Thursday November 27th 2025
City of Edinburgh Council offices
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Joe Sullivan
A new rent collection policy for council tenants which aims to be more proactive in stopping arrears has been approved by Edinburgh councillors.
Housing bosses say that the changes will allow the council to collect more of the money owed to it, while better supporting tenants to stay in their homes.
A report before councillors at Tuesday’s housing meeting discussing the proposed changes stated the new policy would focus more on preventing and intervening early on unpaid rents.
It added that it would take into account the shift of many tenants on to Universal Credit in recent years, as well as the cost of living crisis and some other changes in council policy.
The approved changes will see the new policy work to build stronger relationships and better communications between the council and its tenants.
It will also see the ‘further training and development’ of frontline council staff who interact with tenants.
During the meeting, a council officer said the councillors were being asked to agree to a ‘high level’ policy, with specifics being developed later.
The report also detailed that rent arrears owed to the council at the end of March totalled £11.3 million, up £1.9m – or 20% – from the level in 2020/21.
It added that some 44% of current council tenants, some 8,181 out of 18,636, were currently in rent arrears.
A total of £4.8m in arrears has been written off over the past five years, though if debtors can be traced or become solvent the council can still chase their debts.
Councillors also agreed to formally ask another committee to review the council tax collections policy, in order to better align it with the new rent collection policy.
Housing Convener, Councillor Tim Pogson, said:
“Revising the rent collection policy provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen our overall approach focusing on early intervention and prevention.
“Our new Rent Collection Policy places a clearer emphasis on securing rent income while providing enhanced support to tenants experiencing financial pressures, with early intervention and tenancy sustainment at its heart to try and stop tenants getting into arrears in the first place.
“It introduces a range of improvements driven by advances in rent collection technology to simplify processes and improve efficiency. These enhancements include more targeted tenant communications, expanded staff training and development, a wider choice of rent payment options, and strengthened financial hardship support delivered in partnership with advice agencies and other council services.
“We have been encouraged by the positive feedback received from tenants on the proposal, and I am confident that these changes will deliver a more proactive, supportive, and efficient approach to rent collection, benefiting both tenants and the services we provide.”
The report, with the draft new policy attached to it, was verbally passed.
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