Your rent is due on a Monday, a week in advance. If you pay by standing order, please allow four working days for payment to reach us. You can also pay monthly but you must pay in advance for the month to come.
Pay your rent
We want to make it as easy as possible for you to pay your rent. You can make payments using one of the options below, including via Direct Debit or through our online portal.
Please note we no longer accept cash payments.
- Direct Debit: The easiest and best way to pay is by either weekly, or monthly direct debit. We will give you advance notice of the collection amounts and date. To apply, please contact your income officer on 0800 408 0000
- Pay online: Make your payment online through the MyCBH portal, or you can pay via the council’s secure rent payment page
- Standing orders: arrange to have your rent paid directly from your bank or building society account
- Pay by phone: Our automated line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please call 0800 408 0000 and select option 1. Remember to have your debit card and payment reference to hand. Please note our customer services team cannot accept payments over the phone
Help to pay
If you’re worried about being able to pay your rent, or have fallen behind with your payments, contact our income team as soon as possible. The team are on hand to provide advice on affordable payments and any benefits you may be entitled to receive.
You can contact the housing revenues team on 0800 408 0000 or email income.team@cheltenham.gov.uk
Rent FAQs
There are 4 rent free weeks every year.
For 2025/26, these weeks are:
- 25 May 2026
- 31 August 2026
- 28 December 2026
- 29 March 2027
If you are behind in your rent payments (have rent arrears), we expect you to continue to pay on these dates to reduce them.
Yes! Always remember to ask for help as soon as possible. We are here to help and will make every effort to set up a repayment plan based on your individual circumstances.
Contact our income officers on 0800 408 0000.
We regularly check your rent account to see if a refund is due. We check to see if you are at least a week in credit – this is because your tenancy agreement states that you must pay one weeks rent in advance.
If your account shows more than one week in credit, depending on your regular payment method, we will consider issuing you with a refund.
If you fall into rent arrears and do not contact us to arrange a payment, your income officer will contact you. They will be able to provide you with advice on your next steps. If your arrears continue to grow, this may result in us serving you with a:
- Notice of Seeking Possession (if you are a secure tenant)
- Notice to Quit (if you are a non-secure tenant) or
- Notice of Possession Proceedings (if you are an introductory tenant)
These allow for a 28 day period in which to either pay us any outstanding amount owed or make a suitable arrangement to do so. If this is not complied with we will apply to the County Court for a Possession Order.
This means that you could lose your home if you do not pay us the money you owe at the rate the court decides.
If you stick to your repayment plan, you will not be evicted. If you break your repayment promise, we can apply to the County Court or a warrant to evict you from your home. If we take legal action because you owe rent arrears you will have to pay the court costs as well as pay back the arrears.
We will only do this if every effort to help you has failed. You have the right to appeal against this decision. If you are evicted for non-payment of rent we do not have to re-house you.
If you have been evicted or leave the property and still owe rent, the debt is classified as former tenant arrears. To pay off your arrears you MUST contact us and we will help you set up an affordable repayment plan.
Please be aware if you owe Cheltenham Borough Council money, your chances of being re-housed by them and other social landlords will be at risk and you may face County Court action for non-payment. This could result in a County Court Judgement (CCJ) being made against you which will adversely affect your credit rating.
If you have any questions about your rent, contact us on 0800 408 0000 or email income.team@cheltenham.gov.uk
Visit the rent setting policy page to view the policy summary or download the full policy document.