RENT for council homes in Rugby is set to go up by an average of £268 a year from April.
Proposed rent increases for council-owned homes are to be capped at 4.8 percent in 2026-27, according to a draft Housing Revenue Account budget report presented to Rugby Borough Council’s (RBC) cabinet.
The increase – which reflects the Consumer Prices Index for inflation of 3.8 percent, plus one percent – will bring the average weekly rent to £112.58, meaning council homes will remain the most affordable in the borough.
The council says the increased income will allow it to ‘continue investing in its ageing stock to ensure homes are warm, safe, and affordable for tenants to heat and manage’.
In 2025-26, the council took ownership of 100 new homes at Navigation Way – the former site of the Biart Place tower blocks – which are now being let to eligible families with a connection to the borough.
The council has also continued its kitchen and bathroom replacement programme and invested in a stock condition survey to allow targeted investment based on the condition of each individual home.
The draft budget includes plans to continue the council’s transformation of its repairs service which has bought empty properties back into use more quickly, and halved the number of tenants waiting for repairs.
Previously unreported repairs, identified through stock condition surveys, have also been tackled to make homes warm and safe.
Also budgeted is the purchase of 15 new properties for social rent, to be funded from Right to Buy receipts.
Coun Claire Edwards, RBC’s portfolio holder for Communities and Homes, Regulation and Safety, said: “The information presented in this report shows that we are in a good position to continue to invest in improving our homes.
“While the decisions will be made by councillors on February 18, the draft budget shows we will be able to continue our programme of improvements and investment in our properties.
“While we understand any increase in rent will be unwelcome, more than two thirds of our tenants will have all or part of their rent paid by Universal Credit or Housing Benefit.”
Coun Jerry Roodhouse, leader of the Rugby Borough Council Liberal Democrat Group, added: “Increasing rent is always a difficult decision, but we want to make sure that extra support and advice is available for tenants who need it.
“The increase also allows us to keep investing in our stock and carrying on with energy efficiency work as well.”
The final budget and rent amounts will be set at a council meeting tomorrow (February 18).
