Rent payment options
As an Ipswich Borough Council tenant, your rent is due each Monday. You can choose to pay:
- Weekly
- Fortnightly
- Every 4 Weeks
- Monthly
All rent payments must be paid in advance.
Ways to pay your rent
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By Direct Debit
Set up payments to be taken weekly, fortnightly, every 4 weeks, or monthly on a date of your choice.
Learn more about setting up a Direct Debit by visiting our Set up a Direct Debit page.
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Online Payment System
Use your debit card details and rent account number.
Please note the button below opens in a new window.
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Telephone
Call our 24-hour automated payment line at 01473 937866 with your debit or credit card details and rent account number.
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Bank or Building Society
Arrange payments weekly, fortnightly, every 4 weeks, or monthly with your bank using your rent account number and our bank details:
- Account Number: 04900414
- Sort Code: 30-94-55
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Post Office or Payzone
Make cash or debit card payments using your plastic swipe card or barcode from any rent letter.
Text reminders
Ipswich Borough Council will contact tenants via text if they have fallen behind on their rent payments.
Tenants who miss a payment or are in debt with their account will receive a text reminding them to make payment to clear their account.
The message will come from Ipswich Borough Council and we will always address you with your full name.
Links will be provided for you to pay now, view your account online and to contact us online.
If you are unsure about the text you receive, you can contact our customer services department, who will be happy to confirm this is legitimate.
Alternatively, you can login to your rent account to see your outstanding balance.
The scheme aims to make contact with people who are behind on their payments, providing them with an opportunity to pay late balances, avoid unnecessary reminder notices, and so they can contact the council for help with their account and the support available to them.
Keeping your rent up to date
As a tenant you are responsible for keeping your rent payments up to date. If you are experiencing financial difficulty and in danger of falling behind with your rent you will find useful information on the Problems paying your rent page.
If you still need further assistance please contact us as soon as possible as we will often be able to help. You can either request contact via our online service or call our Customer Service Centre on 01473 432000.
Text reminders
Ipswich Borough Council will contact tenants via text if they have fallen behind on their rent payments.
Tenants who miss a payment or are in debt with their account will receive a text reminding them to make payment to clear their account.
The message will come from Ipswich Borough Council and we will always address you with your full name.
Links will be provided for you to pay now, view your account online and to contact us online.
If you are unsure about the text you receive, you can contact our customer services department, who will be happy to confirm this is legitimate.
Alternatively, you can login to your rent account to see your outstanding balance.
The scheme aims to make contact with people who are behind on their payments, providing them with an opportunity to pay late balances, avoid unnecessary reminder notices, and so they can contact the council for help with their account and the support available to them.
Top up the rent you pay
As a tenant you can pay extra onto your rent account to cover periods when your finances may be under pressure e.g. in the school holidays or during the Christmas period.
By planning ahead and paying extra each week, you can get ahead of payments from your rent account to build sufficient credit to cover you during those pressured periods.
For example, by paying £5 extra per week over 52 weeks, you’ll have topped up the balance in your rent account by £260.
It is important that you still pay your rent as a priority during these times in line with the terms of your Tenancy Agreement.
To arrange this, please contact your Income Officer.
Are you prepared for the 53-week year?
If you’re a Council housing tenant, you need to be aware that there is an extra rent week this year.
This financial year (April 2024 to March 2024) has 53 payment dates as there are 53 Mondays in the year rather, rather than the usual 52.
We’ll be contacting all tenants at the end of February about this new rent charge from 1 April 2024.
Tenants will need to manually pay the difference from 1 April.
Will this affect me?
If you are clearing your rent account every week or month – reducing the balance to zero - then this won’t be a problem.
If you pay monthly, your calculation of rent will need to change to:
• Weekly Rent Charge x 53 Weeks (as opposed to 52 weeks) divide by 12 = new monthly amount to pay.
What if I receive Housing Costs from Universal Credit? (even if it is paid directly to the Council)
Unfortunately, the 53-week year is not officially recognised for the purposes of Universal Credit and therefore Universal Credit Housing Cost payments will be continuing to be calculated over 52 weeks. This means that you will need to manually pay the difference/shortfall between the 52- and 53-week monthly calculation.
If you think you are going to be affected by this and unable to pay it, please contact us on 01473 432000.