Paying your rent

When you pay your rent on time you contribute to the continuously improving service Lambeth London Living runs for you and your neighbours. Late rent payments mean Lambeth London Living has less to spend on repairing and improving your home and the area you live in.

Lambeth London Living would like you to tell us exactly what you think of the rent management service provided by the central income team by completing a short survey.

Please complete our rent arrears management service customer satisfaction survey online. The survey should not take longer than five minutes. This survey has been designed to obtain feedback on key areas of the service and your views will be used to help, develop and shape the future of the service delivered by Lambeth London Living.

Rent officer surgeries

If you would like to discuss your rent payments you can speak with a rent officer at the Springfield Community and Medical Centre, 110 Union Road, London SW8 2SH , Monday through Friday, 9.30am to 4pm. Former tenants with outstanding arrears can also speak to someone about clearing their arrears.

Income officers also hold dedicated surgeries for their areas each week. This is their schedule:

Brixton area

Greenleaf Close, London SW2 2HB, Thursday 9:30am to 4pm

Clapham area

110 Union Road, London SW8 2SH, Tuesdays 9:30am to 4pm

Holland Rise and Whitebeam Close TMO

110 Union Road, London SW8 2SH, Wednesdays 2pm to 4:30pm

Stockwell and Vassall area

110 Union Road, London SW8 2SH, Mondays 9:30am to 4pm

Streatham area

139 Albert Carr Gardens, London SW16 3HB, Mondays 9:30am to 4pm

You may also download a spreadsheet (330Kb MSExcel) where you can find the contact details for your dedicated officers. You can search by either your building or street in the first column.

How to pay your rent

You can pay your rent in several ways.

Direct Debit

You could win £500 in regular prize draws or £25 shopping vouchers if you pay your rent by Direct Debit..

Prize draws will be held in June, September, December and March. Terms and conditions apply.

Call the Lambeth London Living Call Centre on 020 7926 6000 to set up your Direct Debit rent payments.

What is Direct Debit?

Direct Debit is safe and easy for you and it gives the council permission to take money from your bank account in agreed amounts at agreed times.

You will be given at least ten days' notice if any changes are made and you will be able to cancel your Direct Debit at any time.

The benefits of Direct Debit

• it's simple - you provide us with your details and your bank sets up the Direct Debit rent payments - no more queuing or rent swipe cards. 
• it's convenient - you can choose the 6th, 16th or 26th day of the month for payment.
• it's safe - the Direct Debit guarantee will fully protect your payments. 
• it's efficient for you and us -  the money we save we use to improve services.

Setting up Direct Debit rent payments

You can call the Lambeth Living Call Centre on 0800 088 0088 to set up your Direct Debit payments.

You can also download a postal form, print it out, complete all the details and post it to the address given on the form. If you need help or require information in large print, Braille, audio tape or another language please call the Lambeth Call Centre on 020 7926 6000.

Your Direct Debit guarantee

If you choose to pay by rent by Direct Debit your payments will all be protected by the Direct Debit guarantee.

This guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that take part in the Direct Debit scheme. Your own bank or building society monitors the efficiency and security of the Direct Debit scheme.

Your Direct Debit rent payments will be paid to the London Borough of Lambeth and the Direct Debit guarantee promises as follows:

• If the amounts to be paid or the payment dates change the London Borough of Lambeth will notify you ten working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed.
• If an error is made by the London Borough of Lambeth or your bank or building society you will recieve a full and immediate refund from your branch of the amount paid.
• You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by writing to your bank or building society.

How we calculate your Direct Debit rent payments

We divide the total annual rent by 12 to calculate a monthly payment amount.

Please note:

• As there are more than four weeks in some months the rent payments will be more than four times your weekly rent. 
• The Direct Debit payments do not include any outstanding balance you have already agreed to pay, for example, any rent owed for the period up to the first Direct Debit payment. You should continue to pay any outstanding balance by the agreed payment method.
• If you have arrears on your rent account your income officer will agree with you how much you should pay each week and we can set up a Direct Debit payment to pay any additional amounts owing.
• When we set up your Direct Debit we will will send you a confirmation letter with a copy of the Direct Debit guarantee. We will let you the know the amount to be debited at least ten working days in advance.
• You should continue to make payments as shown on your rent statement until you receive the Direct Debit confirmation letter.
• If you have been paying by standing order please contact your bank to cancel your standing order as soon as you receive the Direct Debit confirmation letter.

Other ways to pay your rent

Online

You can pay your rent securely online using our rent payments page. The online rent and repairs service will not be available after 31 March 2012. We apologise for the inconvenience. We are currently looking to develop a way for you to check your rent statements and request a repair online.

Rent payments by PayPoint

You can now pay your rent in cash at PayPoint outlets across the country. Outlets providing this facility include newsagents, supermarkets and petrol stations. Just take your existing rent or garage swipe card to a PayPoint with your rent payment. Make sure you keep a receipt and check your payment against your next rent statement.

By phone

You can pay your rent by credit or debit card by calling our 24-hour automated telephone service on 020 8290 2086. You will need your nine-digit rent payment reference number, which you can find at the top of your rent statement or any rent arrears letters we may have sent you.

By standing order

To make regular automatic payments direct from your bank
account please contact the Lambeth London Living Call Centre on 020 7926 6000 or visit your local area housing office for a standing order mandate form or more information.

At the cashiers' office

Payments can be made in the cashiers' office at:

Brixton Customer Centre
18 Brixton Hill
London
SW2 1RL
Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:15pm.

Location map of Brixton Customer Centre

At any post office

You can pay at any post office branch using your rent payment card. Hand your card and payment to the cashier, and they will credit your payment and give you a receipt. You can pay with a debit card, cash or cheques. Cheques must be made payable to Post Office Ltd.

By post

If you prefer to pay by post please send a cheque made payable to London Borough of Lambeth. Write your name, address and rent reference number on the back and post it to:

Lambeth Revenue Services
PO Box 22003
London
SW2 1WS

Please do not send cash through the post.

Keeping track of your rent

It's easy to keep up-to-date with your rent payments. We send out rent statements four times a year, or you can telephone the Lambeth London Living Call Centre on 0800 088 0088, for a balance update.

You can also check your rent account by using our new online rent and repairs system.

Rent arrears

The tenancy conditions, which you sign at the start of your tenancy mean that by law, you must pay your rent regularly and not get into debt. If you do not pay your rent on time or you do not pay at all we will have to take legal action and we could end your tenancy.

Visit our rent arrears page for information about how we can help you if you have difficulties in paying your rent.

Our service standards

We will give you clear information about paying your rent and advice if you have difficulties in keeping up payments. See our Paying your rent - service standards leaflet (PDF, 111 KB) to find out more.

More information

For further information on any of the payment options above, please contact the Lambeth London Living Call Centre on 0800 088 0088 or visit your local housing office.

(updated 11/04/2023)