How your rent is set

If you have a secure tenancy agreement your rent is set by the Rent Service. A new rent is fixed every two years. You will be consulted before any change in rent and given the opportunity to make comments before it is finally fixed. You will receive four weeks' written notice before any increase in rent is applied.

If you have an assured tenancy agreement your rent is decided by Isos. We may increase or decrease your rent by giving no less than four weeks' written notice.

In April 2000 the Government announced a new policy of Rent Restructuring for a fairer system of affordable rents for all social housing. To meet these requirements all registered social landlords, including Isos, have adopted a single rent formula to use when reviewing rents. The rent formula is calculated on the size, condition and location of the property and local earnings. This, whilst also taking account of affordability, is used to form Isos' Rent Plan. We aim to ensure that our rent setting policy sets rents at levels that will enable us to meet our rent restructuring obligations, as set by Government, whilst working within the maximum permissible annual increase levels.

To protect residents from large rent increases the government has limited any rent increase to no more than the rate of inflation, as at the end of September each year, plus 0.5%; plus or minus £2.00 per week (based on a 52-week rent year). The rent we are aiming to achieve is called the destination rent. The guidelines allow an additional 5% over target rent in setting general needs destination rents. Destination rents for supported housing can be set at target rent plus 10%.

All rents are reviewed annually and are implemented on the first Monday in April, following a minimum notice period of one calendar month.

Please click on the following link to see our leaflet regarding rent and service charge setting:

Setting Rents and Services Charges Opens in a new window

If you are experiencing financial difficulties and you are struggling to pay your rent please visit our Welfare Rights Advice page which contains useful information.