Agenda item

(a)  That Council house dwelling rents for 2018/19 decrease by 1% over the 2017/18 rent with effect from Monday 2nd April 2018. This was in line with current government guidelines and legislation.

(b)  That Garage rents, heating, utility and ancillary charges increase by 3.0% with effect from Monday 2nd April 2018. This was based upon the September CPI figure.

(c)  That Service charges increase by 3.0% with effect from Monday 2nd April 2018. This was based upon the September CPI figure.

(d)  That ‘Other committee’ property rents increase by an average of 3.0% from Monday 2nd April 2018 in line with the September CPI figure.

The Head of Finance (Transformation) introduced a report that presented the changes in housing rents and service charges for 2018/19 for social housing and asked that they be recommended to full Council on 30^th January 2018.

It was proposed that Council house dwelling rents would decrease by 1% from Monday 2^nd April 2018 and that garage rents, heat, utility, ancillary charges and service charges rise by 3% based on the September CPI inflation figure.  The Cabinet noted that the decrease was in line with the legislative requirement that social rents be reduced by 1% less than the amount payable by the tenant in the preceding 12 months each year until 2019-20.  The Government had indicated that from 2020 a greater degree of discretion would be given back to Council’s which would help to invest in repairs and stabilise the decline in rental income.

After due consideration, the Cabinet agreed to recommend the proposed rent and service charges to full Council.

Recommended –

(a)  That Council house dwelling rents for 2018/19 decrease by 1% over the 2017/18 rent with effect from Monday 2nd April 2018. This was in line with current government guidelines and legislation.

(b)  That Garage rents, heating, utility and ancillary charges increase by 3.0% with effect from Monday 2nd April 2018. This was based upon the September CPI figure.

(c)  That Service charges increase by 3.0% with effect from Monday 2nd April 2018. This was based upon the September CPI figure.

(d)  That ‘Other committee’ property rents increase by an average of 3.0% from Monday 2nd April 2018 in line with the September CPI figure.