Due to the financial uncertainty caused by Covid-19, Ramsey Commissioners will recommend that public sector rents be increased by a token 1% in the coming financial year. If accepted, this would mean an increase of around a £1 per week for a three-bed house from next April.

The commissioners have a policy of increasing rents year on year, in line with inflation, believing that ’little and often’ is better than a big jump every few years.

Last year’s increase was 2.5%, which was in line with inflation.

But this year’s special circumstances led members to reconsider their policy and they voted to keep the increase to a minimum, as no-one yet knows what the impact of the world-wide pandemic is likely to be.

The final decision on how much rents will be increased will be made by the Department of Infrastructure, which is seeking the views of all local housing authorities.