Issue - meetings

Key Decision

Councillor Rachel Madden – Executive Lead Member for Finance, Revenues and Benefits

Cabinet was requested to approve the proposed Housing Revenue Account (HRA) rent level and other HRA accommodation related charges for Council tenants for the financial year 2024/25.

Members considered the alternative option of declining to approve the rent level and other accommodation related charges as detailed in the report.

RESOLVED

that approval be given to the following:

a)    an average rent increase of 7.7% for all Council house rents for 2024/25;

b)    a garage and plot average rent increase of 7.7% for 2024/25;

c)    a weekly amenity charge increase of 7.7% (rounded to the nearest pence) for all relevant Council house properties for 2024/25;

d)    an increase to the service charges of 7.7% to 9 sheltered schemes and 21 blocks of general needs flats;

e)    an increase for water charges at Brook Street Court of 7.2% for 2024/25;

f)      an increase for service charges for the properties at Merlin Park of Retail Price Index (RPI) at December 2023 for 2024/25;

g)    the introduction of Phase 2 Service Charges at £3.46 or £1.50 per week (dependent on the block), to be collected in line with the rent collection (addresses specified in Appendix 1) or annually for leaseholders (21 leaseholders to be affected) effective as soon as practically possible for Sheltered Schemes, General Needs Flats and Flats above shops (Council Owned Stock).

Reasons:

1.    To set a 7.7% rent increase in line with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities policy statement on rents for social housing updated 14th December 2022.

2.    To set an increase of 7.7% on garage rents to continue covering the increasing costs of maintenance and rental collection for the Council garage sites, consistent with the approach in previous years.

3.    To increase the amenity charge in line with the rent increase of 7.7% to continue covering the costs of providing the services which do not fall within the provision of the rent charge.

4.    To set an increase to the service charges of 7.7% to 9 sheltered schemes and 21 blocks of general needs flats to continue to cover the increased costs of providing the services to these schemes.

5.    To set an increase to the service charge for water at Brook Street Court to cover the increase in prices from the utility company to the Council for providing water at Brook Street Court.

6.    To set an increase of December 2023 RPI for the service fee for the properties at Merlin Park estate, Hucknall, in line with the legal agreement between the Council and the Housing Development Company.

7.    To introduce a service charge to recover some of the costs of managing, maintaining, and providing specific services in addition to the basic rent and management costs (leaseholders) at the addresses specified in Appendix 1, which meets the requirements of the Regulator of Social Housing as set out in the “Neighbourhood Standard” and the Rent Regulations.