Onchan District Commissioners have been asked by the Department of Infrastructure for their views on any rent rise for social housing tenants next year. The Commissioners have said an emphatic no to any rise for the 2018/19 year and have made that recommendation to the Department of Infrastructure following a Commissioners meeting on the 30 October 2017.
The Commissioners have a long history of recommending either no rent rise or inflation only increases, but despite this, they are aware that social housing rents have increased by over 35% since 2012.
The Commissioners made their recommendation in recognition of the significant rises imposed in past years, and the struggles that tenants face when on low or fixed incomes.
Chairman of Commissioners, Mr. Anthony Allen said,
"We realise that any rent rise will cause real hardship for a great number of our tenants, especially those who have only pensions or state benefits to rely on. There has been a pattern over a number of years, where housing costs have risen well above inflation. The Board of Onchan District Commissioners want to make it absolutely clear that they recognise the problems being faced by families and pensioners of Onchan and therefore recommend to the Governments department DOI, responsible for housing, that no further increase is added for the year 2018/2019.
Rent rises take a substantial amount of the household budget and it must be acknowledged that the increased use of the Food Bank is an indicator of how many people on this Island are now seriously struggling to make ends meet.
One way of helping these households is by not putting an extra burden on funds by increasing rents again next year, and that's why we, the Board of Onchan District Commissioners, recommend that rents be frozen."
This Press Statement is issued on behalf of:
Anthony Allen Chairman
Onchan District Commissioners,
79 Main Road, Onchan, Isle of Man, IM3 1RD.