Tenants Face 8 Per Cent Rent Hike

Just four of England’s 50 largest social landlords are planning to protect tenants from significant rent increases next year. Of the 21 largest stock-owning councils that responded to an Inside Housing survey, just three said they would not impose the maximum increase allowed, based on the retail price index as it stood last September, when it peaked at 5.6 per cent. As a result, tens of thousands of council tenants will face eye-watering rises of more than 8 per cent. Rents on Newcastle’s 29,000 homes will go up by 8.2 per cent, while residents in Camden’s 23,000 homes will face a hike of 8.1 per cent. Local authorities will take control of setting rents from central government this year as part of self-financing reforms. Read more on Inside Housing.