Dear WGHC tenant member,
Rents are our only source of income.
With the new financial year starting on 1st April 2026, Committee along with Senior Staff, are now in the process of setting budgets for the year ahead.
The Committee of Management need to make sure that the Co-op generates enough money to pay for all its services, which include:
- Reactive Maintenance and Emergency Repairs
- Bringing any empty homes up to a lettable standard
- Cyclical programmes including grounds maintenance of common areas
- Other Major Repairs
- Renewal of playground equipment and surfaces
- Tenancy Sustainment and Fuel Assistance
- Community support and wider action activities
- Loans and interest repayments
- Insurances
- Staff salaries, employer costs and training (including the statutory increase in employer national insurance contributions)
- All other operating costs, including the WGHC Office
We are required by law to consult with all our tenants in relation to any changes in rent. To ensure we can meet our loan repayment commitments, statutory safety regimes (gas safety checks, electrical installation condition reports) reactive maintenance programmes and cover all associated increased labour and material costs, we are proposing a rent increase of either 5.5% or 6.0%
Why do rents have to increase?
Last year, your rent increased by 6.75%.
For the coming year, i.e. 2026-27, our assumption within our business plan was CPI @ 4.0%, plus 2% would equate to a proposed rent increase of 6.0%.
However, we are proposing a choice of 2 options: 5.5% or 6.0%
We have to ‘balance’ our income and expenditure.
We want to continue to provide all the services to WGHC tenants we are required to alongside the additional services provided as a co-operative to our members. WGHC have already borne the statutory increase of 1.2% in employer national insurance contributions, imposed by the Labour government and are incurring ever increasing external costs (beyond our control) in respect of contractor labour rates and, specifically, increased product material rates, i.e. kitchen ranges, bathroom ranges, boilers, radiators, windows and doors.
In addition, the insurance that WGHC have to put in place for all the homes we have (to cover eventualities like fire / flood etc.) is increasing by at least 15% this year. Our landscaping contractor costs have increased by 26% and our stair cleaning contractor have increased their fees by 18%.
We have to ensure our rents are affordable and we are required to benchmark against other Scottish Registered Social Landlords. Year on year, WGHC rents are the 3rd lowest in Edinburgh. We also have some of the only social stock provided with both front and back gardens and private driveways or dedicated, allocated, parking spaces.
Tenants will be aware that major component spend in 2025 was suspended whilst we dealt with the consequences of 45 of our flats coming within scope of the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Act 2024 which came into force on 06th January 2025. Through consistent and persistent effort, primarily by the CEO, but with the support of the whole Committee and staff, commitment to full funding of the remediation works has been provided by the Scottish Government. This means we can get our budget and planned component replacement programmes back on track over the next 3, 5 and 30 years.
The Co-op celebrated its 35th year in 2025 and as our properties age, more works are required to maintain them and our reactive maintenance spend is likely to significantly increase over the coming years.
Affordability
| Year
|
WGHC Rent Increases |
| 2025 | 6.75% |
| 2024 | 7% |
| 2023 | 6% |
| 2022 | 4% |
| 2021 | 0.70% |
| 2020 | 2% |
| 2019 | 2.50% |
| 2018 | 1.70% |
| 2017 | 1.6% |
| 2016 | 0% |
| 2015 | 2.4% |
| 2014 | 3.2% |
| 2013 | 2.5% |
| 2012 | 5% |
| 2011 | 5% |
| 2010 | 0% |
WGHC continues to have, on average, the 3rd lowest rent in Edinburgh (out of 19 housing providers, including the Council). Over the past 15 years we have tried to keep annual rent increases to a minimum. These figures are shown in the table opposite. We have jointly funded the recruitment of an Energy Advisor to help tenants with their fuel bills and we have also applied for various sources of funding to help tenants with their fuel – with virtually all WGHC tenants receiving money to assist with their utility bills.
Committee’s proposals for this year’s rent increases have been discussed at great length. As both a Co-operative and as a social landlord we are a not-for-profit organisation, but we have to ensure WGHC remains financially viable and that we continue to operate successfully and provide ongoing services to tenants, including all the statutory requirements and the additional benefits that only a co-operative can bring to its members.
Current and proposed rents table 2026-2027
To help with your decision, the first column in the table below shows each of WGHC’s current rents.
Alongside, we have shown rents with a 5.5% and 6.0% rent increase. For those tenants who pay monthly, we have also included the monthly amount.
Committee’s proposals for this year’s rent increases have not been taken lightly. As both a Co-operative and as a social landlord we are a not-for-profit organisation, but we have to ensure WGHC remains financially viable and that we continue to operate successfully and provide ongoing services to tenants.
Please respond by Monday 16th February 2026 by:
- Completing the attached form:
Rent consultation
- Completing and returning the form on page 5 of the letter/flyer sent to you in the Freepost envelope provided and handing your response in to our office/post it back to us.
- Emailing us at mail@westgrantonhc.co.uk.
- Calling in to our office or phoning our office and telling us your response.
- Texting 07827 049883. State in your text either option 1 or 2 along with your house number and postcode.
- Write to us at West Granton Housing Co-op, 26 Granton Mill Crescent, Edinburgh EH4 4UT.
Your response, along with any comments made, will be anonymised, and presented to the Committee for consideration at their meeting on 16th February 2026.