Consultation has opened on the setting of council house rents, with any changes due to come into effect in April 2025.

Councillor Alan Hill, cabinet member for Communities and Islands, said with many people continuing to feel the pressures of the current economic climate and the cost-of-living crisis, it is crucial that tenants have their voices heard on any proposed changes.

He added: “The level of rent increase affects the income we have available to spend on managing, maintaining and investing in our housing stock. We are ambitious about our plans to improve the quality of tenants’ homes but we also know everyone is concerned about rising pressures in household costs.

“We have done all we can to make sure the rent level options being put forward are as low as possible while maintaining service levels, and ensuring appropriate investment in maintenance, energy efficiency, refurbishment and new build council housing. The thoughts of our tenants are very important and we encourage them to tell us what they think before any decision is taken.”

Two rent increase options have been developed and both options include investment in priority areas over the life of the 30-year plan such as home improvements, investment in our sheltered housing units, building new homes and buying back former council houses.

Option 1 would see an average rise of 3.84% to maintain current investment levels, while option two would see an average rise of 4.84% which would enable additional funding to support an increase in our council housing stock.

Tenants can take part in the consultation online.

The consultation will remain open until 12 January 2025.