COUNCIL house rent increases of more than six per cent have been agreed in North Ayrshire.

A rent rise of £4.99 per week for 2023/24, or 6.42 per cent, was recommended at a meeting of the local authority last week.

A rise of five per cent was recommended for garage sites, lock-ups, service charges and gypsy/travellers sites.

The 6.42 per cent figure is 2.42 per cent more than the four per cent proposed for 2023/24 last year in the housing revenue account 30-year business plan.

This increase, officials argue, is required to address the impact of high levels of inflation whilst protecting the levels of investment in the housing stock.

Tenants have been consulted on the proposed rent levels.

The council’s average weekly rent is below the Scottish average local authority rent for 2022/23 – council average is £77.76 compared to the Scottish average of £81.05.

The proposed rent increase for 2023/24 is expected to maintain the council’s position below the Scottish average.

The new rate is due to applied from April 1, 2023.

The council’s current average rent is also significantly lower than the average for registered social landlords within North Ayrshire.

Support with housing costs is available to households with lower incomes through housing benefit and Universal Credit.

Labour put forward an amendment at Wednesday's meeting saying it congratulated the Scottish Government on a mandatory recent freeze until March 31.

However, the 6.42 per cent increase was the biggest in more than a decade and, in return for it, tenants would receive no increase in the council house-building programme, longer waits for kitchen and bathroom replacements and removal of the tenant-led budget. 

The party argued the council are legally obliged to consult tenants on the housing revenue account rent setting.

The motion, supporting a 6.42 per cent rent increase, was approved with 23 votes, with the Labour amendment securing just nine.