Waiting List & Allocation A person who is accepted as eligible for social housing and in need of housing is placed on a waiting list. This is the record of qualified households. The housing authority will notify other housing authorities whose functional area the applicant has specified as an area of choice. The applicant may specify up to three areas in which he would choose […]
Overview Rent supplement was paid to persons in private rented property who cannot meet the rental costs from their income and resources. Rent supplement is geared in such a way to ensure that income does not fall below an absolute minimum. It is effectively the basic social welfare rate less a notional rental allowance. The accommodation must be suitable for the needs of the applicant. […]
Cost Rental dwellings The owner of a dwelling may apply to the Minister to designate it as a cost rental dwelling. The Minister has the power to prescribe the format of such an application, including the allowable costs to be used when calculating the cost-covering rent. The application process includes two distinct periods: the ‘cost calculation period’ of at least 30 years, which is the […]
Overview The 2014 Act introduced a new scheme for housing assistance payments (HAP). It covers rent payable by households who qualify for social housing support, for private rented accommodation. The household sources the accommodation itself. Households who qualify for social housing support and are long-term recipients of rent supplements from the Department of Social Protection transferred to the new housing assistance payments scheme. Housing Assistance Payment […]
Eligibility Local authorities are the principal providers of social housing. They are housing authorities under the housing legislation. Local authority housing is allocated in accordance with eligibility. Local authority rents are based on income. In addition, housing associations and housing cooperative provide social housing for letting. There are now national social housing regulations 2011 which prescribe the mechanism for dealing with social housing assessments by […]
Decontrolled Property Rent Allowance Rent allowance is paid to tenants of properties decontrolled by the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Acts 1982. In order to qualify, the person must have been a tenant on that day, subject to rent control. They must be entitled to remain as tenants. The rent must be fixed by the District Court or Rent Tribunal. The landlord must register the tenancy. […]
Housing Assessment Housing authorities have ongoing duties to assess housing needs within their area. The legislation sets out the factors which they must take into account. If housing is obsolete, overcrowded and unfit, it’s likely obsolescence and loss to the housing stock must be considered. Authorities must consider the number of homeless persons or persons living in temporary or movable accommodation. They must consider the […]
Social and Affordable Housing The Residential Tenancies Act does not apply to dwellings let by or to a public authority including those to a housing authority. However, other special provisions apply in that regard. Where a public authority provides a dwelling of which it is owner to an approved housing body under a contract or lease of that the dwelling, which is then the subject […]