'Competitive' Highland Council garage rent rise for Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh agreed

MEMBERS of the Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh committee have agreed a 7.95 per cent increase in garage rents and sites across the Highland Council ward for 2024/25.

The additional revenue received through this increase will be ring-fenced to fund garage repairs and improvements in the area and to partially offset increases in the overall cost of repairs.

Occupancy levels for garages and garage sites are high with all garage sites in use and 19 out of 23 lock-ups occupied.

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The current income received for garage rent and sites in the ward is £12,729 and with the increase agreed, this is set to rise to £13,741.

Following today’s decision, the weekly garage rent for council tenants will increase by 92 pence from £9.93 to £10.85. Meanwhile, garage rent for non-tenants will go up by £1.16 from £11.41 to £12.57.

For garage sites, the weekly rent for council tenants will increase by 6p from 77p to 83p a week and for non-tenants the increase will be 7p from 93p to £1 per week.

Councillor Liz Kraft, committee chairperson, said: “Garages and garage sites within our area are competitively priced by comparison to commercial storage solutions and this moderate increase will support and fund garage repairs and improvements.”

The rent increase will commence from April 2024 and garage tenants will be notified by letter.

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