As the largest landlord in Milton Keynes, we provide homes for thousands of families in need. With around one in ten properties owned by us, this responsibility comes with its challenges.  

Many of our homes, built at similar times during the city’s early days, now require investment to keep them safe and comfortable. That’s why, over the next three years, we’ll be conducting thorough condition surveys on all our properties to ensure we’re meeting to the required standards. 

We’re doing this while dealing with rising inflation and other financial challenges, alongside new regulatory requirements. Our focus is to ensure our homes are safe, and to the required quality. We will continue to work closely with our tenants and leaseholders, so they’re involved as part of the process as we deliver improved services. 

Proposed changes to your rent   

As part of the 2025/26 budget to keep homes safe, warm, and well-maintained, we’re proposing a rent increase of 2.7% for tenants. For shared owners a 7.7% increase will be applied in line with the lease agreement which lags one year behind social rent.   

For tenants, this works out to an average weekly increase of £2.85, with the smallest increase being £1.94.   

Our rents will remain some of the most affordable in the region for social housing. 

Service charges are separate to the rent standard and only apply to tenants and leaseholders that directly receive these services. The costs of the services are fully recovered ensuring that tenants and leaseholders only pay for services they receive. 

Improving our homes 

The Housing Revenue Account (HRA), which supports our housing services, is funded directly by rent and service charges—not council tax. This means every penny from the proposed increase will go back into improving our homes.  

We’ll continue vital investments like installing new kitchens, bathrooms, roofs, and windows. We’re also upgrading energy efficiency to help lower household bills and make homes more sustainable.  We will continue to ensure that homes are health and safety compliant. 

It’s important to note that many tenants receiving Housing Benefit or Universal Credit may see their support adjusted to cover these increases.   

Have your say 

We’re consulting on our draft budget proposals until 15 January 2025. 

If you have comments to make on the HRA element of the budget, please complete our short (4 question) survey. Click here for the survey.

You can read the full draft budget proposals at www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/consultations/draft-city-council-budget-202526

To make a comment or suggestion, either take part in the short survey on our online consultation page or email your feedback to budget@milton-keynes.gov.uk before midnight on 15 January.  

You can also attend one of our public budget meetings at Civic, or watch on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/MiltonKeynesCouncil 

Budget & Resources Scrutiny Committee: 7pm on 4 and 18 December, and on 2, 9 and 14 January  

Cabinet: 6.30pm on 4 February  

Full Council: 7.30pm on 19 February