Over 53,000 rental homes 'effectively taken off' private market due to HAP scheme, report finds
A NEW REPORT has highlighted a number of areas of concern in relation to the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, uncovering systemic failures, widespread delays, and a worsening impact on the rental housing market.
The investigation, carried out by the Ombudsman, found that the HAP scheme has effectively removed thousands of properties from the private rental sector – contributing to rising rents and making it harder for people to find housing, both within and outside the scheme.
Among the most pressing issues identified was the delay in processing HAP applications. The report highlighted that in some cases, applicants experienced long waits between applying and receiving confirmation or payment. As a result, some lost out on rental properties while waiting for approval.
The Ombudsman, Ger Deering, said that his office 'has received numerous complaints from members of the public who believed they had been disadvantaged by the current system.'
Another isue note in the report was the duplication between the HAP and social housing application processes. Applicants must often submit the same documentation twice, once for social housing support and again for HAP, despite the fact that approval for social housing should automatically entitle them to HAP assistance.
The report also pointed to disparities in how HAP tenants are treated compared to tenants in direct social housing. HAP recipients are frequently given less security and face greater financial uncertainty.
Additionally, the report criticised local authorities for failing to provide clear, consistent information about key elements of the scheme — including how much rent tenants are expected to pay and what discretionary increases might be available.
As of the end of 2024, HAP was supporting 53,742 households across the country.
Advertisement
According to the Ombudsman, this has effectively withdrawn the same number of properties from the private rental market, intensifying competition and inflating rental prices.
'This has contributed to the sustained increase in the rate of rents, which in turn has made it more difficult to source properties for both HAP tenants and those renting independently,' the report states.
The scheme, launched in September 2014, was designed as a replacement for the Rent Supplement system and is administered by Ireland's 31 local authorities.
HAP provides a direct payment to landlords on behalf of eligible tenants, with caps in place based on household size and location. Local authorities can raise the cap by up to 35% in certain cases, though this often still falls short of actual rental costs.
As rents continue to rise, many HAP recipients are now paying large top-ups to their landlords in addition to the rent they pay to local authorities, a situation that charities have warned is unsustainable.
The Ombudsman has recommended that HAP payments be backdated to the start of a tenancy once an applicant is approved for social housing support.
He has also called for a thorough review of the scheme to streamline the application process, improve transparency, and ensure fairer treatment for tenants.
Deering added that an 'information pack' provided to HAP applicants, and should include indicative rent figures, information on the HAP cap and an explanation that there may be an increase available, depending on the situation
'This information should be presented in a simple and accessible format,' the report states.
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More
Support The Journal
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Irish Independent
Applications for 28 long-term rental homes in Cork city now open
The new Cost Rental homes are located in Longview, in the northside city suburb, and delivered by Clúid in partnership with Cork City Council. The rents for these homes will be up to 30% below the average for the area. Clúid opened applications for the next two weeks, which can be made up until 5pm on Wednesday, July 2. Interested applicants will be able to apply for one of the five brand new two-bed houses, with a rent of €1,340 per month, or one of the 23 three-bed houses with a rent of €1,479 per month. Clúid expects residents to begin getting their keys in late August. Interested parties need to register their interest online, via and upload supporting documentation to the online portal. Documents required include proof of identity, bank statements to prove household income, and employer and landlord references. Colin Byrne, head of affordable rental at Clúid Housing, said: 'We're delighted to be opening our third Cost Rental scheme in Cork City at Longview. Ballyvolane is a buzzing suburb, with a range of retail and leisure options, and Cork City Centre is easily accessible by public transport,' he said. 'We anticipate all these factors will lead to high levels of interest.' ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Mr Byrne recommended those interested in the housing to start the application process as soon as possible. The homes are near the schools and shops of Ballvolane, with Cork City and a range of employment hubs in close proximity. As well the landscaped green areas, play spaces and a new greenway within the scheme, residents can also enjoy the open space and amenities of Glen River Park, just a short walk away. Cost Rental homes is a new form of renting housing tenure in Ireland and are designed for people who do not qualify for social housing or other support like Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) but also struggle to rent in the open market. To be eligible for Cost Rental homes, applicants must be able to prove that their household income is below €59,000 per year, they do not receive housing support, they can afford the rent, they don't own a property already and the household is the correct size for the home. The Longview Cost Rental homes were delivered by Clúid in partnership with Cork City Council, and with the support of the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government, The Housing Agency and the Housing Finance Agency. The developer is Longview Estates Ltd. and the main contractor is Cork-based CField Construction.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Irish Independent
Wexford family with ‘profound medical needs' removed from choice-based letting system as council accused of lacking ‘humanity'
