Social housing rent guidelines to be halved
Guideline rent increases for tenants in social housing will be halved for 2010-11, the housing secretary has announced.
John Healey assured those in social housing jobs that this did not mean that rents would be increased sharply in the year after but that it was merely a sign of the government’’s commitment to keeping rent at levels achievable for all tenants.
Instead, Mr Healey asserted, it is central government which is feeling the effects of the cost-cutting.
His decision is thought to have been affected by the housing crisis which was put into overdrive through the economic downturn.
"This government’’s priority during this downturn has been – and will continue to be – ensuring that council rents remain as affordable and fair as possible to tenants," Mr Healey added.
The housing secretary announced in recent days that greater powers of protection against repossessions would be given to tenants in affordable housing whose landlords were facing financial difficulty.
