Chargeable costs, payment and appeals
At the point of reporting a repair, or being notified of works required or additional costs, the resident will be informed if a chargeable cost is to be applied and the reason for this.
The resident will receive an invoice that details the work and cost. This invoice must be paid within 28 days of receipt.
If a resident cannot pay the amount requested through one payment, then a payment plan can be agreed with them.
If no payment is received, Housing Services will take all reasonable steps to recover the chargeable costs. This will be in accordance with the Authority’s debt recovery process.
If a resident does not believe they should pay for the repair that has been carried out, work required or additional costs, then they can appeal the charge. Their appeal should be submitted to the Housing Services Debt Recovery and Direct Debit Team. The resident must provide their reasons and any supporting evidence to support their request. An appeal must be received within 14 working days of the invoice date and will be responded to within 20 working days.
There may be occasions when Housing Services will apply discretion and not request payment. This is determined on an individual basis, and if appropriate to do so, may involve referring to the Authority’s safeguarding, anti-social behaviour and financial support policies and approaches.