Council to press ahead with plans to hike rents in Cork despite Sinn Fein's reservations
Council officials are to press ahead with plans to introduce a 3% increase to all local authority tenants from February 11.
Cllr Melissa Mullane (SF) had asked council officials to examine the legality of levying a flat rent increase on tenants instead of imposing a differential rent scheme that would take into account the income of the household.
Officials are carrying an extensive new review of all tenants’ incomes, which will decide what they should pay in rent.
Ms Mullane insisted the 3% hike across the board should not be imposed until the council had finished this review.
Tim Lucey, chief executive of Cork County Council, said the rent increase was expected to bring in an additional €750,000, which would be used to improve council housing stock.
Ms Mullane said this money could have been found by halting upgrades in the council’s IT systems, instead of foisting it upon a number of people who were struggling.
Council officials say a 3% increase would mean council tenants would have to pay on average a further €1.50 per week, the first increase since 2013.
Cllr Eoghan Jeffers (SF) said it was disappointing to see the rent increase being introduced now when the rent review would take up to a year to complete.
Mr Lucey said if he backtracked and postponed the rent increase, the money would be lost to the council’s housing maintenance budget, which is used to refurbish properties.
