Apex is committed to providing high quality accommodation, which is affordable to low income households.
Our charges are reviewed annually and through our audit, continuous improvement and tenant participation functions we endeavour to ensure that our services are not only delivered efficiently but that they are of a nature and to a standard that tenants expect.
Rent Assessment
Apex operates a system of rent assessment which is in accordance with legislation and Department for Communities (DfC) regulations.
The attributes of the property are a key component in assessing rent levels. These include:
- Dwelling type
- Age of dwelling
- Number and type of rooms
- Heating system
- Type of access
- Availability of communal facilities
Each attribute is awarded a standardised number of points which along with the rent point value are used to calculate the rent.
Controlled Rents
The system of Controlled Rent Assessment applies to tenancies that existed prior to April 1993 (with the exception of ‘Mixed Funded Dwellings’, ‘Joint Managed Accommodation’ and ‘Hostel Accommodation’).
Rents are calculated by multiplying the total number of points assessed for the accommodation by the rent point value. The rent point value is determined annually by the Department for Communities.
Decontrolled Rents
Decontrolled rents apply to tenancies allocated after April 1993.
Decontrolled rents fall into two categories:
- 100% Publicly funded property rents are calculated on the same basis as for controlled rents.
- Mixed funded property rents are calculated on a similar basis as that for 100% publicly funded properties, however the point value is set by Apex by calculating the income required to cover annual expenditure.
Service Charge
Depending on the accommodation, Apex may provide additional services such as:
- Communal heating and lighting
- Emergency lighting
- Cleaning
- Gardening
- Laundry facilities
- Common areas including insurance, lifts and fire alarms
Where such services are provided, tenants will be required to pay a service charge in addition to their rent. The service charge is set annually by Apex and is based on the actual cost of providing the services.
Support Charge
Apex may also provide support services in particular circumstances. Where such services are provided, tenants may be required to pay depending on their individual circumstances. The support charge is set annually by Apex and is based on the actual cost of providing the support.