Housing Executive rent rise criticised

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive's decision to increase rents by 7% has been heavily criticised.

Commenting on the rise, workers rights campaigner and People Before Profit Ballyarnett representative in the forthcoming Local Government Elections, Damien Doherty, said: "The Housing Executive's decision to increase rent by 7% follows a pattern of worrying price hikes over recent weeks that include a 7% price hike by Translink, the 8% Council rates hike, food prices up nearly 17% and the cost of gas up 130% from last year. 

"The Housing Executive has reserves of several hundred million pound. Putting up prices with continued cost of living pressures on so many households is the wrong thing to be doing.

"It's hypocritical for Sinn Féin representatives to be quickly out criticising the Housing Executive when they and the SDLP joined the DUP and Alliance to vote through the rates hike and Council service cuts last week, using the same 'we have no alternative' justification.

"Implementing price hikes and cuts simply prolongs Tory austerity. The system is clearly corrupt and working against the vast majority of people," said Mr Doherty.

He added that strikes here and across the water, along with the cost of living mobilisations in the South, showed resistance was growing. 

"Those strikes and protests are saying 'enough is enough'. They aren't saying some price hikes are good, some cuts are fine and the rest aren't.

"We need to stop piling the burden on those with the least and put feet on the street to demand that those with the broadest shoulders, central government, corporations and the rich, pay more."