The Government has introduced a formula for rents which applies to all councils and registered social landlords like THCH. Under this formula properties of a similar size in a similar area will carry a similar rent regardless of whether the landlord is a local authority or a registered social landlord.

The Government's current rent policy means that the rents will be worked out in a similar way whether or not transfer takes place.

A "target rent" is calculated for each social housing property. This formula has to take account of:

• The market value of the property compared with the national average value of housing association and local authority properties.
• average earnings compared with national average earnings.
• The number of bedrooms the property has.

Rents will change until they reach the current target rent which both Council and other social landlords are expected to reach by 2012. The maximum rent increase that Registered Social Landlords like may make in any one year is the Retail Price Index (a Government measure of inflation) plus 0.5% plus £2 per week.

Once the target rent is reached for your home, then under current Government guidelines (which could change) your rent would increase by just the rate of inflation plus 0.5%. Please note that the statements above set out the current government guidelines on rent increases for RSL´s and local authorities which could change.

The Government has introduced a formula for rents which applies to all councils and registered social landlords. Under this formula properties of a similar size in a similar area will carry a similar rent regardless of whether the landlord is a local authority or a registered social landlord.

The Government's current rent policy means that the rents will be worked out in a similar way whether or not transfer takes place.

A "target rent" is calculated for each social housing property. This formula has to take account of:

• average earnings compared with national average earnings.
• The number of bedrooms the property has.

Rents will change until they reach the current target rent which both Council and other social landlords are expected to reach by 2012. The maximum rent increase that Registered Social Landlords like THCH may make in any one year is inflation plus 0.5% plus £2 per week. However, the maximum rent increase that local authorities may make in any one-year is the rate of inflation plus 1% plus £2 per week.

Once the target rent is reached for your home, then under current Government guidelines (which could change) your rent would increase by just the rate of inflation plus 0.5%. Please note that the statements above set out the current government guidelines on rent increases for RSLs and local authorities which could change.