Rent Affordability Survey 2025

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Each year Merthyr Housing consults with our tenants on the level of rent increase for the following year. Your voice matters and it is important that we get feedback from you.

The amount that a housing association can increase rent by annually is set by Welsh Government. The level of an individual rent can be reduced, frozen or can rise by up to an additional £2.55 per week, provided that the total increase for all stock does not go over CPI plus 0.5% (in September 2025 CPI was 3.8%). When we set the individual rents, we use the Rent Affordability Tool to consider affordability levels for your home.

This year we have continued to see financial pressures from increased costs, high inflation and higher interest rates. This means that it costs us more to deliver our services, including repairs and maintenance, labour, materials and general cost increases. We understand the impact of the cost-of-living pressures for our tenants, and we want to set rents that are affordable to you. We are committed to providing a service, and homes that support your mental and physical wellbeing.

We will use your views to help us shape our services to meet your needs and update our budget plans. 

Let us know your opinion by completing the survey below. For each completed survey, we will enter you into our prize draw to win:

  • 1 of 5 £25 We Love Merthyr Gift Vouchers

If you require this form in another language or format or need assistance completing the form, please contact the Association on 01685 352800 and speak with a member of the Community Development Team. 

1. Do you think that the rent we charge for your home is affordable? *

 

2. In the last 12 months have you struggled at any time to pay your rent? *

 

3. Do you receive any of the following benefits to help you pay your rent? *

YesNo
Housing Benefit
Universal Credit
 

4. Have you struggled to pay your energy bills in the last 12 months? (i.e. Gas, Electric) *

 

5. Do you think that Merthyr Housing provides enough information about what rent is used for and why rent may need to increase in April 2026? *

 

6. It costs us more to build new homes, do you think it is acceptable to charge a higher rent for those homes so that we can continue to build and help increase the number of social homes available in Merthyr?  *

 

7. Thinking about the next 6 months, how worried are you about the cost-of-living crisis and paying your bills? *

 

8. If you would like to be entered into our prize draw, please provide us with your contact details.

 

9. We will be running focus groups to look deeper into some of these points, would you are interested in joining your local group? *