Average council house rent increase pegged at 2%

For the third year in succession, The Highland Council is recommending a council house rent increase below the rate of inflation. The Finance Housing and Resources Committee agreed to contain the average weekly rent increase to £1.35, the rent rising from £67.60 to £68.95.

A 2% increase will also be applied to hostel rents, gypsy/traveller site pitches, garage and garage sites as well as caretaking and CCTV services.
The full council will be asked to confirm the increases at its budget setting meeting on Thursday 7 February.

Councillor Dave Fallows, Chair of the Finance Housing and Resources Committee, said:  “We have listened to tenants and our Housing and Property Service has made efficiencies which for the third year running has allowed us to contain the increase to below inflation.  This is good news for our tenants.

"It also allows us to maintain the progress in bringing all our council houses up to Scottish Housing Quality Standard by 2015 and to extend our council house building programme.”

In 2013-14, the Council will spend £15,359,000 on repairs and maintenance of its stock of over 13,000 council houses. It also plans to invest £17.5m in improvements to meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard for existing houses and £10m to build new Council houses.