Rent for every council home in Wolverhampton is due to rise by the maximum allowed by the Government, it emerged today.

A tenant in a one-bedroom flat receiving heating from a central boiler will pay £67.45 a week, a rise of £5. Rent on a four-bedroom home will be £80.55 weekly compared to £78.19 this year.

The cost of district heating – where a central boiler is used to heat numerous blocks of flats – rises by 20 per cent. However ordinary central heating charges do not alter.

The charges will apply across all Wolverhampton Homes properties and all tenant management organisations.

Elsewhere controversial charges for concierges in high rise blocks are to go up by another £2 a week.

Wolverhampton City Council expects to bring in £4 million from tenants in 2010-11 from the services such as heating, cleaning, wardens and digital television.

The increases, along with a 2.42 per cent rise in rent, are due to be approved by the ruling Tory cabinet of the council at a meeting next week.

Councillor Paddy Bradley, who has responsibility for housing, said today: “The district heating system is expensive to run but people who are eligible for support will receive Government grants of up to £250.

“The Government capped the rent increase and we welcome that.

“We are developing a new concierge service with CCTV based in a central location but it will be expensive to set up in the first place.”

Labour’s housing spokesman Councillor Peter Bilson said: “I am very concerned for the poorest people in Wolverhampton who will be hit the hardest for district heating.”