Following my post yesterday on the Labour government's U-turn over council rents, I'm grateful to officers from RBC getting back to me on this issue so promptly.
It's good to see them taking a proactive approach to ensure Reading council tenants don't lose out.
As things stand:
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It is likely that full details from the government will not be made available to councils until early next week.
- If RBC did respond to the 'offer of support' likely that the rent could not be altered until potentially late May/early June as the earliest a decision could be made formally would be Council on 31st March - thereafter officers have to give 28 days notice of the change.
- Recent letters (to tenants) announcing the rent increase of 4.9% will stand and the new rate that will be payable as from 1 April.
- After April officers could potentially re-adjust the rent to take the period between 1 April and any new rent increase into account.
As usual it looks like the Labour government is issuing press releases before bothering to brief councils and officers - the people who actually have to make things work for communities on the ground.
As 24dash reports today this approach is causing confusion for tenants and councils up and down the Country.
If I find out anything further I will update you here.
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