Social housing tenants in Salford who have suffered freezing conditions since flammable cladding came off their blocks are set to face a 4.1 pc rise in rent.
The properties, which are owned by Salford council but managed by Pendleton Together as part of a PFI contract, have been plagued with problems for years.
All nine apartment blocks finally had their flammable cladding removed by the end of 2020 – some three years after the lethal Grenfell Tower fire in London.
But while the work to replace the insulating cladding continues - with the end date still two years away - temperatures at the apartments have plummeted.
The housing association has offered tenants £30 a month to help with heating bills – but some have said their energy costs have been up to ten times higher.
Now the Pendleton Together tenants will be hit by a 4.1 pc rise in rent if the city's mayor approves the proposed increase at a cabinet meeting next week.
However, a hardship fund to support households facing financial difficulties will also be set up using £216,000 of additional income, a council report says.
The report says: "Over the last year the country has experienced rising costs of living due to Covid and a significant increase in the cost of utility bills.
"The addition of a rent and service charge increase for 2022/23, will place financial pressures on many households and in some cases extreme financial hardship.
"The recommendation to increase rents by CPI plus 1 pc has not been taken lightly.
"Following careful consideration of the options available by senior officers, members have been briefed on how these options have been assessed and the associated risks and impact, including the short to long term implications for the housing revenue account (HRA).
"In the current economic climate these are very difficult recommendations to make but are being proposed to ensure future investment and good quality services can be maintained, alongside the need to consider the long term impact on the HRA business plan."
The annual increase, calculated according to inflation in September, ranges from £173.16 for one-bedroom flats to £243.36 for four-bedroom houses.
Of the 1,212 properties which are part of the PFI contract, 553 receive either full or partial housing benefit and 378 are on Universal Credit for housing.
A hardship fund will be available to the remaining 23 pc of households which are not currently in receipt of these benefits and will be affected by the rise.
Service charges for the Pendleton Together properties are also set to rise by 3.8 pc for homes in high-rise blocks and 7.71 pc for flats in low-rise buildings.
Tenants in sheltered accommodation are set to see a 38.63 pc rise in charges.
A 4.9 pc increase in rent has also been proposed for residents at the Duchy Caravan site which has been managed by Salford council since April 2021.
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