Last Thursday (20^th February) 2020, Edinburgh Tenants Federation (ETF) representatives took a deputation to a full City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) meeting asking for a rent freeze for one year.  Federation members and CEC tenants expressed concern about CEC’s proposed 2% rent increase and 4.79% council tax increase and the implications of this including:

• CEC’s rents simply are not affordable as tenants living in Edinburgh pay the highest rents in Scotland;
• CEC is building houses which tenants can’t afford to live in as the rents are too high;
• Many tenants are on an income, but can’t afford to pay their rent;
• Tenants are not clear about what the 2% rent increase is being spent on;
• The increased childcare costs mean that some children’s diets are suffering as a result.

Despite the Federation’s campaign for a rent freeze, Councillors agreed to increase CEC tenants’ rents by 2% and Council tax by 4.79%.

ETF’s Convenor Betty Stevenson commented, “Naturally I’m disappointed that the rents and council tax will be increasing this year.  However it was very important that we expressed the views of tenants, many of whom will be affected by these increases.  Nevertheless we have achieved a great deal of positive publicity through this campaign and we will look to build on this moving forward.”

ETF would like to say thank you to everyone who was involved in the planning for and for coming up with the campaign slogan “No Rent Increase – Tenants’ Can’t Afford It”.  ETF representatives will continue to work with CEC officials to look at ways to improve next year’s Budget Consultation.

ETF representatives standing outside the City Chambers campaigning for a rent freeze