Perth and Kinross Council has decided to make cash collections for rent payments a permanent move after the scheme was found to have reduced arrears.
Members of the local authority’s housing and health committee, who met at council chambers in Perth on Wednesday, heard how the initiative was initially rolled out as a pilot in January 2016 and was then extended by council chiefs in May last year.
Councillors who attended the meeting decided to make the initiative permanent after hearing of the success of the pilot project and its impact over the last 12 months.
A report drawn up by Bill Atkinson, Perth and Kinross Council’s acting executive director of housing and community safety, showed how £128,246 had been paid by cash at council housing offices and tenants’ homes in Letham and Hillyland, Perth, from January 1 to December 31, last year, with £85,085 being paid in Blairgowrie and Pitlochry during that time.
And £4,775 was paid at Crieff’s housing office and at tenants’ properties.
This led to the percentage of rent arrears falling from 14.46% in March 2016 to 10.84% in February this year in Letham, Perth, and from 14.49% to 12.97% in Hillyland, Perth. The success of the scheme was also demonstrated with a reduction in rent arrears in Blairgowrie from 10.37% in March 2016 to 9.16% in February this year.
Crieff also experienced a fall in rent arrears in the corresponding timescale, from 10.77% to 8.12%, and Kinross doing likewise, with a decrease from 13.08% to 9.28%.
In his report, Mr Atkinson stressed the challenge of collecting rents and the need to improve the level of rent arrears by stating the level in Perth and Kinross is currently “significantly” higher than the Scottish average.
However, the committee heard how a key element of the housing service’s approach to minimising rent arrears is to “maximise” face-to-face contact with tenants.
“This means council officers working locally, meeting tenants in their homes, offering support, as well as having challenging conversations about the need for tenants to keep their rent payments up to date,” Mr Atkinson outlined in his report.
“We need to offer and support tenants to pay their rent in as many ways as possible, and so propose to make this arrangement for collecting cash locally a permanent one. There are no extra staff costs associated with local rent collection as housing officers and assistants undertake this activity as part of their tenancy duties.”
Councillors also heard how a series of focussed “arrears drives” have taken place in Perth and Kinross, which has had “significant results” in terms of additional income and engagement with tenants.
This campaign took place from November 30 to December 2, 2016, and also on one day in February and a day in March. This saw 1,451 phone calls made, 555 visits and 138 new repayment agreements.
