During October and November 2020, we asked our tenants to tell us what they thought about the rent increase for the next three financial years; 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24. This is the first time we have asked this question over three years, as we normally consult annually.
We gave tenants a choice of four rent options over the three year period. To help make an informed choice, we also explained how each option affected improving the services we provide.
A short survey was sent to every tenants’ home, along with a pre-paid envelope for return. We also made the survey available online and posted copies to our Registered Tenants’ Organisations to encourage as many people as possible to give us their views. As an incentive, the Housing Service pledged to donate £1.00 to Strathcarron Hospice for every survey returned. A total of £1,398.00 was donated to Strathcarron Hospice, which was the number of Falkirk Council tenants who completed the survey.
Here’s what our tenants’ told us in the survey:
• 1226 people answered the question about whether their preferred increase, with the results as follows:
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
||
|
Option 1 |
607 |
49.51% |
Option 1 - 2%, 2%, 2% (6%) |
|
|
Option 2 |
393 |
32.06% |
Option 2 - 1%, 2%, 3% (6%) |
|
|
Option 3 |
133 |
10.85% |
Option 3 - 2%, 2%, 3% (7%) |
|
|
Option 4 |
93 |
7.59% |
Option 4 - 1%, 3%, 3% (7%) |
|
|
TOTAL |
1226 |
100.00% |
|
Answer |
Number |
Percentage |
|
Strongly Agree |
132 |
10.19% |
|
Agree |
491 |
37.89% |
|
Neither Agree Not Disagree |
400 |
30.86% |
|
Disagree |
117 |
9.03% |
|
Strongly Disagree |
156 |
12.04% |
|
TOTAL |
1296 |
100.00% |
The survey was carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic, and so the financial pressures of this would potentially have had an impact on this opinion. Before setting the options for rent increases, we carried out work on affordability using Housemark’s Rent Affordability Tool, to ensure that proposed increases were considered affordable to those on a low income.
A rent increase for 2021/22 of 2% was approved by Council on 20 January 2021, and the papers for this can be viewed online here.
We want you to have your say on what you think the level of our proposed rent increase for the next three years (2021-2024) should be.
We will donate £1 to Strathcarron Hospice for every survey completed.
This consultation has been posted out to all Falkirk Council tenants.
To deliver our current level of service, invest in building new homes and to upgrade and invest in our existing homes, we need to increase rents over the next 3 years.
We understand that the amount of rent you pay is important to you and needs to remain affordable. We also recognise the difficulties currently being experienced due to COVID-19 and as such we are seeking your views on how rents should be increased over the next 3 years.
We need you to tell us what you think before Friday 13 November 2020.
We want to know how much you want to see your rent increase by and how much we should invest in our properties.
For further information on how the information you provide will be used, please read our privacy notice.
Clicking on the "agree" button below indicates that:
The results of the consultation will be presented to a future meeting of Falkirk Council, where the final decision on a rent increase for 2021-2024 will be made
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