Guidance

Tenants Chat - Spring 2026

Updated 11 March 2026

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Dear Tenant,

Welcome to the Spring 2026 Edition of Tenants Chat. We trust that you are keeping safe and well.

We hope that you find the articles and features in this newsletter interesting and Useful, if you wish to share your views and opinions of this edition, or if you would like to contribute to a future edition, please contact the Tenant Participation Team at tenantparticipation@north-ayrshire.gov.uk or call 01294 324869.

Rent

Direct Debits

Did you know you can set up a Direct Debit to pay for your rent! We offer two payment dates, these are the 1st and the 15th of the month and you can either set them by calling 01294 324603 or Pay rent.

Standing Order

If our Direct Debit dates do not suit you, you can set up a Standing Order instead. These can be changed to suit yourself, you can pick any day of the month and the frequency for example, weekly, fortnightly, monthly. You can set up Standing Orders via your online banking if you have access, our account information is as follows:

Payee

North Ayrshire Council

North Ayrshire Council Housing rent account

Royal Bank of Scotland, High Street, Irvine

Account number: 18858146

Sort code: 83-23-13

You can also contact the Rental Team on 01294 324603 to arrange getting a mandate sent out to you.

Alternatively, you can check and Pay rent online or call or email your Local Housing Office.

Did you know?

You can view your rent online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, this allows you to see:

all your account transactions in one place
view payments made
view your current balance
view your tenancy start date
view your annual charge
view 3 years’ worth of transactions
request a repair online which allows you to report and book an appointment for routine property repairs

All along with quick links to payment advice and an online direct debit mandate. Direct debit is the easiest and most convenient way to pay your rent.

Rent Increase 2026 to 2027

The annual rent increase was the preferred choice by our tenants was approved by Council in February 2026. The Council has agreed a 3.84 per cent rent increase for 2026/2027 – equivalent to an average of £3.50 per week – following its largest-ever tenant consultation, in which 75 per cent of respondents supported the lower of two proposed options.

Despite ongoing financial pressures - including inflation, increased repair costs, and the need to meet new safety and climate standards - the Council has committed to maintaining rents below the Scottish local authority average.

A £446 million capital investment programme has also been approved for the next decade, including:

£260.6m to upgrade existing homes
£144.2m to build 691 new council homes, refurbish three units, and buy back 60 properties
£35.8m to complete the Council’s Sheltered Housing Reprovisioning Programme
£5.47m to deliver the remaining projects in the Estate‑Based Regeneration Programme

In 2026/2027 alone, improvements will include hundreds of new kitchens, bathrooms, heating systems, solar panels, windows and other essential works to maintain and modernise council homes.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the consultation.

The six lucky winners of the £50 shopping vouchers were:

Mrs G (Arran)
Mr G (Saltcoats)
Mr H (West Kilbride)
Mrs N (Irvine)
Miss M (Kilwinning)
Miss B (Kilbirnie)

Housing information

Housing Revenue Budget

£30.10m is being spent for property-related expenditure in 2026/2027, which represents 44.10% of the total planned expenditure.

Additional funding has been allocated to property costs has increased by 15.4% compared to last year, mainly due to:

rising costs and higher volumes of responsive repairs;
additional work on timber and dampness issues ahead of new requirements introduced by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 related to Awaab’s Law;
extra funding needed for storm‑damage repairs, as extreme weather is expected to continue; and
essential tenant‑safety work, including statutory testing and fire‑safety measures.

Annual Visits

The housing services annual home visits are currently underway. The purpose of these visits is to identify any opportunities for housing services to support you. Housing officers will be in contact when they are in your local area. Don’t worry if you are not home, as a card with contact information will be left to rearrange at a better time.

Affordable Housing Supply Programme

Housing (Scotland) Act 2025

If you are private renting in Scotland, you have strong rights that protect you.

Whether you’re dealing with repairs, rent increases, or other tenancy matters, you’re protected and supported.

It's important to know what support and advice is available to you our Private Sector team can be emailed at psadvice@north-ayrshire.gov.uk.

Learn more about your rights as a tenant.

Money Smart

Is your universal credit claim up to date?

The two-child limit in Universal Credit, which restricts additional child payments to the first two children for those born after April 2017, will be removed from April 2026.

Take action – make sure your universal credit claim details are correct & all children are recorded on your account.

We know times can be tough, and finding the right help when you need it most isn’t always easy. Please see a list of supports available to you which might make life a little easier.

