COUNCIL house tenants will see rents rise by an average of three per cent, effectively the maximum the local authority can impose.

This equates to an average weekly rise of £1.43, based on a 50-week year, taking the average weekly rent to £48.39.

However, rents for different properties will vary widely, from a 15.6 per cent rise for some bedsits to a cut of 0.7 per cent for some two-bed flats. Garage rents also going up by three per cent to £4 a week.

In addition, there will also be rises in heating and service charges, with huge variations in what people will pay.

New funding rules mean that larger sheltered housing schemes with a mobile warden can no longer subsidise smaller schemes with a resident warden. Charges for Beech Close, for instance, will rise by 119 per cent to £47.18 a week, while bills for tenants of Griffin House will go down by 20 per cent to £18.19.

Existing tenants who receive housing benefit will not be affected, while those who do not receive housing benefit will be protected for 12 months pending a review.

The rises were presented to Wednesday's (Feb 19) executive, and have to be approved at next Wednesday's (Feb 26) full council meeting.

Rent arrears in Bury total £2,551,900, down from £2,622,400 at the start of the last financial year.

Some £956,300 is owed by current tenants, and £1,154,500 by former tenants. Housing benefit overpayments come to £441,100.

Housing bosses have taken a tougher line on rent arrears following a scathing Best Value inspection which gave the rent collection service the lowest "no stars" rating.