Redbridge Council tenants are set to be financially worse off this year after rent increases of six per cent were agreed at cabinet last night.

As well as this, tenant service charges will be increased by an average of 10.8 per cent – �4.72 a week – and charges for heating and hot water will go up an average of �12.13 per week.

Cabinet member for housing Robin Turbefield said: “We won’t have to pay any subsidy back to the government.

“The previous government did not put up these charges as they should have been and now we have to make up for it,” he added.

But there was good news for council taxpayers as council leader Cllr Keith Prince announced during the meeting at Redbridge Town Hall, High Road, Ilford, that council would be frozen for the third year running.

He said: “We know that many households are struggling to make ends meet during the economic downturn and our priority is to freeze council tax for the third year running.”

Redbridge Homes’ fate was sealed by cabinet members after it was agreed the arms length management organisation for council homes’ agreement would be terminated on July 31.

This will see the management of all council homes dealt with directly by Redbridge Council, as supported by 65 per cent of council tenants.

Cllr Robin Turbefield said: “It’s important residents retain a key level of decision making.”