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housing trust announce rent changes
29 March 2006
Thousands of letters went out from 1 March to housing tenants of Bradford Community Housing Trust outlining their new weekly rents from 3 April 2006.
The Government sets the level of rent for social housing landlords across the country.
In setting new levels from April they are keen to review the difference between rents paid for smaller properties such as bedsits and one or two bedroom homes and larger properties. As a result they have now changed the formula for working out the rent levels for homes with three or more bedrooms.
However, people who have been tenants with the Trust since before the stock transfer of Council homes to BCHT on 23 February 2003 will continue to benefit from a five-year rent guarantee. It means that for most housing trust tenants their rent will only go up by the inflation rate plus 1.5 percent. This guarantee will continue for two more years.
People who became tenants after 23 February 2003 are not covered by the Trust’s rent guarantee. It means new tenants - post-stock transfer - living in three bedroom homes and larger will see their present weekly rent go up by inflation plus £2.17.
New tenants in smaller accommodation (less than three bedrooms) will see their weekly rent increased by a similar amount as tenants covered by the rent guarantee.
BCHT has informed the Housing Benefits and Supporting People Units of these changes. It is important that tenants who receive either of these benefits make sure they check their case has been re-assessed.
Tenants who think they could be eligible for benefit support due to the rent changes were asked to contact their local housing trust office.
People who rent garages from the Trust were also notified of a small change in their rent from 3 April 2006. Around 2,000 people rent garages.
Derrick Palmer, BCHT Group Director of Finance said: “The Trust is legally bound by the rent levels set by the Government and as an open and responsible social landlord we have written to every tenant giving full details of the changes to their rent levels.
“Pre stock transfer tenants will continue to benefit from the rent guarantee we promised in 2003 which ensures the annual rent increase is at the inflation rate plus 1.5 percent.