Croydon Council rents to rise from April (From Your Local Guardian)

Croydon Council rents to rise from April

9:14am Thursday 16th February 2012 in Croydon

Croydon Council rents to rise from April

Council tenants are likely to face a rent rise of eight percent from April.

The increase would see the average rent go up by £7.37 a week to help fund ongoing improvements and repairs to council homes and estates.

Money from tenants' rents is invested back into housing services to maintain the decent homes standard.

The rents also help pay for responsive repairs, neighbourhood wardens, tenancy management and care taking, as well as estate based environmental work.

Under current legislation every local authority in the UK is obliged to make incremental annual rent increase until a standardised rent is introduced in 2015.

The rent increase was agreed by the Tenants and Leaseholders Panel who were consulted on the proposals on February 1.

Final rent levels are due to be agreed at the council's cabinet meeting next week, for approval at full council on February 27.

Councillor Dudley Mead, deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, said: "We know that any rent rises are unwelcome but unfortunately they are a necessity, and that's why the council has done everything possible to make sure the proposed increase is as low as we can get it, while still maintaining the services our tenant want.

"We hope tenants will agree that council rents are still exceptional value for money and still considerably lower than those in the private sector."