Reid hits out at sheltered housing rent increases

1.18.47pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 13th Jul 2009

Alan Reid, Liberal Democrat MP for Argyll & Bute, has criticised the Scottish Government and Argyll & Bute Council for making cuts in the money that they give to ACHA (Argyll Community Housing Association) to manage their sheltered houses.

ACHA used to receive a Supporting People Grant to help pay the costs of managing their sheltered houses. However, the Council stopped paying this grant last year leaving ACHA with a shortfall. The Council blamed the SNP Government for the cuts. At the same time the Scottish Housing Regulator has told ACHA that it cannot use rents paid by other tenants to subsidise the extra costs involved in managing sheltered houses.

As a result, new sheltered housing tenants will have to pay about £30-£40 a week more. This will be capped at £10 a week for existing tenants, but even they will have to pay the full amount in three years time.

Mr Reid said, “It is an absolute disgrace that cuts made by the SNP Administrations at Holyrood and in Argyll & Bute Council have forced these extortionate rent increases on frail, elderly tenants.

“Sheltered housing was meant to provide frail, elderly people with a safe and peaceful place to live. Because sheltered housing has extra costs like wardens, lift maintenance, laundry and window cleaning it obviously costs more to manage. Under previous Governments, the Government and the Council made up the shortfall. The SNP should be ashamed of themselves for forcing frail, elderly tenants to pay nearly £40 a week more."

Notes:

The sheltered houses affected are at; Caledonia Court, Ardrishaig; Chalmers Court, Inveraray; Cragroy, Port Riddell, Dunoon; Dunmar Court, Oban; Elder Crescent, Bowmore; Ferfadd Court, Rothesay; Ford Spence Court, Benderloch; MacDougall Place, Bunessan; McCracken Court, Lochgilphead; Wallace Court, Sandbank and Lochgair Place, Tarbert.