Your Rent Your Say
This consultation provides the opportunity to have your say on rent increase options being proposed for 2026/27. The views of tenants are a key part of the process, and this is an important decision that you can influence.
Maintaining the current level of services that tenants receive, delivering our New Build housing programme and continued investment in existing Council homes to ensure they are high quality and energy efficient, remain our priorities.
We appreciate that tenants face challenging financial circumstances too, however we recognise that additional investment paid for by a higher rent increase may also be supported. As part of our consultation process, we are therefore proposing four rent options outlined below.
One of the options would provide additional expenditure which would reinstate open space maintenance to 2024/25 funding levels and allow for the recruitment of seasonal staff again. This will increase the capacity of the grass cutting service during the summer period in Housing priority areas.
Another option will allow us to expand our Buy Back Scheme where the Council purchases properties from the private market for use as Council homes for rent. These are properties previously sold under the Right to Buy which would assist the Council deliver improvements for tenants in blocks where there had previously been an owner, or properties in areas where there is high demand for a specific type or size of property.
The consultation was launched at a public meeting on 30 October 2025 and will be open for 12 weeks until 23 January 2026. On 5 March 2026, West Dunbartonshire Council will meet to agree its budget, including housing budgets and rent levels for 2026/27, and the outcome of this consultation will be a key factor in the decision that is made.
Proposed rent options
The four rent options being proposed for you to consider and vote on are:
Option 1: 6.7% rent increase (average weekly increase of £6.84)
This option will include:
- Maintaining all current services that tenants receive
- Delivering our New Build housing programme
- Delivering our Capital Investment programme to improve existing Council homes
- A Tenant Priority Budget of £200k for tenant-led improvements
Option 2: 6.95% rent increase (average weekly increase of £7.09)
This option will include the same as Option 1 plus:
- Additional expenditure of £140k to re-instate open space maintenance to 2024/25 funding levels
Option 3: 7.2% rent increase (average weekly increase of £7.35)
This option will include the same as Option 1 plus:
- An additional £3.6m of Capital Investment during 2026/27 expanding the Buy Back Scheme to deliver 24 additional Council homes for rent
Option 4: 7.45% rent increase (average weekly increase of £7.60)
This option will include the same as Option 1 plus:
- Additional expenditure of £140k to re-instate open space maintenance to 2024/25 funding levels
- An additional £3.6m of Capital Investment during 2026/27 expanding the Buy Back Scheme to deliver 24 additional Council homes for rent
Have Your Say - Ways to vote
Please take the time to Have Your Say - there are several ways that tenants can vote:
- Online: Complete the rent setting survey
- Text: Text Option 1, 2, 3 or 4 to 0798 354 2993
- Phone: Call 0798 354 2993
- Email: housingnews@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
- Post: Complete and return the freepost voting card being sent out to you in the winter Housing News
- Through your Housing Officer
More information on How the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is spent