Internet Payments

You can make payments online via the allpay.net website. Go to allpay.net

http://www.allpayments.net/

Please make sure that you have your swipe card and debit or credit card ready. 

Swipe cards

You can use your Octavia swipe card at any post office in the country and at any shop displaying the PayPoint and payzone signs.

The card has your name and tenant reference number on the front. On the back, a magnetic strip holds your tenant number and rent account number details.

To pay your rent, simply hand your card to the person at the counter, along with your payment. They will swipe the card through an electronic reader and key in the amount you pay. They will then give you a receipt which you can keep in the wallet we gave you with the card. We will send you a rent statement at least every three months so that you can check your payments against your receipts.

Please note that at post offices you can pay by cash or cheque, but some PayPoint outlets may only accept cash. You may also send someone else to pay your rent for you.

If your card is lost or stolen, don't worry. The card is a payment card only, so it is of no use to anyone else. To request a new one simply fill in a Swipe Card Replacement form or get in touch with the Customer Services Team. 

Credit or debit cards

If you have a Switch, Delta, Visa or Mastercard from your bank or another card company, you can use this to pay your rent.

Take your card into any Octavia office, together with your new swipe card. We will take your payment and give you a receipt.

Alternatively, have both cards ready, then phone the Customer Services Team and tell them you want to make a rent payment over the phone. Tell them what kind of card you want to use. They will ask you the card details and take the payment. 

Direct debit

If you have a bank account, you can arrange to have your rent paid by direct debit. You will need to fill out a direct debit mandate form, which gives instructions to your bank about how much to pay and on what date. Contact the Customer Services Team for a form.

When your rent increases, your direct debit will automatically change too. In line with the direct debit guarantee, we will always write to let you know about any change to your rent or service charge, giving you at least 10 working days' notice.

The advantages of opting to pay by direct debit are:

• you don't have to tell your bank each time your rent or charges increase
• direct debits are paid electronically, so they credit your rent account on the same day
• they can help you budget your weekly or monthly expenses.

Text from your Mobile Phone

You can also pay using a text message on your mobile phone. All you need is a UK registered mobile phone, a valid allpay.net swipecard and a current debit or credit card. After a brief online registration, you can then pay your bill from your mobile phone on the move anytime, anyplace, anywhere.

Once registered, to make a payment, simply text "Pay" along with a registered text code, (for example, "Rent") and the amount you wish to pay followed by the text password which is the last four digits of your debit or credit card. 

For more details see: Mobile Payments on the allpay website.

Standing Order

If you have a bank account, you can arrange to have regular payments made straight to us from your account. You will need to fill out a form telling your bank when to make the payments and how much to pay. Contact the Customer Services Team for a form.

Housing Benefit

If you are claiming Housing Benefit, you can choose to have the council pay the money direct to us. All you need to do is tick the box on your Housing Benefit application form.

Don't forget that Housing Benefit doesn't always cover the full amount of your rent. If you are not entitled to have all of your rent paid by Housing Benefit, you are responsible for paying the difference. You can pay this amount in one of the other ways shown in this booklet.

Cheques

If you prefer to pay your rent by cheque, please remember to write your address and tenancy number on the back of the cheque and post it to your local office.

Woolworths pilot

From September 2007, a pilot is starting so you can also pay your rent by swipe card, cheque and cash in branches of Woolworths.