Cllr Meric Apak: ‘We know that a rent increase may be difficult to manage for some of our tenants’

TENANTS will be hit with another massive rent increase this year despite reps voting overwhelmingly for a freeze.

Council chiefs, who will decide the rent deal next week, are once again going for the maximum possible hike saying it plans to raise £10.5m from Camden tenants so it can keep on top of repairs, damp and mould.

The 7.7 per cent rise means those living in a two-bed flat will pay around £50 a month more than before – and that’s on top of last year’s increase of roughly the same margin.

The rises – which are significantly higher than recent years – are linked to the high levels of inflation.

Last week, four of the five District Management Committees – official groups set up to fight Camden tenants’ corner – voted against the proposed rise and warned the impact was not fully understood by the council.

Petra Dando, a voting rep on the Kentish Town District Management Committee, said: “These decisions can’t be taken in a vacuum. We saw no information about the cost of living crisis and its real impact.

“We know some parts of Camden are affected by high levels of fuel poverty.

“Levels are increasing year on year. Increased bills are causing misery for households, also for working families forced to take on three jobs to keep their heads above water. Where is the evidence they won’t be affected by this?”

She also criticised the council for not making official representations to the government departments about the housing crisis in Camden, adding: “I’m not talking about causing a revolution. But let’s get an accurate picture across to them of what is going on over here.”

The council argues that it is spending record amounts on housing. It said it had overspent by more than £12m – “by far the worst” overspend on record, according to a report – as it attempted to clear mould and damp rising legal fees from challenges from no-win no-fee lawyers and changes in regulations following Grenfell.

Questions are also being asked about the council’s ever increasing unclaimed debt of arrears that has soared to £18m.

Communal heating charges, which went up 125 per cent last year, are to be frozen this year.

Cllr Meric Apak, Cabinet Member for Better Homes, said: “We know that a rent increase may be difficult to manage for some of our tenants.

“My message to residents is that we are here to help, and we will ensure that you get the help you need to make your payments.”