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| New Era housing estate saved by Russell Brand becomes first to introduce 'means-tested rent' | New Era housing estate saved by Russell Brand becomes first to introduce 'means-tested rent' |
| (5 months later) | |
| Residents of a London housing estate who fought off plans by its American investment fund owner to impose swingeing rent rises will instead pay means-tested rent in a scheme that could be copied across the country. | Residents of a London housing estate who fought off plans by its American investment fund owner to impose swingeing rent rises will instead pay means-tested rent in a scheme that could be copied across the country. |
| Tenants on the New Era estate in Hoxton, east London, enlisted comedian-cum-campaigner Russell Brand as part of their battle against plans by New York-based Westbrook Partners to potentially seek evictions and increase rents, which stood at around half the market rate for the area. | Tenants on the New Era estate in Hoxton, east London, enlisted comedian-cum-campaigner Russell Brand as part of their battle against plans by New York-based Westbrook Partners to potentially seek evictions and increase rents, which stood at around half the market rate for the area. |
| The campaigners eventually succeeded and last year saw the 96 properties sold to a new not-for-profit landlord, Dolphin Living. The charity announced it was bringing in the new means-tested model, which will see the richest tenants asked to pay more than their lower-income neighbours. | The campaigners eventually succeeded and last year saw the 96 properties sold to a new not-for-profit landlord, Dolphin Living. The charity announced it was bringing in the new means-tested model, which will see the richest tenants asked to pay more than their lower-income neighbours. |
| Under the scheme, which is designed to ensure less well-off tenants are not priced out of their homes while generating funds to refurbish the estate, will be given a choice of either staying on their current lease contracts and pay an annual rent increase of 4.5 per cent a year above inflation, or move to the personalised arrangement. | |
| Under this scheme, residents will provide information on their income and factors such as the number of children in a household will be taken in consideration. The residents, who are not social housing tenants, will pay up to £4 a week more depending on their income. | Under this scheme, residents will provide information on their income and factors such as the number of children in a household will be taken in consideration. The residents, who are not social housing tenants, will pay up to £4 a week more depending on their income. |
| Dolphin Living said the scheme was “demonstrably fair”. In a leaflet to residents, it added: “If we calculate that you can afford to pay more rent than you do currently, your rent will increase. However, we recognise that a large rent increase would be unfair so we will gradually increase rent... each year until you are paying your personalised rent.” | Dolphin Living said the scheme was “demonstrably fair”. In a leaflet to residents, it added: “If we calculate that you can afford to pay more rent than you do currently, your rent will increase. However, we recognise that a large rent increase would be unfair so we will gradually increase rent... each year until you are paying your personalised rent.” |
| The system could become a template for how rent is set for tens of thousands tenants across the country. But landlords warned the widescale introduction of means-tested rents could be counter-productive. | The system could become a template for how rent is set for tens of thousands tenants across the country. But landlords warned the widescale introduction of means-tested rents could be counter-productive. |
| Richard Blanco, of the National Landlords Association, told BBC News: “I don’t think it is [sustainable]. If rent control was brought in, I think a lot of private landlords would just sell up so we’d have a reduced amount of rented properties in the capital.” | Richard Blanco, of the National Landlords Association, told BBC News: “I don’t think it is [sustainable]. If rent control was brought in, I think a lot of private landlords would just sell up so we’d have a reduced amount of rented properties in the capital.” |