Commissioners' plan to stop rent arrears blocked

Onchan Commissioners say people in the area are losing out because some social housing tenants aren’t paying their rent.

The Commissioners want the Department of Social Care to pay rent for those claiming benefits directly to the local authority.

However the idea has been vetoed with the department saying this would be against people’s human rights - adding that most people will ensure their rent is paid in order to keep their homes.

Minister Chris Robertshaw  has admitted though that for some tenants other things take priority leaving them in arrears.

Chief executive of the commissioners Malcolm Hume says he’s concerned about the spiralling cost of recovering these:

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