Friday February 20th 2026
West Lothian Council headquarters
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
A £3 week rent rise was agreed by West Lothian this week.
The full council met today, Thursday, to debate plans for the Housing Revenue Account Budget for the next year.
The minority- Labour led administration announced plans to put an extra £1m into a programme to bring down the numbers of empty or void homes across the county.
The rents rise will help balance the Housing Revenue Account Budget at just over £70m for the next year.
An amendment from the opposition SNP group calling for a further £150,000 to be channelled into tackling void numbers was defeated on a casting vote from Provost Labour’s Cathy Muldoon.
A rent increase of 3.5% for 2026/27 has been approved as part of the Housing Revenue Account Budget.
It will see the average council house rent rise from £92.20 to £95.42 in April. For garages the rental will rise from £6.59 to £6.83.
A report to the full council added: “the eligible rent on which the Housing Benefit calculation is based will also go up by 3.5%, so those on full benefit will not suffer further financial detriment.
“The DWP Landlord Portal currently shows 7,652 council tenants in receipt of Universal Credit and/or Housing Benefit, and those in receipt of full housing costs would be fully funded to meet the cost of the rent increase.”
This decision following consultation with the tenants with the majority of those that responded expressing a preference for a 3.5% rent increase. All income generated via council housing rent is reinvested in council housing and services for tenants.
Depute SNP group leader, Councillor Pauline Stafford, backing an amendment from the party’s housing spokesman Councillor Robert de Bold told the meeting that the £150,000 was a small figure but one that would represent 30 families who: “at the moment sitting in hotel accommodation with all the mental and physical health impacts that that brings.”
She added: “It is not just the cost of lost rent but it is detrimental to our families in West Lothian. We should strive as much as we can to turn voids round as quickly as possible.”
Councillor Stafford slated Labour criticism at the lack of funding coming from the Scottish Government when Labour MSPs had made no amendments asking for more money for housing in the recent Scottish Budget.
Labour’s Craig Meek turned his fire on the Scottish Government suggesting plans for a new national housing agency would simply see more consultants getting paid large amounts of money.
“The Scottish government has chosen to pursue centralisation instead of direct investment.
“The proposed national housing body – another quango- will not build another single house in West Lothian. It won’t repair a council roof in Fauldhouse. It won’t house anybody in temporary accommodation. What it will do is absorb government money into government structures and consultants. We have seen this model before in the failed National Care Service.”
Executive councillor for housing services, George Paul said: “Using the resources at its disposal, the council looks to see continued investment and funding of housing infrastructure, to meet the needs of existing and future tenants.
“The agreed rent increase was informed through consultation with tenants and will allow renewed investment in the Housing Capital Investment Programme.
“Every penny of rental income will allow the council to continue to maintain quality standards and invest in the suitability and sufficiency of its housing stock to improve the environment within communities.”
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