Rent Increase Consultation Results 2024
Consultation Process
Captain Discount returned for a final mission - to help battle inflation with increased Rent Discounts. After his previous three year mission, which had seen rents reduce in real terms by over 10% and Rent Discounts increase, this consultation proposed an increase of inflation + 1% (7.1%), offset by a further increase of £5 per month to all Rent Discount levels.
1,352 tenants were consulted, 1,161 (86%) by e-mail and 188 (14%) by post. The Consultation Form went live on 1 January 2024, and letters and e-mails promoting the consultation were sent once the office reopened.
Banners were prominently displayed on the elha.com front page and in the My Home dashboard, reminders to take part were posted on social media, the link to the consultation in each tenant’s My Home account was a highlighted red button and the monthly ‘thank you’ message all paper-free tenants receive when they pay their rent also included a link to the consultation. In addition, follow up e-mails and calls were made to Platinum Key Tenants to try to make sure no-one lost their Platinum Key Tenant Rent Discounts (responding to this consultation was a requirement for Platinum Key Tenants).
As well as seeking views on the proposed approach, tenants were also asked how the increased Rent Discounts would affect their Key Tenant Status.
Consultation Responses
426 (31.5%) tenants responded, a decrease from 33.4% in 2023. Only seven offline tenants returned a paper form, a drop from 14 last year.
In previous years, the ARC question, “Taking into account the accommodation and services ELHA provides, do you think that the rent for your property represents good or poor value for money?” has been asked. Current guidance is that this question should be part of a three yearly tenant survey only, so was dropped from the 2024 consultation.
Results
What is your Key Tenant Status?
| Number | Percentage of total | |
|---|---|---|
| I'm already claiming the maximum Rent Discount | 271 | 64% |
| I'll upgrade from Gold to Platinum to claim an extra £10.00 a month Rent Discount | 40 | 9% |
| I'll upgrade to Gold or Platinum for the first time to claim up to £30.00 a month in Rent Discounts | 24 | 6% |
| I'll upgrade from Bronze to Platinum to claim an extra £20.00 a month Rent Discount | 9 | 2% |
| I'll upgrade from Bronze to Gold to claim an extra £10.00 a month Rent Discount | 13 | 3% |
| I'll go paper-free so I can claim £10.00 a month Bronze Rent Discounts | 15 | 4% |
| I'm happy as I am and I don't intend to claim or increase a Rent Discount | 33 | 8% |
| Blank | 21 | 5% |
Do you agree with our proposal for increased Rent discounts alongside our proposed increase of inflation +1%?
| Number | Percentage of total | |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 336 | 79% |
| No | 82 | 19% |
| Blank | 8 | 2% |
Do you agree with our proposal for increased Rent discounts alongside our proposed increase of inflation +1%?
General Trends over the Last Five Years
Number / Percentage of Responders
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Responders | 318 | 379 | 345 | 443 | 426 |
| Percentage of Total Tenants | 24.3% | 28.5% | 25.9% | 33.4% | 31.5% |
Tenant Comments
Where tenants had made additional comments and/or asked questions or requested clarification on points raised in the consultation or general tenancy issues, all were responded to in line with the timescales detailed in the Customer Service Charter. Where there was any delay in responding, an apology was sent.