Durham County Council has changed the Council Tax Reduction Scheme. From 1 April 2026, all working‑age residents will need to contribute towards their Council Tax.

We want to make sure you have the right advice and support. If you’re unsure how these changes might affect you, or what to do next, please contact Durham County Council on 03000 262 0000.

Rent is changing for all tenants

We follow rules set by the Government when we calculate annual changes to your rent. Our teams can support you to plan for these upcoming changes.

From 6 April 2026 housing rents will increase by 4.8% and Shared Ownership housing rents by 4.8%.

The Regulator allows social housing providers to increase rents in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in September of the previous year, plus up to an additional 1% per year, so that their income keeps up with price inflation.

CPI in September 2025 was 3.8% plus 1% comes to 4.8%.

What happens now

We will be sending a letter to all our tenants in the week commencing 23 February 2026 explaining your individual revised rent charges which will apply from 6 April 2026. The letter you receive will outline any next steps.

If you pay your rent by Direct Debit, we will send you details of your revised payments separately.

We offer a money support service to all of our tenants to help you make the most of your money and maintain your rent payments.

If you have any further queries, please visit our frequently asked questions section.

Rent Increase - FAQ's Request money support

Why we need to increase your rent

Prices on everyday items continue to rise, and it’s still a challenge for many.

While the increases in inflation have eased, we're still dealing with the challenges of high prices for the services we need to deliver to you.

For us, this includes increases in prices for essential improvement works.

Increases in rent also allow us to keep:

Maintaining and improving our current homes
Improving the energy efficiency of our homes
Building new sustainable homes
Provide vital services to tenants to support them with the cost of living, anti-social behaviour and employability

Here to support you

We encourage you to talk to us straight away if you are experiencing problems paying your rent.

We can help you make the most of your money by providing expert financial support from budgeting and benefits to insurance and energy advice. If you need to speak to us call 0800 587 4538

Money Support

How do I apply for a Livin home or bungalow?

We advertise all of our available homes on our Find A Home page, simply visit this page for more information.

Before you can place a bid on one of our homes, you must first have an active account with the relevant Choice Based Lettings Scheme. Almost all our homes are located in County Durham and therefore are allocated through the Durham Key Options scheme. Durham Key Options (DKO) is a partnership between Durham County Council and landlords across County Durham.

We have a small number of homes which are located outside Durham, these are all advertised through Tees Valley HomeFinder, Hartlepool HomeSearch and Darlington HomeSearch; They are similar to Durham Key Options but we do not process applications registered for these schemes. If you wish to register an application for homes advertised in this area, please apply directly.

Once your application is approved, you will then be able to bid on homes that meet your needs. You can access the application form directly by visiting the relevant Choice Based Lettings system.

How long will it take for my application to be processed?

We aim to start processing your application within 10 working days. If we require any further information after this point, we will contact you to ask for this. Once we have received all the required information we will notify you of our decision within 20 days, and if accepted we will activate your account. You can also check your application status online by logging into the DKO portal.

How can I get involved with Livin and help to shape services?

To find out more about the different ways you can get involved, please visit our getting involved section.

Can I apply to buy my home under Right to Buy?

Tenants who have been with Livin since before the transfer from Sedgefield Council in 2009 may have the “Preserved Right to Buy” their property. Full details of the scheme are available on the Government Right to Buy website. If you are thinking of applying, please contact us.

Can I apply to buy my home under Right to Acquire?

If you have been a tenant for 3 or more years you may have the right to buy your property under the Right to Acquire scheme. Full details of the scheme are available on the Government Right to Acquire website. If you are thinking of applying, please contact us.