Councils Reject Government's Rent Rise Plans

Ipswich Borough Council is the latest local authority to reject Government guidelines that propose a 7.2 per cent rent rise for council tenants. Councillors decided to settle for a 5.6 per cent rise instead. Campaign group Defend Council Housing has recently warned that the Government’s self-financing reforms – which will see councils shoulder a near £20 billion debt burden – will force councils to endorse “huge rent rises”. A spokesman for Ipswich Borough Council told 24dash: “The 7.2 per cent rise was part of Government guidelines and was the highest we could go to. “However we decided to settle for 5.6 per cent, in accordance with the Retail Price Index.” Read more on 24dash.