Poole council tenants are due to be hit by rent increases ranging from 4.7 per cent to almost nine per cent because of a new national formula.

Borough of Poole has written to the Minister calling for a review of the huge increase to reduce it to a more affordable level.

The average increase for Poole Housing Partnership tenants will be 6.34 per cent, meaning an average £4.68 weekly increase to £78.48 for a 48-week year.

Garage rents for non-tenants will rise by 6.4 per cent which means for the old town from £12 a week to £12.75 and for the rest of the borough from £7.50 to £8.

The huge hike in rents is due to a new structure, the formula rent, set by the previous government. This takes account of the value of each property, the number of bedrooms and county average earning compared to the national average.

Cllr Neil Sorton, cabinet portfolio holder for housing, has written to Grant Shapps, minister for housing and local government, pointing out that some of Poole’s most vulnerable residents will struggle to pay.

PHP consulted tenants on the proposed increases and Cllr Sorton said in his letter: “Residents were very concerned about the ability of tenants to pay such a large annual increase.

“Tenants feel that a 6.34 per cent increase is too high and will cause great difficulty. They were also concerned that, with 65 per cent of tenants in receipt of benefits, this will increase the number depending on housing benefits and the benefits cost to the government.”

He said that more than half of Poole tenants were of pensionable age and will be receiving a 4.6 per cent increase in state pension.

Two years ago the government considered the results of consultation with residents and reduced the formula increase from 6.2 per cent to 3.1 per cent.

The borough has yet to receive a reply.