cost rent: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical / Specialized
Quick answer
What does “cost rent” mean?
A rent charged for a property that covers only the basic costs of maintenance, management, and sometimes financing, with no element of profit for the landlord.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A rent charged for a property that covers only the basic costs of maintenance, management, and sometimes financing, with no element of profit for the landlord.
A social or subsidized housing policy where tenants pay rent calculated to cover the actual ongoing costs of the property rather than market rates, often associated with non-profit or cooperative housing models.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, the term is strongly associated with council housing and housing associations. In the US, the equivalent concept is more often discussed as 'subsidized rent', 'below-market rent', or in the context of 'non-profit housing co-ops', though the specific term 'cost rent' is recognized in policy circles.
Connotations
UK: Social welfare, public housing, fairness. US: Economic subsidy, affordable housing programs.
Frequency
More frequent in UK English, particularly in political and housing policy discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “cost rent” in a Sentence
The [housing association] charges [tenants] a cost rent.They live in a property on a cost rent basis.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cost rent” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in property management or social enterprise contexts discussing operating models.
Academic
Used in economics, social policy, and urban studies papers discussing housing affordability models.
Everyday
Very rare in general conversation; mostly used by tenants in specific housing schemes or policy advocates.
Technical
Standard term in social housing policy, legislation, and related non-profit housing administration.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cost rent”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cost rent”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cost rent”
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'They cost rent the flat'). It is only a noun phrase.
- Confusing it with 'rental cost', which simply means the price of renting.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are closely related. 'Social rent' is a broader UK term for below-market rents in social housing, often set by national policy. 'Cost rent' is a specific model within that, calculated strictly to recover costs.
Technically yes, but it is extremely rare as it is a non-profit model. It is almost exclusively used by housing associations, co-ops, or local authorities.
It depends on the specific scheme. It may include capital costs (like loan repayments) or it may refer only to ongoing management and maintenance costs ('no-profit' rent). The exact calculation must be defined.
The direct opposite is 'market rent' or 'open market rent', which is determined by supply and demand and includes an element of profit.
A rent charged for a property that covers only the basic costs of maintenance, management, and sometimes financing, with no element of profit for the landlord.
Cost rent is usually technical / specialized in register.
Cost rent: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɒst ˌrent/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɔːst ˌrent/ / ˈkɑːst ˌrent/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To live on cost rent (to benefit from a non-profit housing scheme).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'COST' = what it costs to run the building; 'RENT' = what you pay. Cost Rent = you pay only for the costs.
Conceptual Metaphor
HOUSING AS A SERVICE (not a commodity). The landlord is a caretaker, not a profiteer.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of a 'cost rent'?