Annual Rent & Sheltered Service Charge Consultation 2025 to 2026

Dundee City Council Tenants
Get Involved & Have Your Say

Every year Neighbourhood Services looks at the rent we need to collect so that we can continue to deliver the services you have told us you want. Agreeing rent levels is one of the most important decisions the Council make each year, as it has an impact on all tenants. This is why it is vital you have the opportunity to Get Involved & Have Your Say on the options available.

Under Section 25 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 Dundee City Council has a statutory duty to consult with its tenants when it proposes to increase the rent or service charges they pay to the Council. Following recent consultations, such as How Your Rent is Spent, you have told us that the main priorities are:

Tacking Anti-social Behaviour
Improving Energy Efficiency
Increase Housing Supply
Support to keep Tenancies
Environmental Improvements

We have reviewed the budget and calculated that do this, the minimum increase is 4.50%, or an average weekly increase of £3.92. This will enable us to deliver key housing priorities as outlined in Option 1 below. Please see 'Other Service Charges' on the next page for more information on the increase to the Sheltered Service Charge.

Every penny we collect from rent goes back into housing services and improving the housing stock. What you tell us could affect the amount of rent or service charge you pay now and in the future. Please take a moment to review all 3 options of this short survey, which will be open from the beginning of November, until December 22nd, 2024

Question Title

* 1. Please choose one of the following options.

Option 1: 4.50%

This option would allow for the additional adjustments outlined in paragraphs 5.1 to 5.5 of the Committee Report and provides sufficient resources to allow for the current level of service to be maintained and to continue to deliver on key service priorities.  
 
This level of service includes the provision of the existing housing repairs service, external cyclical maintenance together with funding to deliver key housing priorities including: 
 -  tenancy sustainment 
 -  reducing the level of households in fuel poverty 
 -  ongoing investment in existing stock and creation of affordable housing through the open market acquisition strategy 
 -  continued investment in environmental improvements programme 

Average Weekly Increase £3.92

Option 2: 4.75%

This option would also provide resources for the level of service outlined in Option 1 above. 
 
In addition, the higher increase would provide additional income of £141,600 in financial year 2025/26 that would allow to be invested in additional borrowing. This borrowing would provide extra capital expenditure of approximately £2.575m which would be targeted specifically to progress towards meeting the Energy Efficiency Standard in Social Housing on all council houses. An example of what this investment can typically provide would be resources to provide external wall insulation for 125 houses. 
 
As well as the continuation external wall and other insulation programmes these additional resources could be spent on a range of other energy efficiency initiatives including solar panels, new decarbonised heating systems and piloting emerging technologies for our houses to meet the new requirements of Energy Efficiency Standards in Social Housing.  
 
It would also allow for the establishment of an expanded programme to replace double glazed windows on an area basis.       
 
It should be emphasised that the above expenditure would be over and above that included in the latest Housing HRA Capital Plan 2024-29. The agreement of option 2 would simply increase these resources and give an opportunity for these improvements to be delivered within a shorter timeframe. 

Average Weekly Increase £4.14

Option 3: 5.00%

This option would also provide resources for the level of service outlined in Option 1 above. 
 
In addition, the higher increase would provide additional income of £283,200 in financial year 2025/26 that would allow be invested in additional borrowing.  This borrowing would provide extra capital expenditure of approximately £5.150m which would be targeted specifically to progress towards meeting the Energy Efficiency Standard in Social Housing on all council houses.  An example of what this investment can typically provide would be resources to provide external wall insulation for 257 houses. 
 
As well as the continuation external wall and other insulation programmes these additional resources could be spent on a range of other energy efficiency initiatives including solar panels, new decarbonised heating systems and piloting emerging technologies for our houses to meet the new requirements of Energy Efficiency Standards in Social Housing. 
 
It would also allow for the establishment of an expanded programme to replace double glazed windows on an area basis, as well as introducing programmes for the modernisation of kitchens and bathrooms.    
 
It should be emphasised that the above expenditure would be over and above that included in the latest Housing HRA Capital Plan 2024-29. The agreement of option 3 would simply increase these resources and give an opportunity for these improvements to be delivered within a shorter timeframe. 

Average Weekly Increase £4.36