Rent and Service Charges
It is important you continue to make your rent payments, this includes charges you are responsible for such as service charges.
How To Pay Your Rent and Service Charges
We have a range of different ways you can pay your rent and service charges. To find out more about each method, click on each option.
Standing Order or Bank Transfer:
You can set up a standing order or make a monthly BACS payment via your bank. You’ll need to update these payments if there are any changes to your rent or service charges. If you choose to pay by bank transfer, you’ll need to remember to make the payment each month.
Please use your rent account reference for all standing orders or bank transfers. If you don’t have your rent account reference, please contact us to request this information.
Bank transfers or Standing Orders can be made to the details below:
Account Name: Women’s Pioneer Housing Ltd
Account Number: 51093355
Sort Code: 40-01-13
Bank Name: HSBC UK Bank LC
IBAN: GB31HBUK40011351093355
Allpay:
You can pay your rent online, by phone, direct debit, or at any PayPoint or Post Office using Allpay. Allpay is a payment system used widely across housing associations. You will need to quote a payment reference number and a credit or debit card.
To make a payment, click here: https://www.allpayments.net/ or call 0330 041 6497
To register to use Allpay, please speak to our Customer Services Team who can get you set up.
Direct Debit:
You can phone us to set up a Direct Debit directly through us. This is a regular payment from your bank. If you have any questions please contact us about setting this up.
Call Us
You can pay your rent by phoning the office on 020 8749 7112 and request the payment line. This will allow you to make a one-off payment. Please have your bank card ready to make the payment.
If you are experiencing difficulties paying your rent, please let us know as soon as you can. We are here to help. Our Financial Inclusion Officer offers free advice and guidance on maximising your income. Click below for more information about Financial Inclusion.
About Your Rent
The rent you pay is directly reinvested in your homes and our services. This includes day-to-day repairs to your home, tenancy management, and major works to make long-term improvements such as replacing bathrooms, kitchens, windows, and roofs.
We always aim to ensure your rent is affordable while also funding essential maintenance and service to your homes.
Annual Rent Changes 2025
Women’s Pioneer residents would have had a rent increase in January or July 2025. For most of our residents, this annual rent increase took place in July 2025.
Each year we review the rent we charge and carefully consider any changes. Your rent is based on the government’s formula, supported by the Regulator of Social Housing. This formula is based on inflation (the Consumer Price Index or CPI) from the previous September plus 1%.
The CPI in September 2024 was 1.7%, which means the overall rent increase is 1.7% + 1%, resulting in a total of 2.7%. This is standard across all housing associations.
All details were sent to you in a letter, providing more information and clarification on any changes to your rent and service charges.
If you are experiencing any difficulties in paying your rent, please get in touch with us on 0208 749 7112 or customerservices@womenspioneer.co.uk and a member of our team will assist you. You can also visit our dedicated page on Financial Inclusion for more information on how we can support you.
About Your Service Charges
Service charges are charged for services, repairs, maintenance, and improvements in relation to your property. Service charges are charged in addition to your rent.
We operate a variable service charge, meaning this charge will go up or down each year, based off what was estimated to be spent against the actual costs in your building from the previous year.
Service Charge FAQs
Why do I pay a service charge?
Service charges cover the cost of services we provide to help you look after your home and surrounding area. This charge covers services that are not covered by your rent.
Service charges cover the maintenance of communal areas, including cleaning, grounds maintenance, pest control, and communal electricity.
A full list of the services provided to you can be found in your annual service charge letter. These charges can go up or down depending on the services provided and the costs to us for providing that service, this will be set annually and may go up or down each year.
What do service charges cover?
Service charges pay for things such as:
- Communal garden maintenance
- Communal cleaning
- Lighting and maintenance of shared areas like stairwells and hallways
- Pest control
- Communal electricity
- Entryphone systems
- Fire safety systems
How do you calculate my service charge?
Your service charges are recalculated each year to ensure you are paying the correct amount for the cost of services provided. The costs are apportioned between the properties that receive that service.
We operate a variable service charge, which means the cost will go up or down each year. The amount of your service charge is based on what was estimated to be spent against the actual costs of your building from the previous year.
When we estimate the costs of services for the year, we can over or underestimate. If we overestimate how much something will cost in the year, then a surplus is generated. This is because you have already paid through your service charge, but it cost us less. The surplus generated then reduces the service charge bill for the next year.
A deficit happens when we have underestimated costs, or unexpected costs have arisen in the year. This means services cost more than we received in service charges. When there is a deficit, we need to add it to service charge costs for the following year.
We work really hard to accurately estimate our service charges, but it can be difficult to forecast what will be needed in each building.
Why am I paying for heating and/or hot water?
If there is a charge for communal or personal heating and/or hot water, this means there is a communal gas boiler attached to your property. We use an energy broker to negotiate the best energy price for communal boilers. The energy costs from the communal boiler are recharged in the service charges. If you have any questions, please check your Service Charge and Rent Increase Statement or get in touch.
What is a management fee?
A management fee is included in the service charge to cover the administrative cost of managing the services. It is normally calculated at 15% of the cost of the services provided. For Buildings with communal boilers which provided heating and / or hot water supplies, and management fee is cap below the 15% threshold.
How can I help to make the service charges lower?
If we have to do extra work, you pay for this in your service charges. We want our service charges to be reasonable, and you can help us achieve this.
Looking after your communal areas and the building helps to reduce the level of work needed. Please use the right bins and bin stores for your household rubbish. If residents do not dispose of rubbish or household items properly, the council may refuse to collect it. This forces us to use contractors, which you and your neighbours will have to pay for.
Alternatively, you and your neighbours may wish to do the gardening or cleaning yourselves. If you all agree to this, then so long as it is done to a reasonable standard, we are happy for you to take on this responsibility.