- 2,210 improvements to be made to homes this year
- An additional £1.3million to be spent on maintenance and repairs
- New build council housing under construction in Gallowhill and Johnstone
- £250k allocated for year 2 of the YouDecide Tennant Fund.
A £337million investment in Renfrewshire Council housing was approved by councillors today to ensure tenants have warm, welcoming homes and housing services which meet their needs.
The funding, which covers the next 5 years to 2031, is made up of £286million from the council and £51million anticipated from Scottish Government grants.
The agreed investment will see 2,210 improvements made to properties in the coming year, covering everything from kitchens, bathrooms, heating systems and insulation to replacement windows, roof repairs, regeneration and new build housing.
An additional £1.3million will be spent to boost council housing maintenance and repairs, recognising the importance of this service for tenants.
Construction of new build council housing is well underway in Gallowhill and Howwood Road in Johnstone – where the first handovers are expected later this year, with more new build projects planned across Renfrewshire in the future.
The budget includes £250k for year two of the YouDecide Tenant Fund, which was a key commitment of last year’s housing budget and gives tenants the chance to choose how the fund is spent locally. Tenants will also benefit from expanded environment teams keeping the areas around council housing clean and tidy.
The council’s long-term investment continues funding for the ten-year housing regeneration and renewal programme which will benefit 1,100 homes across eight areas.
The funding allocated in this budget supports what tenants say matters most to them. A recent tenant survey placed repairs and maintenance and home improvements as their top priorities.
Councillor Marie McGurk, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Communities and Housing Policy Board, said:
This level of investment demonstrates our continued committed to creating warm, welcoming and comfortable places for people to live.
We’ve listened to what matters to our tenants and allocated funding in line with their priorities. We will carry out improvements to 2,210 homes this year – enhancing and maintaining housing conditions for the benefit of tenants. We are also delivering a major housing regeneration programme across eight areas and building more new council houses across Renfrewshire.
In addition, we’re also enabling communities to have their voices heard through the YouDecide Tenant Fund which allows tenants to decide where funding should be spent in their local area. The shortlisted projects for year one of the fund are currently at the tenant voting stage and I look forward to seeing the completed projects that will be delivered in each area throughout this year.
Last year’s housing budget agreed proposed rent levels to 2028, confirming a 7.5% increase to come into effect from 1 April 2026. The rent increase equates to an average £7.81 more a week. Tenants who receive housing benefit are protected from the increase.
Cllr McGurk added:
We agreed rent increases for 2026 in advance so our tenants could plan ahead and to enable us to ensure our housing services meet our tenants’ needs and allowed us to plan for the longer-term while covering rising costs and inflation.
I understand the difficult financial circumstances faced by many of our tenants and while those whose rent is paid by housing benefit won’t be impacted by the increase, we will do everything we can to support those struggling to pay their bills.
We have a dedicated tenant support fund as well as specialist advisors who help our tenants access benefits they’re entitled to, I’d encourage anyone worried about paying their bills to get in touch so we can offer guidance and support.
Find out more information on our housing services.