Housing and property, Randaberg | Ingvild demands good answers about rent increases: – Not good when it leads to bigger differences

After listening to concerned young people, who are affected by increased rent, Ingvild Lundbakk Denut raised the issue in the chairmanship on Thursday 25 April.

– In the previous period, a decision was made that contained the term “gang rent”, which we now see turns out to be very unfortunate for a vulnerable group of residents, she said and asked several questions.

– As a new municipal council group, we want more information about the process carried out so that the rent increase takes place within reasonable limits, continued Lundbakk Denut.

The increase to “group rent” will apply from 1 September this year.

“Despair”

The Labor representative pointed out that “several of our residents have, in despair and rightly, come forward and told about letters they have received showing that rent determination based on “gang rent” means an increase in rent of well over 60 percent.

– We have had a visit to our group meeting from 10 young disabled people, who shared with us their strong concern about increased rent. In reality, the increase in rent will mean that everyone will need supplementary social benefits, and due to the rules for municipal housing benefit, they will not be eligible for it, said Lundbakk Denut.

She has seen what financial manager Lars Vedøy has answered in the media about the rent increase, about both housing benefit and social benefits.

– In Ap, we cannot vouch for this way of increasing the rent.

– Can’t possibly be like that

Ingvild Lundbakk Denut wants to have a debate on how wise it is to put municipal housing for “gang rent”. She believes it is important to find out if it is really the best way to ensure that people in Randaberg can get affordable places to live when they need it most. And she added that “we cannot allow the rent to skyrocket and cause more people to end up in financial trouble”.

– It is simply not good when it leads to greater differences and more people struggling to make ends meet. The solution cannot possibly be for them to apply for housing benefit and social benefits. We understand that the case creates insecurity for those concerned, said Lundbakk Denut.

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Must answer

The following three questions have been sent to the municipal director, who promised good answers in return:

• Can the director of the municipality explain how the municipality decided on the calculation method for the group’s rent, apart from giving the job to an external supplier?
• What factors other than the need for housing benefit or social benefits were considered before the new rent was determined?
• How does the municipal director see ways to ensure that everyone has a place to live without having to struggle through a bunch of public applications?