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SCOTS have been left bewildered after their local council hosted a poll to ask residents how much they wanted their rent increased by.
Tenants of council properties in South Ayrshire have recently began receiving letters from South Ayrshire Council asking them to vote on how much their rent should be increased by.
The letter provides various options for rent increases that will endure for the next three years, with the lowest rate being 4.5% increase whilst the highest rate is 5%.
The bizarre letter has left locals scratching their head, with many questioning its needs whilst others pondered why anyone would even choose the option that leaves them with higher rent.
A snap reveals the odd poll printed on a formal letter, headed with the text of South Ayrshire Council.
It reads “Rent Setting Consultation” and asks tenants to fill out basic information such as their name and address, before asking the recipient to vote for their “preferred option” in the poll.
The poll offers three choices – the first being to increase rents by 4.5% each year for the three-year period between 2024/25 – 2026/27.
The other two choices are similar, but instead offer a 4.75% increase each year or a 5% increase each year, bizarrely.
Some tenants have slammed the letter, suggesting it may be a ploy by the council to avert future complaints about rent increases.
One recipient of the ballot has taken to social media to express their confusion, sharing the image of the letter yesterday with the caption: “Council sent out this voting form for rent increase.
“Have I been lobotomised without knowing it?”
The post quickly received attention from confused Scots, receiving over 820 likes and more than 100 comments.
One user said: “Who in their right mind is going to go, ‘Hmm, 4.5% seems a little low to me?’”
Another added: “It’s a really transparent tactic that s**t managers and companies use where they offer you a choice of something you don’t want so that when you pick the least objectionable, they can then frame it as ‘Well you all wanted this so why are you complaining?’”
A third replied: “Surprised they don’t just do the classic tactic of raising by a full 9%, then after the outrage pull it back to 4.5% and say, ‘Hey guys we lowered it to half that, look we’re the heroes now’.”
Another commented: “They want to look good by being able to say ‘We consulted with tenants prior to any rent increases, 100% of tenants voted for a 4.5% increase.
“‘We always engage with our community, and we truly care what they think which is why they can always have a say in any decisions we make’.”
A fifth wrote: “What a joke. You should organise a boycott of this phony ballot with other South Ayrshire residents and tell the council to f**k off.”
The letter states that tenants will be able to vote in the confusing consultation from 24 November until 20 December.
South Ayrshire Council has said on their website that the new rates will come into effect on 21 March 2024 after the “agreed rent setting arrangements that are currently in place come to an end.”
They added: “The council is keen to seek views and feedback from all tenants on the options for future rent setting.”
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