Angus Council tenants are being asked to choose between three proposed rent increases for 2027–28 after the second stage of the authority’s annual consultation opened on 11 November.
The options are 6.5%, 7% and 7.5%. No increase for the coming financial year has yet been set. The council says tenants’ responses will help shape recommendations to its housing committee, which is due to consider rents and investment priorities in February 2027.
The consultation concerns council housing in Angus. It asks tenants for their preferred annual increase from 1 April 2027, rather than announcing a change that has already been approved.
What the options could mean
Under the council’s figures, a 6.5% increase would add an average of £5.96 a week to rent. The corresponding average increases would be £6.42 a week at 7% and £6.88 a week at 7.5%.
Those are averages, not a statement of what every household would pay. The effect on an individual tenant would depend on their existing rent and the decision made after consultation.
The survey is open until 5pm on Sunday 13 December 2026. Tenants can respond online or use paper copies available in ANGUSalive libraries. Those who cannot complete the survey online can contact the council to arrange support from a tenant participation officer.
The council has also prepared information about the rent options for tenants to consider before responding. People who complete the survey may choose to enter a draw for a £50 shopping voucher.
Earlier views on spending
This year’s exercise has two stages. The first asked tenants about their spending priorities before the council developed the proposed increases. It closed on 30 September.
In that first stage, 283 tenants took part. The council says 59.9% of respondents would support higher rents for improvements to existing homes. Repairs and maintenance were a priority for 49.1%, while 47.7% prioritised energy efficiency. Affordability was also raised as a concern.
Those results describe the people who took part, not necessarily all council tenants. The percentages address different questions or priorities and should not be treated as shares that add up to a single vote on the new options.
The change to a two-stage process followed feedback from tenants who wanted an earlier opportunity to influence spending priorities. The second stage is the point at which they are being asked to consider specific percentage increases.
Rents and housing services
Rent income is a major part of the council’s Housing Revenue Account. The account is separate from the council’s general fund and is used for council housing and related services.
It helps fund day-to-day repairs, planned improvements, tenancy management, estate work and safety compliance. It also supports preparing empty properties for new tenants, building or acquiring homes and repaying borrowing used to invest in housing.
The council says the cost of providing services and investing in homes continues to rise. In setting rents, it has to consider the income needed for services and legal responsibilities alongside what tenants can afford.
Earlier this year, the housing committee approved an 8% increase for 2026–27. That was the lowest of three options put to tenants in the previous rent consultation, which received 373 responses. The new consultation is a separate exercise for the following year.
Service priorities
In September, councillors approved a revised housing capital plan and an interim asset management strategy for 2026 to 2029. The areas identified for investment included improvements to existing homes, adaptations, sheltered housing, damp and mould and energy efficiency.
The council also plans to improve its information about the condition of properties, using stock surveys and a housing asset management system to help it plan future work. The plans do not mean that every tenant has been promised a particular improvement under any of the three rent options.
In its housing report card for 2025–26, the council recorded an average of 12.87 days to complete non-emergency repairs, compared with a Scottish average of 9.37 days. It reported that 63.4% of tenants were satisfied with their opportunities to participate in decisions, compared with a Scottish average of 83.29%.
Alongside the rent survey, the council holds a quarterly tenant forum where residents can discuss housing services with staff and elected members. The consultation responses will feed into the recommendations for the committee; the final rent decision remains for councillors.
