Council house rents to rise 4.5%

Council house tenants will be hit with at least a 4.5% increase in their rents from April, Powys County Council’s cabinet has decided.

The huge increase will be added to a whopping 5% increase in Council Tax which was approved by the cabinet and is expected to be passed by a Full Council vote on February 22. 

The regional authority is facing a serious challenge to balance its books over the next year and will expect its residents to help them foot at least some of the shortfall through increased taxation and rents.

The rent changes will also affect garage rents and all property and tenancy-related service charges. 

A new rent setting policy agreed in February 2017 means some larger properties will see a greater increase than 4.5%. Rent on around 2,232 properties will increase by the maximum amount allowed, equal to 6.4%.