OIC among lowest-spending local authorities on maintenance for social housing

Among all the local authorities in the UK, Orkney Islands Council (OIC) spends among the least on the maintenance of social housing. The spend is almost four and a half times less than the national average.

This is according to a new study conducted by MyJobQuote, which has compiled data using responses from a Freedom of Information survey.

According to the authors, the survey asked councils across the UK how many tenanted and leasehold properties they had on their books. They were also asked how much they spent in 2020/21 on “responsive repairs and maintenance (including on the blocks and estates they’re situated on).”

Of the 244 UK councils, at £178 per property in 2020-21, OIC ranked as the bottom fourth for how much it spent on maintenance. The UK average is £817.

In response to recent concerns raised about the state of some social housing properties in the county, OIC previously explained that properties are run from a ring-fenced budget.

The council has said it has to balance spending against rent rises and that, as the landlord for many people with income difficulties, it wants to keep rent as low as possible.

The council have been approached for comment on the recent figures.