Tenant Participation

There are a range of opportunities for customers to get involved in a way that suits them, such as:

The Editorial Panel is a group of tenants who work with North Ayrshire Council to review and improve housing related publications, making sure information is clear and relevant for residents.
The Inspection Panel is an independent part of Housing Services participation structure, providing tenant led scrutiny who inspect various parts of the Housing service.
Tenants and Residents Associations (TARAs) are local groups that represent the views and concerns of people in their area to the Council, helping them take part in decisions about housing and the community, and North Ayrshire currently supports four TARAs.
Service Improvement Groups where tenants and staff work together to review and improve key housing services. These groups focus on areas like repairs, estate management, allocations, and customer service to make sure policies and standards meet tenants’ needs.
The Tenants Panel (Interested Individual Register) gives you the chance to have your say on housing issues that matter to you. Choose the topics you are interested in and take part when it suits you. To join, email tenantparticipation@north-ayrshire.gov.uk with your name, address, and contact details, or click this link for the online to the Tenants Panel

You can email our Tenant Participation Team at tenantparticipation@north-ayrshire.gov.uk or call 01294 324869.

The North Ayrshire Network

The North Ayrshire Network is a constituted group which allows tenant representatives and other customers to discuss issues that affect them jointly whilst also networking between tenant group representatives from different communities. The group meet monthly and each Tenant and Residents Association can send two representatives from their group to these meetings.

The Network is responsible for making sure that the Housing Service continually improves the services it delivers to tenants and other customers and provides an independent check for Housing Services to improve service delivery and standards of performance.

If you would like further information on the Network or any of our Service Improvement Groups, please contact the Tenant Participation Team on email tenantparticipation@north- ayrshire.gov.uk.

North Ayrshire Council Housing Services WhatsApp Channel

What is a WhatsApp Channel? A WhatsApp Channel is a quick and easy way for us to share important updates directly with you. Through the channel, we’ll provide:

service updates and essential information
opportunities for tenants to share their views
news about community initiatives and housing projects
resources and support to help us continue delivering excellent housing services across North Ayrshire

Be the first to hear about updates, opportunities, and news from Housing Services by following us on WhatsApp.

Housing Youth Matters

Are you a North Ayrshire Council tenant aged 16 to 26? Then why not join our North Ayrshire Youth Matters Housing Facebook Group. It is a space for young people’s voices in relation to North Ayrshire Council’s Housing Service. Current and relevant information is posted regularly to keep you updated on all things Housing!

We would like to develop the way we engage with younger people who reside in the areas below:

Bourtreehill and Broomlands, Irvine
Hayocks, Stevenston

If you live in the areas listed above and you would like to have a voice about the area you live in, now is the time to take that step.

We want to ensure your voice is heard even though you may not be able to attend the meetings.

If this interests you, or you would like more information please contact the Tenant Participation Team.

North Ayrshire Arts Team Events

Tickets for all events can be purchased on the Harbour Arts Centre TicketSource or by calling the Harbour Arts Centre box office on 01292 274059.

The Harbour Arts Centre is open Wednesdays to Saturdays 9.30am to 4.30pm.

Worried? Call our Child Protection Team

Are you worried about a child? We need your help to protect children and young people in your community. If you have a concern, please contact your nearest social work office. The numbers to call are:

Social Services

Irvine (covering Irvine, Dreghorn and Kilwinning): 01294 310300
Kilbirnie (covering Garnock Valley and North Coast): 01505 684551
Three Towns (covering Saltcoats, Stevenston and Ardrossan): 01294 605261
Arran: 01770 600742
Ayrshire Out of Hours Service: 0800 328 7758

If you are unsure what the right office is, phone the Irvine office.

Economic Development, Growth and Regeneration

Are you ready to make your next move?

Whether you’re looking to:

get back into work
start work for the first time
take the next step on the career ladder

We can support you.

Recipe

Pea, mint and spring onion soup with parmesan biscuits

One tablespoon of olive oil
Knob of butter
Half a bunch of spring onion, sliced, plus a few extra to serve
One potato cut into small dice
One litre of hot vegetable stock
900 grams of frozen petits pois
Half of a small bunch mint leaves picked, plus a few extra to serve
85 grams of parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), very finely grated

Method

Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy based pan. When foaming, add the spring onions and potato. Gently fry without colouring for about five minutes. Stir in the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until the potato is tender.
Stir in the peas, bring to the boil again, then cook for about three minutes until they are just done. Remove the pan from the heat, add the mint leaves and whizz in a blender or food processor until smooth.
To make the parmesan biscuits, heat the grill to high. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and divide the grated parmesan into six long strips. Grill for one minute or until the cheese has melted and is lightly golden. While still warm and a bit flexible, release the biscuits from the baking parchment with a palette or cutlery knife, then cool until firm.
To serve, heat the soup and divide between six bowls. Scatter with mint and sliced spring onions, if you like, and serve with the parmesan biscuits on the side.

Office Closures

Housing Services will be closed for staff training and development from 1.30pm on the following dates:

Thursday 9 April 2026
Thursday 15 May 2026
Thursday 11 June 2026
Thursday 9 July 2026

Housing Services will be closed for Public Holidays on:

Friday 3 April 2026
Monday 6 April 2026

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Tenants Chat - Spring 2026