Housing Executive rent increases
Published: Fri, 20 Jan 2012
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Social Development Minister, Nelson McCausland announced that the increase in Housing Executive rents will equate to around £3.64 a week.
The average weekly increase for tenants will be 6.6% effective from the 1st April 2012.
This increase will bring the average Housing Executive rent to £58.76 a week, excluding rates, and will be around £19.73 a week less than the average rent for similar local authority accommodation in England where an 8% increase will be applied.
The Housing Executive’s stock is regarded as the best maintained social housing in the UK, and rental income generated needs to be sufficient to maintain accommodation at the standard expected by tenants and allow for adequate investment in the stock.
Almost 80% of Housing Executive tenants will not have to pay this additional sum as they are on Housing Benefit.
The Minister has also asked housing associations to impose lower rent increases to that agreed for the Housing Executive to bring more conformity to social housing rent levels. The average weekly rent for a housing association tenant in Northern Ireland is £69.32.
