Guidance On Making A Payment
Guidance on making secure payments to the Council is available by clicking on the link below. You will be taken via an external link to Wigan Council website.
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 12 equal 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.
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 your local Housing Office or from our Rent Accounting and Home Sales Section based at Unity House, Westwood Park Drive, Wigan WN3 4HE or by telephoning Wigan (01942) 4866302. Completed forms should be sent to the Rent Accounting and Home Sales Section.
Online
You can pay your rent using our online payments facility. Click on the link below if you want to make a payment online.
In Person
You can pay your rent by cash, cheque, debit or credit card using your plastic payment card. The card holds your account reference details and provides access to many more convenient locations, throughout the U.K., for you to pay your rent.
Where can I pay my rent?
With the payment card you can 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"
- in cash at any Paypoint agent in the U.K. - there are over 30 agents in the Wigan area.
- by cash, cheque, debit or credit card at either of the Council's two Cash Offices at Wigan Civic Centre and Leigh Town Hall
How do I use the card?
You must present the card with your payment to the cashier each time you pay at the Post Office, Paypoint agent or Council Cash Office. 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.
Telephone
You can pay by telephone if you have a debit or credit card. To pay by telephone ring FREEPHONE 0800 1695878. You will be given the option to speak to an operator between the hours of 8.45 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. Monday to Friday, or to use the automated service which is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. 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, Visa Delta, Visa Electron, Maestro and Solo.
Salary Deductions
If you don't have a bank account and you find it inconvenient to get to a Council cash office 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. Ask at your local Housing Office for more 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.
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.
When will I get a new payment card?
Payment cards will last approximately 3 years after which a new card will be issued automatically. 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
More information about how to pay your rent is available from your local Housing Office.
Also, if you are having problems paying your rent you should contact your local Housing Office immediately. The staff there will talk to you about your circumstances and will be able to give you advice that may help you.
Don't ignore the problem, come and talk to us.
External Links To Other Information
Here are some external links to pages which will tell you more about paying Council Bills and Council Tax and Housing Benefit Information . Click on the individual link to see the pages.
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