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How much rent will I pay for my Council house?
Rents vary according to the size and the value of the property. In some areas, the level of modernisation work carried out to the property also affects the rent charged. The table below shows the average rents for different properties in each area.
Anyone offered a tenancy from the Council will be told how much rent to pay in the letter offering the tenancy and again when signing the tenancy lease. Every tenant is issued with a plastic swipe card which allows them to pay their rent at a variety of locations including post offices and Highland Council Service Points.
Rents will increase annually, but by no more than the Retail Price Index (RPI) + 1%. At the end of February or the beginning of March, the Council will write to each tenant telling them how much they will be charging for the next year. This letter will go to each tenant at least 28 days before the Council starts charging the new rent.
The Council has produced two useful information leaflets – ‘Paying Your Rent’ covers information on how and when to pay your rent and “Rent Arrears” gives information on what to do if you have problems paying your rent. These are available from any Highland Council Service Point or Housing Office.
Summary of Rents Charges 2006/2007
Badenoch & Strathspey
Bedsit - 33.60
1 Bedroom - 47.76
2 Bedroom - 56.08
3 Bedroom - 62.93
4 Bedroom - 69.67
5 Bedroom - 70.09
7 Bedroom - 107.69
Caithness
Bedsit - 33.01
1 Bedroom - 43.98
2 Bedroom - 55.02
3 Bedroom - 62.83
4 Bedroom - 74.76
5 Bedroom - 94.22
Inverness
Bedsit - 38.30
1 Bedroom - 47.96
2 Bedroom - 56.68
3 Bedroom - 63.93
4 Bedroom - 73.36
5 Bedroom - 92.36
Lochaber
Bedsit - 44.94
1 Bedroom - 46.48
2 Bedroom - 55.57
3 Bedroom - 59.41
4 Bedroom - 63.45
Nairn
1 Bedroom - 47.10
2 Bedroom - 56.52
3 Bedroom - 64.93
4 Bedroom - 69.82
Ross and Cromarty
Bedsit - 51.18
1 Bedroom - 54.24
2 Bedroom - 55.96
3 Bedroom - 56.62
4 Bedroom - 58.49
5 Bedroom - 59.17
Skye and Lochalsh
Bedsit - 41.51
1 Bedroom - 42.39
2 Bedroom - 53.16
3 Bedroom - 57.51
4 Bedroom - 60.26
Sutherland
1 Bedroom - 50.61
2 Bedroom - 56.43
3 Bedroom - 61.52
4 Bedroom - 62.97
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How much rent will I pay in Sheltered Housing?
Council rents for sheltered housing units are the same as a mainstream house of an equivalent size. In one area (Inverness) there is a service charge added to the rent to cover heating costs.
However, the charge for the Warden Service is a separate charge, over and above the rent for the actual property.
From April 2003, certain changes came into force which affected the way the Council charges people for the cost of the housing support they need. Because of these changes, some tenants who move into Council sheltered housing may have to pay a charge for the warden service which is provided. Not everyone will have to pay this charge. This will depend on your circumstances.
What does the warden service cost and will I have to pay it?
The cost is £20.78 per week, but this amount will be reviewed each year. You will not have to pay the charge at all if:
If you took up your tenancy on or after 1st April 2003 and you do not get any Housing Benefit to help with your rent, you may have to pay all or some of the charge.
You can complete a financial assessment form and any charge you have to pay will be worked out on this information.
If you have been offered a tenancy and want to know what the charge might be before you accept it, you can ask for a pre-tenancy assessment.
Contact your Supporting People Officer at your local housing office and they will arrange for the assessment to be carried out for you.
The financial assessor will contact you and arrange a convenient time to meet with you. They will ask you to provide information about your income (including benefits income), and capital or savings over £3000 so that they have all the information needed for the assessment. They will try to meet with you and make the pre-assessment as soon as possible.
Please see Section 02.b for further information on the type of sheltered housing provided by Highland Council.
Housing Associations may calculate their rents in different ways and may add service charges. See Section 3 for further information on Housing Association rents.
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How much rent will I pay in Homeless Persons’ Accommodation?
The rent charged to applicants in this type of accommodation is generally more than for general needs housing. This is because the charges have to cover the costs of managing the accommodation and providing furniture. The rent and charges may also be different depending on the type of temporary housing provided. If a homeless application is made and an applicant is provided with temporary accommodation, the Housing Officer will explain in detail about the charges for people with no other income which are likely to be met in full by Housing Benefit.
Housing Benefit
Anyone on a low income and paying rent for accommodation (whether from the Council, a housing association or any other public or private landlord) may be entitled to receive Housing Benefit. This can be enough to pay all or some of the rent due, depending on a verified assessment of the applicant's income sources and levels.
The majority of all the Council's sheltered housing tenants and around two-thirds of general needs tenants are in receipt of Housing Benefit.
See Section 05 on Housing Benefit for details of the application process and assessment procedures.
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