Galway Bay fm newsroom – The County Council’s housing department is coming under fire after it sent out bills to council tenants as part of an unannounced rent hike.
Loughrea area councillor Michael Moegie Maher says he’s been contacted by several anxious tenants who’ve received bills of up to two thousand euro.
Councillor Maher says the move follows an executive decision to increase rents and backdate the arrears to January of this year under the council’s Differential Rent Scheme.
The Differential Rent Scheme is designed so that the weekly rent charged on a property will be a fair one relative to the household income.
The County Council has not made any adjustment to social housing rent levels since 2008.
Councillor Maher claims councillors were not consulted before the bills were sent out – and is calling on the council to cease issuing letters immediately.
His motion received unaminous support from the Loughrea district councillors.
The matter is expected to be discussed at the plenary council meeting next week.
Councillor Maher says it’s a very worrying situation – he says rent increases may be needed, but the council is going the wrong way about implementing them.
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