Thursday July 9th 2026
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
East Lothian Council tenants are being offered the chance to win a £20 prize if they agree to take part in a face to face consultation over changes to the rental system.
The local authority is looking at the way they determine which properties cost more rent as they try to simplify the current system.
A new survey launched this week asks for people’s opinions on whether an extra utility room or cloakroom should mean a higher rent and whether new builds should charge more.
And it says tenants who agree to give their name and address to attend an in-person interview will be entered in a prize draw.
The council says it currently calculates rent and service charges on the characteristics of the home including the number of bedrooms, whether it is a house or flat, which floor it is on, and other features including heating systems.
Launching the survey, the council said: “Most social landlords in Scotland vary the rents between properties by measuring the differences between them.
“East Lothian Council are considering measuring the differences between properties to guide how rents are set. The council would like to simplify the way rents are charged to make them easier to understand.”
They ask whether people would like to see the rates based on the number of bedrooms, the type of property with more for a house than a flat, and the floor it is on.
They also want people’s views on charging higher rent for newer houses asking at what point it should go up – if the house is less than five years old/ten years or more.
And they ask whether people with an extra room such as a cloakroom or utility room should also be charged more.
The anonymous survey is running until the end of July with tenants who want to take part in in-person interviews given the chance to give their contact details so they can be invited to face to face sessions in August.
The survey adds: “If you provide your name and address you will be entered into a prize draw for a £20 gift voucher, your personal details will be securely held by us and will not be passed on.”
To take part in the survey go here
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