A RENT rise of six per cent for council house tenants has sparked outrage although it has still to be ratified and won't take effect until next April.
The hike is being proposed to include all council-rented accommodation across the East Renfrewshire local authority's catchment area.
Chairman of Hillside tenants' and residents' association and vice chair of Neilston community council, Steven Healy
, riposted: "People just can't afford it".
Marie Lyons (64) has rented at Hillside Road in Neilston for 30 years.
Part-time cleaner Marie told The Extra: "My husband is 69 and he's still working because we don't qualify for benefits – it's hard to imagine him ever retiring".
She added: "I don't think a lot of people will be able to afford a rise like ours to £75 a week. We have been given a lovely new kitchen and bathroom suite but I still don't think it justifies it".
A deputation from Hillside met ERC on Monday and another meeting is scheduled for November 9 to pursue the rent hike debate.
Mr Healy told The Extra: "As well as this increase, the council decided to introduce (itals) rent harmonisation.
"When ERC took over about a decade ago, council rents in East Renfrewshire were higher than in Barrhead, so it's to be evened out.
"Essentially, this is two rises at once.
But an ERC spokesman dismissed claims of a double increase as "not accurate".
He claimed: "Rent harmonisation has long been talked about and is being presented to cabinet today (CORRECT) as a paper.
"It proposes that the rent is evened out no later than April 2011, so it will not be an immediate increase.
"The local authority took over 14 years ago and we took over the Eastwood district and Barrhead, Uplawmoor and Neilston in the Renfrew district, meaning the renting systems are different from East Ren's.
"We want everyone to be on the same scale of rent, depending on their house size".
He also stressed that meetings to discuss rental arrangements with residents are held at this time every year and any revised rent figures are only decided on the last council meeting before Christmas.
He insisted: "We try to find ways of saving before that December meeting and a benefit rights expert contacts tenants with options.
"The last thing we want is people struggling".
