Residents’ delight as controversial ‘shower tax’ set to be scrapped

Charge introduced 12 years ago to be axed next April, say officials

A controversial “shower tax” imposed on sheltered housing residents is to be scrapped.

Neighbourhood services committee convener Anne Rendall said the “reprofiling” of loans would free up the money to scrap the charge, which sees around 2,000 residents paying between £5 and £10 more a week because they have a shower in the flat.

The charge was introduced 12 years ago in order to pay for the installation of showers. Although the policy originally stated it would be for the lifetime of the tenancy, it was changed in 2011 to the “lifetime of the building”.

It meant some residents were hit with the charge after moving into a new property where a shower had already been installed.

The SNP administration put forward proposals during the council’s rents consultation earlier this year which said the charge – dubbed the “shower

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It would have been nice if they’d scrapped it beforehand but it’s better than nothing. RESIDENT MORAG MCGRATTAN

tax” – could be scrapped if rents rose to compensate.

This proposal did win backing but triggered a campaign, led by the Dundee Pensioners Forum, to have the charges dropped.

Secretary Dorothy Mchugh said the charge meant some residents had paid for the cost of installing a shower several times over since 2007.

Councillor Anne Rendall said the local authority now intends to scrap the charge in April.

She said: “We’ve been working very hard over the last few months to identify ways of removing this charge. We gave a very clear public commitment and we will deliver on that.

“I’m delighted for the 2,000 tenants affected that we have a very clear way of removing this charge. This is another example of the positive and proactive approach taken by this administration.”

Ms Mchugh said: “We are absolutely delighted. Everybody could see this was an unfair charge.”

Maryfield resident Morag Mcgrattan has paid nearly £3,000 in charges since moving into a council property 11 years ago.

She said: “I’m very pleased they are going to scrap it.

“It would have been nice if they’d scrapped it beforehand but it’s better than nothing.”