Borough's council house rent to rise by 7.7%

The rent for council housing tenants in Rugby will go up by 7.7%

Council house tenants in a Warwickshire borough will see their rents rise by 7.7% from April.

The increase in Rugby was approved as part of the borough council’s housing budget on Tuesday.

It means the average rent will go up by £7.48 per week, with rent for a three-bed council house set at £115.81 per week.

The authority said the increase would allow it to invest in its housing stock as well as “secure its future maintenance and repair”.

The investment will include new kitchens and bathrooms, boiler upgrades and adaptations to make homes more accessible.

In Tuesday’s council meeting, an amendment was approved to ensure tenants struggling financially would receive support.

About two-thirds of council tenants currently receive help with their rent in the form of universal credit or housing benefit, the authority said.

Councillor Tim Willis said the authority’s focus was on making sure tenants have “low-cost, high-quality homes that they can afford to heat”.

“The balanced and fair budget that we have set takes into account the need to continue investing in our stock while making sure that our tenants are able to afford their rent,” he said.