News from Brent Labour

Labour cuts council rent increase

Brent Council’s proposed 6.2 percent rent increase is to be cut to 3.1 percent after the Labour government announced a change in housing subsidies to help hard-pressed tenants. The changes are effective immediately.

However, Brent Council is not in a position to pass on the reduction until the summer. Labour is calling on the Liberal Democrat-led council to inform all tenants immediately and not to take action against any tenants who fall into arrears as a result of the higher increase being levied by Brent. All tenants will eventually receive a credit to their rent accounts as a result of the government’s intervention.

Labour’s Housing spokesperson, Councillor Bobby Thomas, said:

“The government has halved the proposed increase and Brent should ensure that this is passed on to our tenants as soon as possible. At a time when people are experiencing considerable financial difficulty, particularly lower income tenants, every little helps.”