Council tenants in Dundee have agreed a rent rise of 1.5% from April – meaning an average increase in weekly payments of £1.19.
Residents were consulted on the level of rise they wish to pay in 2022/23, a process that takes place in the city each year.
They were given a range of potential rises between 1.5% and 2%, with different spending plans for the extra income attached to each.
60% of council tenants back lowest rent rise
About 60% of the 2,171 people who took part voted for the lowest rent hike.
Councillors will formally approve the rise at a meeting on Monday.
Anne Rendall, convener of the neighbourhood services committee, says the additional money will help with a variety of things.
She said: “All three of the options that we put to tenants this year were below the rate of inflation and delivered our aim of keeping the lowest proposed increase within (or as close possible to) the current rate of inflation plus 1%, which based on the latest information available has been calculated as 4.2%.
“The 1.5% increase that the majority of our tenants selected from the three options will give the council the ability to deliver measures that contribute towards tackling climate change, help the ongoing recovery from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and support tenants who are facing hardship.”
Rising energy bills
Deputy convener Christina Roberts says a 1.5% hike – despite the rising cost of living for most – “strikes the best balance”.
It comes as energy bills are set to go up substantially in 2022.
According to analysis, plans to raise the energy price cap in April could “devastate” the city’s poorest families.
The cap is predicted to rise by about 51% and follows a similar price hike in October last year.
