Recent misinformed public statements have suggested Douglas Borough Council’s tenants do not pay borough rates.
The Council wishes to make it clear no such exemption exists.
Under the Council’s tenancy agreements tenants are required to pay rent together with borough and water rates. To this end the Council issues an annual statement to all tenants setting out the amount of rent, borough rate and water rate included in their weekly rent.
Housing and property advisory committee lead member Councillor David Ashford said: ‘There has also been some suggestion that the level of borough and water rates charged to Council tenants is lower than that paid by householders in the private sector. This is simply not the case. While the Council sets the annual rate levy, the amount of borough and water rates charged to householders is determined by the levy applied to valuations independently assessed by the Treasury’s valuation office.
‘These recent statements are not only misleading but in the current economic climate, potentially inflammatory. The Council is committed to providing an efficient and equitable housing service. Inaccurate comments currently circulating in the public domain only serve to marginalise tenants and compromise the Council’s good working relationship with its tenants.
