BOLTON’S biggest social landlord has lost more than £120,000 in unpaid rent in the last three months due to the government’s controversial “bedroom tax”.

The Bolton News reported recently how more than three-quarters of Bolton at Home tenants hit by the “underoccupancy penalty” are already in rent arrears. The charge was introduced on April 1 as a way to free up homes for larger families.

It deducts housing benefit from social and rented housing tenants if they have unused bedrooms, with the tenant having to make up the shortfall in rent themselves. Tenants with one spare bedroom have had a payment reduction of 14 per cent, and those deemed to have two or more spare a reduction of 25 per cent.

Bolton at Home manages 18,000 properties, and of 2,236 of its tenants hit by the tax, only 17 per cent — 380 — had made up the shortfall.

A total of 1,032 tenants — 46 per cent — had made a partial payment, and 824 — 37 per cent, had made no payment at all.

The landlord says the arrears so far amount to £123,000.

A Bolton at Home spokesman said: “This figure is within our financial projections and is consistent with other parts of the country.

“As an organisation we have made sure that we are financially sound, able to deal with this period of change, and we continue to support our customers through welfare reform in the best ways possible.

“We are seeing an upward trend of payments week-by-week and our total number of customers affected by under occupancy is reducing by around 20 per month moving or downsizing.

“Tenants with any questions can phone us on 01204 328238 for more information and tenants in the private sector should phone Housing Advice Services on 01204 335900.”

A total of 3,469 social sector tenants in Bolton are expected to lose more than £2 million this year — an average of £12 per week.

The Government trebled the amount of emergency housing funding it gave to Bolton Council this year to more than £600,000, to help struggling tenants cover their rents and council tax.