Planned Stoke-on-Trent tenant rent rise 'less than inflation'

The cabinet is set to consider proposals to increase rents next week

A planned 7% rise in rents for council tenants in Stoke-on-Trent is less than inflation, the authority said.

Rents for more than 17,000 tenants would increase by £5.68 per week from April.

The council said proposals were designed to allow it to maintain its housing stock to a high standard and it was planning to continue a fund to support tenants who may be struggling.

The cabinet is set to consider proposals to increase rents on Tuesday.

Cabinet member for housing and environment Carl Edwards said its rents were "lower than other comparable local authorities, in some cases by up to £20 per week".

He stated: "We recognise the financial pressures affecting residents and the proposed rent increase is set to as low a level as possible while maintaining services and while inflation nationally is around 11 percent."

Proposals would mean that in the new financial year, subject to cabinet approval over £26m would be spent on planned improvements, the council said.

Investment planned for the forthcoming financial year would see the provision of approximately 300 new kitchens, 150 bathrooms, 160 roof replacements, and 800 central heating systems, it added.

Mr Edwards said it was proposing to continue its Financial Independence Fund to support tenants who may be struggling.

He added this was "over and above our discretionary housing payments and Household Support Fund - to support tenants to pay their rent, sustain their tenancies, and ultimately, to prevent homelessness".

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