Housing Rent Correction
Council Issues Update Regarding Rent Calculations Error
“Following the discovery of our housing rent error the Council took immediate steps to rectify the error and this work remains ongoing. All tenants were contacted towards the end of 2024 and are aware if they have been under or overcharged. As of January 2025, rents were also corrected for any overcharged tenants. As previously stated, the Council is not looking to recoup any money from underpayments and rent for those in the undercharged category will stay the same unless there is a change in tenancy.
In terms of overpayments, the Council is planning to refund money owed, dating back up to six years, which is based on the legal advice given to us. Six years is the statutory limitation, meaning the maximum time after an event that legal proceedings can be started.
We will issue these refunds in tranches, with tenants who have not been in receipt of either Universal Credit or Housing benefit likely to be refunded first, followed by those in receipt of Housing Benefit and finally those who may have had some of their rent paid for via Universal Credit. We hope to issue these first refunds in the upcoming months. For those on Universal Credit refunds are likely to take longer than we hoped. This is because the calculation of Universal Credit payment sits with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and we cannot process these refunds until the DWP has calculated the amounts and shared this information with us. Although this may take some time, we continue to work closely with them to ensure we can process refunds as quickly as we can. We will also be writing to tenants in due course to issue this update.
In the meantime, we are regularly contacting our tenants and remain available for anyone who has concerns to contact us. Updated FAQs can also be viewed on our website: Rent Corrections - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK
For anyone concerned with the rent corrections, please contact us at rentcorrections@middevon.gov.uk or by calling 01884 255255.”
Simon Newcombe, Head of Housing and Health, Mid Devon District Council