Local authority tenants are to benefit from the new Differential Rents Scheme.
The introduction of the Differential Rents Scheme would see rents on all local authority houses and flats related to the income of the tenant. Under the scheme, the method used to calculate rent would be specified by central government.
James Tully the Minister for Local Government provides some examples of how this will impact on local authority tenants. A man with a wife and four children and a basic income of £15 per week will pay a weekly rent of 58 pence compared with a rent of £1.83 under the existing scheme. A man with a wife and four children and a basic income of £25 per week and £5 overtime will pay rent of £1.49 as compared with £3.66 under the existing scheme.
In addition to these measures for tenants, James Tully points out that there have been additional benefits with the reduction in rates which were introduced earlier this year. In total, this will save tenants across the country around £2 million a year which will mean a fall off in revenue for the local authorities. James Tully argues that the local authorities will be covered by the government subsidy.
Matt Larkin, General Secretary of the National Association of Tenants' Organisations (NATO) welcomed the scheme, particularly in relation to the abolition of assessment on overtime and bonuses paid to tenants. Matt Larkin says that the rent strikes which have been going on for the past 14 months will continue. There are still a number of outstanding issues such as the contentious House Purchase Scheme, the inter-transfers succession of tenancy, and increases in the maximum scale of fixed rents.
Our strike most definitely still continues.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 2 July 1973. The reporter is Tom McCaughren.
