Council tenants facing rent rises of 4.3 per cent

Kirsty Gibbins • Published 16 Feb 2012 09:28 14 Comments

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A RENTS increase of 4.3 per cent for East Lothian Council tenants has been approved for the 2012/13 financial year.

While putting together the rent-hike proposals, a project group, which the council set up in conjunction with East Lothian Tenants' and Residents ' Panel (ELTRP) in 2008, met again in October 2011.

A consultation approach was agreed and implemented by the group for the rent proposals, which gave tenants the chance to complete a consultation questionnaire to give their views on the rent consultation and proposed rent increase.

A total of 954 questionnaires were returned along with 12 telephone calls and five written responses, representing a return rate of 11.9 per cent. The number of responses had increased upon a similar survey carried out prior to last year's rent rises - when 824 questionnaires, five phone calls and three written responses were submitted to the council.

In total, 84.6 per cent of respondents agreed the local authority was proposing a fair rent increase of 4.3 per cent. Also, 95.7 per cent agreed that the council should continue to modernise its stock with kitchen and bathroom replacement.

Cllr Stuart Currie (SNP), said: "I am proud that this council has voted to continue the incredible progress made over the past five years. Rents will increase by 4.3 per cent and mean East Lothian still has the second lowest rents in Scotland.

"We have agreed £14 million to buy around 130 former council houses on the open market, £75 million to build a further 750 new council houses and £55 million to keep up our record rates of new kitchen and bathroom replacements in our existing houses.

"We have also, once again, funded a 60 per cent increase in the number of apprenticeships working in the traditional trades. This will mean more jobs for young people. This is in stark contrast to the opposition budget that, incredibly, wants to wait 12 months before taking any action to improve youth employment in East Lothian."

He concluded: "This housing budget means more council houses for rent, more kitchens and bathrooms for existing tenants, help for the construction industry, more jobs for young people and still the second lowest rents in Scotland. This is a record to be proud of."

All three rent proposals, including Labour and the joint Conservative/independent, outlined an annual 4.3 per cent rent increase for the financial period 2011/12 to 2016/17.

Labour's housing spokesman, Councillor Norman Hampshire, said: "I hope for the sake of our council tenants this will be the last of this SNP-led administration's five years of inflation-busting rent increases. The SNP/Lib Dem administration has increased East Lothian rents by 20.4 per cent in five years. This is at a time when annual wage increases have been around one or two per cent and some people have experienced no wage rise at all.

"It is unacceptable that people on lower incomes get burdened with SNP rent increases."

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Socialist
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Feb 16, 11:29
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Council tax stays the same for everyone, mortgages for many people are at an all time low, yet council tenants have another rents rise, it bad enough our young people are struggling to get a mortgage yet rents continue to increase,surely common sense tells you this is not fair.

This is yet another policy which affects the most vulnerable in our communities ( and before anyone bites my head off this goes for all parties)

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Snurgies
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Feb 16, 11:42
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I fail to see how anybody living in Council accommodation would necessarily be considered as being "the most vulnerable in our communities". This rise is fairly close to the rate of inflation, therefore is perfectly fair. I've got a mortgage, and with the interest rates as they are I am indeed paying slightly less than I would have 4 years ago, but I, like many others, have only had sub inflationary pay rises in the last 4 years - we're all taking a hit, why should those who receive council assistance be any different?

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Socialist
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Feb 16, 11:51
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Snurgies

I too pay a mortgage and council tax and I too receive and use council services, I believe we should all contribute fairly.

Why do many people live in rented accommodation, for many that is their only option.

They do not have the resources to do otherwise, and are continually those that are being attacked by politicians.

It is sad that we no longer live in a caring society, everyone for themselves I think.

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Snurgies
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Feb 16, 12:13
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"In total, 84.6 per cent of respondents agreed the local authority was proposing a fair rent increase of 4.3 per cent."

It appears the very people this affects are happy with the rise. To be honest, I find your view of council tenants somewhat patronising and assumptive - almost Dickensian.

It's a sad fact that most young people can't afford to purchase their own house just now, but that really isn't the issue here at all - you can rent a house and be well off at the same time, the two things aren't mutually exclusive.

I also don't see politicians attacking decent council tenants who don't fiddle the system either.

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Socialist
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Feb 16, 13:05
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Snurgies

I do not dispute the fact that many individuals "can rent a house and be well off at the same time" I have always expressed the view rather that the "the right to buy" everyone should have the "right to rent" as in the case of many European Countries.

Patronising and assumptive for those who know me certainly not, but I do have considerable experience in housing matters and therefore are more than happy to debate the issue.

As for 84.6 of respondents agreeing . HOW MANY DID RESPOND? 11.9%

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In the know
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Feb 16, 22:51
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All three budgets had rise of 4.3%. SNP/LD budget had £150,000 to employ 60% more apprentices from April this year. Labour wanted to wait twelve months to take on any apprentices, why?

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Socialist
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Feb 17, 08:17
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In the know

Which SNP councillor are you this week.

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Socialist
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Feb 17, 09:22
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In the know

You may make a valid point , yet I do not know, however what I can say quite clearly by my own interrogation of the budget proposals, that there is a huge question mark on how you will be able to deliver the capital programme and raise the revenue costs to support it.

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Socialist
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Feb 17, 11:53
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While putting together the rent-hike proposals, a project group, which the council set up in conjunction with East Lothian Tenants' and Residents ' Panel (ELTRP) in 2008, met again in October 2011.

I do hope those representing ELTRP were all tennants not home owners.

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Someone
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Feb 17, 18:48
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Its only a matter of time until the Tory/Lib Dem Westminster government make council rents the same as the average private sector housing rents.

http://www.daveanderson.org.uk/petitioncounciltenants.htm

Only a matter of time!, as the old saying goes..."The writing is on the wall".

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Nationalist
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Feb 21, 13:57
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Socialist

Labour proposed same rise- 4.3% - about 50p per week

But SNP budget -more houses, more repairs and apprenticeship scheme

Facts are there Socialist

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Socialist
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Feb 21, 14:43
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Nationalist

Nice to see you on this article as well.

To create something useful in life you first have to plan , then you put down the building blocks, then like everthying in life the goalposts change and someone else finishes the project. The good thing about this project is that it was the last Labour Administration that laid the foundations for where we are today.

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Someone
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Feb 22, 22:36
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"Its only a matter of time until the Tory/Lib Dem Westminster government make council rents the same as the average private sector housing rents."

Strange, you say something and a few days later...

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2012-02-21a.748.3&s=Disability#g758.1

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Nationalist
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Feb 23, 12:12
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Just to remind Socialist

Houses Built undfer Labour 2003-2007

2003 -Nil

2004 -Nil

2005 -Nil

2006 -Nil

2007 -Nil

Very consistent -Labours response "We would have done it" doesnt really work

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