Three per cent rents rise for council tenants

Average weekly rent will be £63.06

Tenant s in South Lanarkshire Council houses will see their rent increase by three per cent from April 1 onwards.

Councillors voted last Wednesday, February 24, to the rent increase, as well as plans to harmonise rents across the local authority area.

Ensuring people are paying the same price for similar properties, tenants paying above the harmonised rent level will have their rents reduced by up to £2 per week and tenants paying below the level up to £2 extra.

The changes will see the average weekly rent charged at £63.06 per week in 2016/17.

Council leader Eddie McAvoy said he is committed to providing the best quality possible for tenants in South Lanarkshire’s 25,400 council houses.

Mr McAvoy said: “Our housing stock has already seen more than £430million spent on new modern kitchens and bathrooms, new central heating systems, roofing, doors, windows and insulation.

“And continuing investment in new build council housing sees us on track to build 600 new council houses by 2020.”

The £ 34.1m housing capital budget will be supported by the additional £10 per week charged to families taking up tenancies in new build homes from April 1, 2016.

The changes come after 195 tenants took part in an online consultation and extended meetings of local housing forums.

Committed to providing the best quality possible for tenants