Tenants to have say on rent rates
Council tenants are being encouraged to share their views on rent levels for the next five years.
West Lothian Council has launched a consultation over a new five-year housing investment strategy from 2018/19 to 2022/23.
This approach aims to give tenants certainty over their future rent levels, and allow planned investment in the current housing stock, as well as help determine the number of new council homes that can be built.
Currently 99.65 per cent of council homes meet or exceed the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SQHS) for social housing, and 70p from every pound of rent collected is spent on repairs, maintenance or planned investment.
Tenants are encouraged to visit www. westlothian.gov.uk/ rent consultation 2017 to make sure their opinions are heard.
The survey runs for two months until Friday, December 8.
Executive councillor for services for the community, George Paul, said he is encouraging tenants to make sure they have their say.
He said: “We hope as many tenants as possible take the time to give their views on our five-year housing investment strategy.
“The consultation should only take a few minutes to complete, and will help us plan how we maintain and improve our council housing stock in West Lothian to SQHS standard in the next five years.
“Council house tenants are being asked to consider whether they would prefer to support a three per cent or four per cent annual rent increase, which would allow the council to build and add to the supply of additional council homes in the next five years.”
Councillor Paul said the number of people in need of rented housing means the authority has to look at how best to fund new homes.
And he said the council’s rents remain lower than the Scottish average for social landlords.
He said: “With close to 9500 applicants on the Common Housing Register in West Lothian and the demand for social rented housing growing, it’s vital we look at options for increasing the supply of new homes for rent.
“Existing council tenants will continue to get priority for new council homes.
“We also need to make sure the rent levels remain affordable for our tenants.
“The average weekly rent for council homes in West Lothian is currently £68.19, slightly below the Scottish average of £70.55, and less than the average for local Registered Social Landlords.”
Council staff will engage with tenant representatives on the Tenants Panel and Tenants Networks over the strategy, with a number of special drop-in sessions arranged for tenants to find out more or discuss the proposals.
These sessions take place at venues across West Lothian.
They will be held at Strathbrock Partnership Centre, Broxburn – today (Thursday, October 19), 11am to 12.30pm and 4.30pm to 6pm; Whitburn Community Centre, Whitburn - Tuesday, October 24, 11am to 12.30pm and 6pm to 7.30pm; West Lothian Civic Centre, Livingston – Thursday, October 26, 11am to 12.30pm and 6pm to 7.30pm.
Tenants can also have their say by filling in the survey online at www.westlothian.gov. uk/ rent consultation 2017
We need to make sure the rent levels remain affordable