Published on: 10 Oct 2023 12:07
Written by: Maryhill Housing
Maryhill Housing held discussions in September 2023 to understand how customers are feeling about the ongoing cost of living crisis. Tenants gave feedback about rents from April 2024 in light of ongoing high inflation and cost increases for both themselves and the Association.
The sessions were widely promoted through a range of methods and were attended by 15 residents. Their feedback can be found below.
Cost of living crisis
Customers are concerned about the impact of the ongoing cost of living crisis on their household budgets.
The sustained pressure on household budgets is impacting mental health.
Young working people who may earn less (but too much to be eligible for benefits) are particularly impacted.
Families are particularly affected because of food cost increases.
Ongoing food inflation is the biggest issue affecting all households. Households are managing fuel cost increases by not heating their homes.
Rent increase in April 2024
Customers appreciate that Maryhill’s rents are usually increased broadly in line with consumer price index (CPI) inflation. Customers appreciate that the Association’s costs have continued to increase this year, particularly contractor costs, because of price increases in materials, labour, and insurance costs.
Customers think that rent increases should be kept as low as possible but that this does need to be balanced against having enough money to spend on tenants’ homes and provide important services.
Customers considered different options to make lower rent increases affordable and provided the following feedback:
Increasing rent by more than inflation in the future
The Association should not assume that rents will increase higher than the level of inflation in the future. However, this may be necessary.
Becoming more efficient
The Association should look at all options for becoming more efficient.
This should include controlling contractor and staffing costs wherever possible.
This should also include working in partnership with other organisations and less reliance on external contractors, but it is important to have a focus on this part of Glasgow and local control over the Association.
Reducing non-essential services
It is difficult to see what non-essential services could be cut by the Association. Services that are ‘non-core’, such as welfare rights advice and the bulk collection service, are vital at the current time.
Improving homes
The Association should continue to prioritise the following (in priority order):
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Addressing health and safety issues/keeping homes wind and water-tight.
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Replacing traditional electrical storage heating systems.
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Delivering other energy efficiency improvements (such as boiler and window replacement).
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Delivering projects that we have already told customers we will deliver.
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All other improvement projects (such as kitchen and bathroom improvements).
It is vital that the Association keeps rents affordable, but it should also deliver necessary improvements. Customers recognise that everyone has a different view on what is a necessary improvement.
The Association should ensure properties are maintained to a good standard rather than assuming full replacement is required; for example, the high-rise foyers could be brightened up with paintwork, whereas foyers in the mini multis require significant repair work.