Rent payments at council properties across Perth and Kinross could be frozen after a dramatic pricing review comes into force in April.
Housing chiefs will this week propose a nil increase in rents for 2017/18, after a new system of calculating payments was approved last year.
The majority of tenants will see their weekly costs rise under the move, which will spread annual payments across 52 weeks instead of 48.
It will lead to winners and losers, with the majority — some 2,610 people — facing a rise of under £5.
A small number of tenants will pay an extra £20-£25 per week, nearly £1,300 a year.
And according to council papers, 44% of tenants will see their rent decreased, with 13 people enjoying a weekly drop of between £25 and £30.
A report to councillors states that freezing rent at an average of £66 per week would allow tenants to get to grips with the new model.
Members of the council’s housing and health committee are being asked to rubber-stamp the freeze at their meeting on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, substantial investments to housing stock has helped the council achieve its highest Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) rating of all time.
As landlord, the council has been making a series of improvements and upgrades to central heating, kitchens, bathrooms, double glazing and energy efficiency.
As a result, nearly 95% of properties (a total of 7,052) had met or exceeded the standards.
Of those which failed, only 36 houses (less than 0.5%) were deemed as failing.
The remaining 4.5% were properties where work could not be carried out for technical reasons and where work was prevented in common areas where private owners refused to participate.
Housing and health convener Dave Doogan said: “We can rightly be very proud of the condition of council housing in Perth and Kinross.
“Our levels of compliance with the SHQS are excellent and show that we have continued to listen to tenants and respond to their priorities of investment in new and better housing.”
He said: “We are not complacent about these properties which don’t yet meet the standard and officers are continuing to look at ways to encourage private owners to do the right thing and allow work in common areas, looking at funding options, and programmes such as the external insulation system which transforms the appearance of homes and makes them much more affordable to heat.”
Mr Doogan said the SHQS was a continuing commitment for the council.
“The council’s planned capital investment programme of £77 million over the next five years will ensure sustained compliance with the SHQS throughout our housing stock, and excellent value for money for tenants,” he added.
A new rent structure model was agreed by the committee last year, following consultation with tenants.
Mr Doogan said: “The new rent structure model introduces a fairer and more logical approach to calculating rents, for the benefit of all of our tenants.
“Moving from the old model to the new one has meant a change and the proposed nil rent increase for 2017/18 is one of the best ways in which we will minimise the overall impact of this change for our tenants.”
