Your rent charge is based on the type of home and tenancy agreement you have (secure, assured, market rent, shared owner or affordable). For the majority of tenancies there will be a rent increase of 7.7% for 2024/25. This is in line with the cap the Government has put in place for rent increases this year. If you pay service charges you may also see an increase in some of these costs.
The rent and service charges you pay enables Plus Dane to provide the services you receive as well as carrying out the activity to keep you safe in your home including gas and electrical testing. We also invest in our homes to keep them warm, safe and secure. Rents are our main source of income and they enable Plus Dane to continue to deliver the vital services that you need, while meeting the increasing costs of materials and the increasing demand for repairs from our customers. It also enables Plus Dane to pursue activities linked to new housing legislation and government targets, including building safety and achieving net zero carbon.
Each year we review the cost of the services your property receives. This could result in your total charge being higher or lower than you are currently paying.
Service charge name |
What your money goes towards |
Communal areas |
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Heating |
The cost of heating communal areas (including lounges, corridors, staircases etc) |
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Light & Power |
The cost of lighting internal and external communal areas (staircases, lounges, entrances, gardens etc) and the cost of powering facilities in communal areas (including door entry systems, heaters, plug sockets, lifts etc) |
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Water Rates |
The cost of supplying water to communal areas (including outdoor taps, communal toilets etc) |
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Scheme Cleaning |
The cost of paying employees and buying cleaning supplies, or the cost of hiring cleaning services. |
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Window Cleaning |
The cost of paying employees and buying cleaning supplies, or the cost of hiring cleaning services. Window cleaning services can be delivered as external only, external & internal, or canopies. |
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Refuse Disposal |
The cost of transferring rubbish from communal bins to the external refuse area. |
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TV Relay License |
The cost of maintaining and repairing aerials, and the TV Licence fee (if applicable) |
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Agents Service Charge |
Costs which have been incurred from the Managing Agent who is delivering services to your development. This may be to the external areas only (such as gardening, road maintenance, play areas). Some Managing Agents maintain the buildings as well, and so there may be costs relating to cleaning, window cleaning, fire alarm & emergency lighting maintenance, repairs, etc |
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Pest Control |
The cost of providing a pest control service |
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Repairs (Shared Ownership & Leasehold flats only) |
The cost of maintaining the internal and external communal areas. This will include any repairs which are required to the outside of the building. |
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Lift |
The cost of servicing and repairing any lifts. This includes an annual maintenance programme, insurance, and alarm lines. Lift servicing and repairs are usually provided by an external contractor on Plus Dane’s behalf. |
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Safety Equipment Contract/Fire Detection |
The cost of testing and servicing lightning conductors, fire-fighting equipment, fire alarm systems and electrical equipment and conducting Fire Risk Assessments. |
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Relamping |
The cost of replacing light bulbs in internal and external communal areas |
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Emergency Lighting |
The cost of testing the emergency lighting system |
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Grounds Maintenance |
The cost of providing gardening services to the communal areas (as per the agreement for your development/building) |
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Door Entry |
The annual cost of maintaining and repairing your door entry system (this service may be provided by an external contractor on Plus Dane’s behalf). |
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White Goods Repairs |
The cost of any repairs that have been carried out on communal white goods (such as washing machines and tumble dryers). |
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Water Boosting |
The cost of supplying water to your home if a tank is required. This cost includes the annual maintenance contract for the water boosters, the cleaning of the tank, the testing of the water and monitoring for legionella |
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Electric Gates |
The cost of carrying out annual maintenance and repairs to the electric gates. This service might be provided by an external contractor on Plus Dane’s behalf. |
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Laundry |
The cost of maintaining the communal laundry equipment |
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Stairlift |
The cost of maintaining the communal stairlift |
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Septic Tank |
The cost of carrying out annual maintenance and repairs to the septic tank. This service might be provided by an external contractor on Plus Dane’s behalf. |
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Building Insurance (Shared Ownership and Leasehold homes only) |
This is the building insurance premium for your home |
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Audit Fees (Some Shared Ownership & Leasehold properties only) |
The cost of auditing the service charges in line with your lease |
Management charge |
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Management Charge |
This equates to 15% of Total Expenditure excluding Managing Agents costs (if applicable) |
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Management Charge - Managing Agents |
This equates to 10% of the fee charged by the Managing Agent |
Provisions for repairs & replacementsNote: - not subject to Management Fee |
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Sinking Fund / Reserve |
This money is used for the replacement of major components such as the roof, windows, doors, communal flooring, redecoration of the communal areas, etc as and when they are required. The costs are determined by a Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) through a Life Cycle Survey which has been carried out for your development/building. |
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Surplus/Deficit from previous years |
If your statement says there is a surplus, this means that we have not spent all of the money which was budgeted. When there is a surplus we will return the amount to your rent account. This money will then be returned to you. If you have any arrears then any surplus monies will go towards the arrears first. If your statement says there is a deficit this means that we spent more than the money budgeted. |
Service charges collectable for yearA breakdown of your Weekly / Monthly Charges HB = Housing Benefit / UC = Universal Credit |
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HB Eligible Intensive Housing Management |
This is for the response service. The amount of charge if you claim HB but is not eligible if you claim UC |
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HB/UC Eligible General Services |
The amount of your Weekly / Monthly charge that is eligible to be claimed through UC or HB |
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HB/UC Non Eligible Personal Heating |
The amount of your Weekly / Monthly charge that is not eligible to be claimed as UC or HB as it relates to the supply of heating to your home |
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HB/UC Non Eligible Water Rates |
The amount of your Weekly / Monthly charge that is not eligible to be claimed as UC or HB as it relates to the supply of water to your home |
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HB/UC Non Eligible Building Insurance |
The amount of Weekly / Monthly charge that relates to Insurance, and is not eligible to be claimed as UC or HB. |
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HB/UC Non Eligible Sinking Fund / Reserve |
The amount of your Weekly / Monthly charge that relates to the Sinking Fund, and is not eligible to be claimed as UC or HB. |
