Ramsey commissioner backs rent rise

A Ramsey commissioner is backing a rent rise for public sector homes which will see them go up at twice the rate of inflation.

Richard Radcliffe, Ramsey’s lead member for finance, says the move announced by the Department of Social Care comes after years of artificially low increases.

Mr Radcliffe says the rise, which will come into effect next April, will help to reduce local authority housing deficiencies.

And he agrees with accusations governments have deliberately held down rents in the past for political reasons: