Council house rent rise of 8% confirmed after bid to reverse decision fails

Councillor Stewart added: “What might seem like a small amount in cash terms can be the difference between stability and hardship. If home owners saw their mortgage jump up by eight per cent, many of them would be in crisis, and our tenants in social housing deserve the same consideration and the same stability. A rise like this forces tenants to make impossible choices: to pay rent or buy food, to heat their homes or travel into work, and no one should have to choose between these essentials. 

“Social housing is meant to be affordable. The purpose of social rented accommodation is to provide secure and affordable housing to those who need it most. An eight per cent hike goes against that very principle, and that is what we have heard from our tenant’s representatives.”

However advocates of the eight per cent increase said even with the rise, rents in the Highlands would remain below the nation average. It noted that its current average 52-week rental charge of £82.84 per week is significantly lower than the £98.99 per week for all council and housing association landlords.

On top of this, it was argued that energy efficiency improvements would ultimately save tenants more money than spent on the rent increase.

Fort William and Ardnamurchan councillor Sarah Fanet said: “Because of the cost of living, we have in the past chosen to limit the rent increase, but this cannot continue. Probably about half of my work is supporting tenants struggling with delayed repairs. I go back to officers and they are very diplomatic, telling me they don’t have the budget, ‘we have to wait’, but what they mean - which they cannot say to me - is you councillors are not giving us enough money to carry out the repairs. 

“This backlog of repairs is harming our tenants and affecting their wellbeing because they are living in houses that need repairs and they are surrounded by damp and mould. And it is also hitting their pockets because, for example, windows and doors replacement and their heating bills are soaring. People will save money from this.”

Councillor Glynis Campbell Sinclair, chairperson of the Housing and Property Committee, said 61 per cent of tenants were receiving benefits to support rent payments, and ensuring money was available to improve housing stock would reduce energy bills and improve health.

“The council also appreciates and understands the challenges facing tenants related to the cost of living. Our housing and welfare teams work closely together to deliver support to tenants who need it most, and I would encourage anyone who may be struggling to reach out to them,” she added.

A tenant consultation on Highland Council rents at the end of 2024 found 52 per cent of respondents say the council should prioritise energy efficiency, second only to reactive repairs.

The survey also found 48 per cent supported an eight per cent rent rise. However, the survey has been criticised for only presenting three rent options: a rise of eight, nine, or 10 per cent.

Currently there are 1457 council house households in Lochaber, and 14594 such households across the Highlands.