Doncaster council house rents to rise 2.7% with existing tenants to pay £90 per week

The increase is part of a range of council rent changes after the management fee paid by the City of Doncaster Council to St Leger Homes of Doncaster (SLHD) was increased by £2.5million.

According to Housing Revenue Account (HRA) report presented to council last week, the SLHD management fee was increased “to reflect increases in salaries (pay award), employer national insurance changes, inflationary increases and other changes”.

It means existing council tenants will see their rent costs rise by £2.39 per week on average bringing the average rent to £90.98 per week.

Alternatively, new tenants, regardless of whether the property is new or old housing stock, will be charged the “target rent” of £96.57 per week.

Target rent is calculated using a formula from the 2000/01 financial year and adjusted for inflation in line with Government policy.

According to the HRA report, council housing rents in Doncaster were the lowest in South Yorkshire in 2024/25 and are expected to remain the lowest in 2025/26, despite the increase.

The HRA budget approved at full council on Thursday, February 27, 2025, also included hikes in fees for garages and other services.

A 15p rise in garage fees for SLHD tenants to £6.96 per week will raise £2,226. The rise for non-tenants – from £8.17 to £8.35 per week – will raise £2,552.

Earlier in the council meeting, a £502m capital spending plan for the next four years was approved by 31 votes to eight.

Council housing, which came under ‘Strategic Housing, Property & Safer Communities’, was the biggest category in the capital budget – with £237m to be spent between 2025/26 and 2028/29.

It included £82m this next financial year with £14m for phase two of the council housing building programme, £8.2m for housing acquisitions and £42m for maintenance and improvements.