Easter Ross Area Committee agreed to a 3% garage rents increase for 2023/24

Members this week agreed to a 3% increase in rents for garages and garage sites for 2023/24 in Easter Ross.

Tenant consultation on the general rent increase for Council garage rents for 2023/24 was based on options for a 3%, 5% or 7% rent increase.

A 7% rent increase was recommended to Members at the Easter Ross Area Committee on Monday (23 January 2023) for garage and garage site rents, which is below the current (November 2022) inflation rate of 10.7%.

However, Members opted to move for a 3% increase instead, due to current financial pressures impacting both the public and the Council.

Members highlighted the very high level of void rentals and hoped these could be reduced to increase the income from garages in future years.

The additional revenue received through this increase will be ring fenced to fund garage repairs and improvements and will partly offset increases in the cost of repairs.

The Council listened to the responses received through tenant consultation on rent levels.

Any additional rent income from garages and garage sites generated by a rent increase will be applied as an increase in the area repairs budget for garages and garage sites in 2023/24.

Garage Rent for Council Tenants will increase weekly by 29p from £9.82 to £ 10.11, Garage Rent non-tenant will go up by 35p from £11.78 to £12.13. As a result, annual income will increase from £185,871.36 to £191,442.56.

The rate increase will commence from April 2023 and garage tenants will be notified by letter.

25 Jan 2023