This is the time of year when housing associations are usually thinking about their budgets for the next financial year, starting in April 2023, and, as a key part of that we normally start our consultation with customers on what level of rent is set from April. The law requires us to do this every year.
However, you've probably heard that between now and the end of March 2023 all rents – for social housing tenants and for private tenants – have been frozen by the Scottish Government as a result of the cost of living crisis. This hasn’t affected your rent yet as housing associations only set rents once a year, for Loreburn that is usually in April.
The Scottish Government will decide in the coming months whether housing associations will be allowed to raise rents in 2023 – 24. However, both the Scottish Government and Scottish Housing Regulator have said that housing associations should still carry out our normal consultations with tenants on rents for next year.
Although we will do this, until we know what the Scottish Government has decided we are putting our consultation on hold. We expect the Scottish Government to decide on the next steps in January so we anticipate we may begin our consultation with you after that.
As you know, housing associations are charities which exist to provide good quality homes at affordable rents. We will always do our best to keep your rents as low as possible.
The cost of living crisis affecting our tenants, and the many inflationary pressures which the Association has been facing, make it especially important that our consultation with you finds the right balance between rent affordability and the need to maintain our services and continue investing in our homes.
This includes things like replacing kitchens and bathrooms and further improving the energy efficiency of our homes to help limit your energy costs.
I hope you find this update helpful. In the meantime, if you are worried about paying your rent please get in touch with us straight away so we can talk about how we can help.
Yours sincerely,
Director of Housing Services