Newark and Sherwood District Council recommends that all rents from current Housing Revenue Account (HRA) tenancies will be increased by 2.7%

Rents on district council-owned properties are set to increase by £2.68 per week for an average three-bedroom home.

Newark and Sherwood District Council’s cabinet recommended on Tuesday (January 21) that at its Full Council meeting on February 11 that all rents from current Housing Revenue Account (HRA) tenancies will be increased by 2.7% from April 7.

This will see a two-bedroom property’s weekly rent rise from £93.94 to £96.48, whereas a three-bedroom home will increase from £99.52 to £102.20, and four plus bedroom property rent rise from £108.23 to £111.15.

Newark and Sherwood District Council owns around 5,500 homes for social and affordable rent and this increase, which is in line with government policy, will enable the Council to “meet increasing standards and provide services that are important to tenants”.

Lee Brazier, Portfolio Holder for Housing at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “Our tenants are at the heart of everything we do, we want to continue to improve the services we provide to them and enable them to live better lives while living in their homes.

“For us to continue to keep our service improving and to meet future government legislation, we’ve recommended a rent which reflects our plans to meet these standards.

“Unfortunately, increasing costs for existing services, and the need to make improvements, mean that freezing rents is not a responsible option and every stock holding council across the UK faces the same dilemma.

“We need to maintain and improve the standard and quality of the homes that people live in, and we have long-term investment priorities we have to meet.

“We, alongside our tenants, have expressed a desire to continue to focus on improving our repairs service, information which we’ve captured through various surveys and consultations. We will now be able to prioritise front line services to address this need and make lives better for tenants.”

Even with the increase, rent for Newark and Sherwood District Council social housing is far below the District and UK average for private renting with the average three-bedroom privately rented home costing £185.54 per week in Newark and Sherwood, or £315.92 nationally. A snapshot of data taken in December 2024 estimates that 70% of current tenants, receive some help from benefits towards paying their rent.

Lee Brazier continues: “With every decision like this, we make sure to consult with our Tenant Engagement Board. We did this in December 2024 and the Board were supportive of our approach and the reasons for the recommendation.

“We never take a decision like this lightly and while we understand some tenants will be concerned, there is support available for those who need it.

“If you have any concerns or wish to discuss how this will affect you when you receive notification of your new rent charges, please contact us. We have advisors available to discuss your personal circumstances, and we collaborate with several partner agencies that can provide specialised support.”