bank account, the most convenient way to pay your rent is by monthly Direct Debit. This allows you to budget to pay your rent by monthly instalments. All you have to do is decide when you want the rent to be collected from your bank account (either 5th, 14th, 21st or 28th of each month), complete a Direct Debit mandate and the Council will do the rest. You will be sent a letter telling you the dates when the rent will be collected from your bank account and the amount due on each date.
If you want to pay by Direct Debit, you can download the Direct Debit Form by clicking on this link below:
Complete the form, sign it and return it to us at the address printed on the form. Lots more information about Direct Debit and much more is available on the BACS Website. Click on the link below to be taken to this Website:
Standing Order
If you have a bank account you can also pay your rent by standing order. Payment by standing order involves you issuing instructions to your bank to make monthly/weekly payments to the Council. A form is available from our Income and Home Sales Section based at 3 Orrell Road, Orrell, Wigan, WN5 8EW or by telephoning (01942) 734062. Completed forms should be sent to the Income and Home Sales Section.
In Person
You can pay your rent by cash, cheque, debit or credit card using your plastic rent payment card or barcoded letter. The card/barcoded letter holds your account reference details and provides access to many more convenient locations for you to pay your rent :
- by cash, cheque or debit card at any Post Office in the country. Cheques should be made payable to "Post Office Ltd".
- by cash, cheque or debit or credit card at any Paypoint outlet in the U.K.
- by debit or credit card at either Wigan Life Centre or Leigh Life Centre.
You must present the card or barcode with your payment to the cashier/staff member each time you pay at the Post Office, Paypoint outlet or Life Centre. Every time a payment is made you will be issued with a receipt. This is your proof of the date you paid and the amount you have paid, and this should be retained.
Telephone
You can pay by telephone if you have a debit or credit card. To pay by telephone ring 01942 489006, this is an automated service which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you do not have a touchtone telephone or wish to speak to someone, please ring the Contact Centre on 01942 705040 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 8am-12.30pm). In both cases you will need to have your account number to hand as well as your credit/debit card details. We accept MasterCard, Visa and Maestro.
Salary Deductions
If you don't have a bank account and you find it inconvenient to the pay by any of the methods offered because of the hours you work, your employer may be prepared to deduct your rent from your wages and pay it direct to the Council. Please ring 01942 730145 for further details.
Useful Questions And Answers
How will I be able to check my rent account balance?
Every 3 months you will receive a rent account statement. This will show the payments you have made and provide the balance on your account. You can check the details on the statement against your payments receipts. If you need to know the balance at any other time you can contact your local Housing Office for details of your account balance. If there is any change in your weekly rent during the year you will be notified immediately by letter. You can also check your account online at www.walh.co.uk/RentsBenefits/AccessYourRentAccountOnline.htm using the rent payment reference shown on your rent statement. Just follow the on-screen instructions.
What should I do if the card is lost or stolen?
Don't worry. The card is a payment card only and would be useless should it fall into anyone else's hands. A replacement card can be supplied on request and will be sent to you within a couple of days. You can e-mail us at enquiries@walh.co.uk or telephone our contact centre on 01942 705040 if you need a replacement card. You can also use the bar code printed on rent statements and letters.
When will I get a new payment card?
You will not be sent a new card every year. If you move to another Council property you will be sent a new payment card with your new account reference details.
Further information
For any further queries, or if you are having problems paying your rent you should contact us immediately. The staff there will talk to you about your circumstances and will be able to give you advice that may help you. Please telephone our Contact Centre on 01942 705040.
Don't ignore the problem, come and talk to us.
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