Rent overhaul is blasted as unfair Businessman claims rural communities will suffer

A major overhaul of rent has been branded as “unfair” and based on a limited consultation with tenants.

Perth and Kinross Council restructured the rent setup in a move introduced earlier this month, meaning that similar properties throughout the area will pay the same rent.

It brought an end to a complex deal agreed in 1974, which saw rents based on location, amenities and other factors.

But Ballinluig businessman Alec Harvie says the revision has an unfair impact on communities such as where he lives, and that could have a wider effect.

Perth and Kinross Council introduced a new rent payment structure for council tenants on Monday, April 3. This saw some properties’ rent go up by £25 a week.

The council also moved its 48week payment plan to 52 weeks following a public consultation. This was done to move rent payments in line with the new universal credit payments, which are paid once a month.

Mr Harvie, who rents his semidetatched property from the council, said: ”This is extremely unfair to rural communities. There is a knock-on effect for the local shops.

“The rent increase will impact rural Perthshire and the local trades. I can’t believe they have done that, they have not thought about their tenants outside of Perth, which is not acceptable.”

Mr Harvie added that he was facing an increase in rent of about £260-300 a year. Extrapolating

that to other residents, he said: “For a small community like Ballinluig that is a lot of money which could otherwise be spent in the local economy. This will have a significant effect on my business because my customers are primarily council tenants, it will seriously affect us all.

“I am absolutely disgusted and questions need to be asked in respect to tenants’ rent rises and the effect this has on the rural communities of Perthshire.”

The PA contacted the council over the grievances. A spokesperson replied: “We have worked very closely with tenants over the last two years to agree a new method of rent calculation. All tenants were consulted about this and have had the opportunity to contribute at each stage of the process, including through surveys, focus groups and consultation events held in each locality. In addition, we had an active Tenant Working Group, supported by an independent tenant advisor, which ensured the views of our tenants fully influenced all decisions made.

“An important point about our new system is that it ensures tenants now pay the same levels of rent for similar types of accommodation, irrespective of their location.

“We are committed to making sure our rents remain affordable which is demonstrated by the fact our rent levels are the ninth lowest in Scotland of all local authorities.”

The council added that 72.3 per cent of its tenants agreed to the move to a 52-week payment plan. But, Mr Harvie says this is inaccurate as he claims only 8 per cent of council tenants were consulted.

He also claims the decisions made did not sufficiently take the impact on rural communities outside of Perth city centre into consideration.

He says the rent rises in his village are unfair because of the lack of local amenities in the area.