Rent Consultation 2025/26
Your Views Matter
The purpose of Milnbank Housing Association is to meet housing and related needs within our community and to provide our tenants and other service users with an excellent service. To provide these services, the Association charges rents to tenants living in our properties. This rent is our main source of income.
As you will be aware, we have a legal duty to consult with tenants on an annual basis to seek their views on our rent charges and service provision.
The cost-of-living situation affects many of our tenants, and the many inflationary pressures which MHA has been facing, make it especially critical that this consultation tries to find the right balance between rent affordability and the need to maintain our services and continue investing in our homes.
As part of our rent setting for April 2025 to March 2026, every tenant is invited to express their views.
What do I need to do now?
The consultation closing date is Friday 17th January. All entries received by 12pm on this day will be entered into a prize draw for a £50 gift voucher for 10 lucky tenants.
Your feedback will go to our voluntary Management Committee in February 2025 who will make a final decision on the rent increase for 2025/26. We will let you know via letter or email and on our website and social media channels.
How your rent is spent
We pride ourselves in striving to maintain the range of services we provide. Feedback from residents on our service delivery is positive. For 2023/24, 91.6% of tenants were satisfied with MHA’s overall service (Scottish Average 86.5%). Therefore, it’s important that tenants pay rent to ensure that the we can maintain this level. The following are areas where rental income is spent:
Reactive Repairs
Cyclical Maintenance
Planned Maintenance
Bulk Uplift, Landscaping & Stair Cleaning services
Community Activities
Staff Costs
Running Costs
Loan Payments
Does my rent represent value for money?
Like any service that is paid for, value for money should be received. MHA aims to provide quality homes, services at affordable rents and keep investing in our community to make it a better place to live. Feedback from tenants demonstrate that there is a high level of satisfaction as 91.6% were satisfied that the home and services provided by MHA represent good value for money, this is against the Scottish Average of 86.5%
Did you know that our rents are, on average, almost £70pm cheaper than the Scottish Average and makes us one of the lowest in Scotland.
Average 2023/24 rent for a 3-apartment (2 bedroom) property of Milnbank HA compared against similar housing associations and the Scottish Average.
| Milnbank HA | Parkhead HA | Shettleston HA | Tollcross HA | Scottish Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
£337.48 |
£397.45 |
£400.75 |
£357.93 |
£391.26 |
MILNBANK HA HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST AVERAGE RENT CHARGES IN SCOTLAND
| Property Size | MHA Average Rent 31.3.24 | Scottish Average Rent 31.3.24 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 apartment |
£272.31 |
£356.37 |
-23.6% (£84.06) |
|
2 apartment |
£305.33 |
£380.77 |
-19.8% (£75.44) |
|
3 apartment |
£337.48 |
£391.26 |
-13.7% (£53.78) |
|
4 apartment |
£381.98 |
£425.97 |
-10.3% (£43.99) |
|
5 apartment |
£389.78 |
£469.26 |
-16.9% (£79.48) |
Rent Restructure
Following consultation with tenants in 2022, most felt that a rent structure based on property size and type was easier to understand and fairer. You also told us that some relevant property features should be included in rent setting, like size of property, age of property etc.
- 94% of tenants who responded agreed that the rent charged should reflect the number of bedrooms.
- +90% of tenants who responded agreed that the rent charged should vary according to the type of property.
- This will mean that you may see a smaller increase than the agreed %, or possibly a larger increase.
From 1 April 2023 the rent restructure began, which will continue for another 5 years.
Rent Setting Principles
The Management Committee has agreed the following principles for the Association’s rent setting:
- Ensure the rent increase generates enough income to allow services to continue at the current level or to improve them.
- A percentage increase will be applied, and any increase will be calculated in line with the current rent charge which is charged for each property. This is to assist MHA with the equalisation process.
- MHA are committed to keeping rents affordable and will ensure the SFHA/MHA Affordability Tool is used to ensure average rents fall within affordable levels.
- MHA will aim to keep rents as affordable as possible for those tenants in employment on a low income.
Your 3 rent options for 2025/26
Based on feedback received from our recent tenant engagement events and Management Committee Rent Strategy Session, we are pleased to offer you the following 3 options.
Please note the CPI level (Inflation) at Oct 2024 was 2.3%. Changes in the CPI track changes in prices over time. The CPI is calculated by using a representative shopping basket of goods and services.
Option 1
rent increase of CPI + 2.6%
(average monthly increase of £16.54 based on an average 3 apartment rent of £337.48**)
Continued delivery of services already provided to our tenants including property maintenance, management and planned investment in your home.
Option 2
rent increase of CPI + 3.6%
(average monthly increase of £19.91 based on an average 3 apartment rent of £337.48**)
As per option 1 plus a further c. £70,723.50 for additional investment and services for tenants including:
- Boiler replacements
- Backcourt investment
- Kitchen & bathroom improvements
- Fuel advice.
Option 3
rent increase of CPI + 4.6%
(average monthly increase of £23.29 based on an average 3 apartment rent of £337.48**)
As per option 1 and 2 alongside an additional c. £70,723.50 (total of £141,447) for further investment and services for tenants including:
- Further boiler replacements
- Further kitchen & bathroom improvements
How to complete the consultation
Scan the QR code and complete online
completing the online form
Using the enclosed Freepost envelope
Handing it into our office in Ballindalloch Drive or our community halls in Culloden Street & Bluevale
By emailing the completed form to: admin@milnbank.org.uk
Scan the QR code and complete online
Completing the online form
Using the enclosed Freepost envelope
Handing it into our office in Ballindalloch Drive or our community halls in Culloden Street & Bluevale
By emailing the completed form to: admin@milnbank.org.uk