Explaining that the family in question had registered for WCC's choice-based letting (CBL) system which allows social-housing applicants to 'bid' on available properties, Cllr Dwyer said they had recently received an offer of housing from the council. 'There are three adults currently living in one house, two of them with profound medical needs,' began the New Ross councillor. 'They were offered a two-bedroom house via CBL, which was totally unsuitable given the medical needs of one of the adults; they didn't even bid on this house. But because they didn't accept the offer they've now been removed from CBL. This is shameful. 'They have medical reports which specify the need for a three-bed house and yet they've been arbitrarily moved and now can't bid on anything.' The independent councillor then went on to highlight two further cases which he felt had been handled poorly by the council's housing department. 'There's a person with a 10 per cent ownership of a derelict house, he's one of ten siblings. He has been refused access to WCC's housing list, instead he's been given access to Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) – offering that to a single person is nonsensical. The availability of HAP properties in Co Wexford is non-existent. That person should be allowed to go on the housing list.' The last case Cllr Dwyer wished to bring attention to involved WCC's policies regarding providing social houses for those with criminal convictions. 'We have a five-year disbarment policy for a criminal conviction,' he said. 'Now I'm someone who has argued that criminals should not be given council houses, however, there's an unforeseen but well-known fall-out from this. The children and partners of those who have been convicted of relatively minor offences are suffering; families are still barred from getting a council house because of €20 drug fines from 2019. 'Somebody needs to inject a little passion and humanity into housing. Ticking boxes is well and good but there are implications to these actions, there are hundreds and hundreds of children who are being punished for the sins of their father. And we call ourselves a Christian country.' Having listened to Cllr Dwyer's impassioned speech, chief executive Eddie Taaffe appeared a little nonplussed. 'I'm not sure there was a question there,' he remarked. 'There most certainly was,' replied the councillor. In response, Mr Taaffe advised Cllr Dwyer that there was a time and place to discuss sensitive cases. 'I'm not going to get into a debate here, and neither are the officials, on individual housing cases, that's now what this meeting is about,' he said. 'You're perfectly entitled to make an appointment with the housing team and come into us where we can go through the details of these cases privately. The council chamber is not the place for this. We're not going to get into the intricacies of individual cases here.' 'I'm asking you to clarify WCC policy and answer why a family of three with profound medical needs would be offered a two-bedroom house they didn't apply for?' asked Cllr Dwyer., 'That is not policy, it's an individual case. We're happy to discuss it in private,' continued Mr Taaffe. Growing increasingly frustrated, Cllr Dwyer reminded the chief executive that he had been through the rigours of a local election to gain a seat in the council chamber. 'I don't appreciate being lectured and being told what questions I can and can't ask, you do not go for election, I do.' With Cllr Dwyer accusing Mr Taaffe of silencing his own staff, director of housing Carolyne Godkin interjected on her own behalf. 'I'm not familiar with the case but I'm happy to look at it,' she said of the case involving the family with medical needs. 'With convictions, they may not have been actually convicted until two years later, our policy is where someone is convicted of a crime, and a crime which does impact the community, that does impact whether they get a house or not. 'If somebody is convicted of a drug offence they can't apply for a house until at least five years after their conviction, and in my view that's the right policy. During Covid-19 there was a pause on convictions and we were taking it on a case-by-case basis for individuals who would have been substantially penalised, there was a delay in court cases so we had to take that into account. But this is not appropriate to discuss in the public forum, this is someone's life we're talking about.'
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Housing minister urged to remove restrictions on tenant in situ scheme
Members of the public have pleaded with housing minister James Browne to remove restrictions on the tenant in situ scheme, with families saying they are desperate, afraid, and will fall into homelessness. Correspondence released through the Freedom of Information Act shows that over 60 letters were sent to the housing minister since the start of the year about the tenant in situ scheme. The scheme itself allows local authorities to buy up rental properties if a landlord is selling up, but additional restrictions introduced in March told councils to focus on prioritising families, older people, and people with disabilities. Some local authorities have since been forced to put applications on hold, including Cork City, due to a lack of funding to the scheme. In one letter, a father writing to Mr Browne explains how he has been living in a rental property with his wife and 10-year-old daughter for the last decade. Plea to reconsider 'Our landlord informed us he's selling the property, but would be willing to sell it to the council as we fit the criteria needed for the tenant in situ scheme,' he said in the letter. However, with changes to the scheme, he says his family no longer qualify for tenant in situ. 'I understand the scheme isn't perfect, but to make it even more difficult, if not impossible, for most people to avail of it makes absolutely no sense to me — especially in the middle of a housing crisis,' he wrote. 'We've just worked hard and tried to give our daughter a good life and somewhere to call home. But with these changes, and the confusion around what funding is available for the tenant in situ scheme, we will be put in a situation where we will have to tell her the home she's known her whole life is no longer her home 'It's a conversation no father or mother wants to have with their children,' he added. The father said he could not 'for the life of me' understand why restrictions were introduced to the scheme. 'I would absolutely beg you to reconsider the proposed changes to this scheme, and also get the funding in place so it can continue to help families,' he wrote. Housing minister James Browne has received letters from desperate families who are afraid they will fall into homelessness: Brian Lawless/PA In response to the letters, the department urged individuals to engage with their local council to help them find suitable accommodation, saying it is a matter for 'individual local authorities to identify suitable acquisitions in line with local circumstances and their social housing allocations policy'. The restrictions placed earlier this year mean that councils are no longer permitted to buy any property where a tenant is facing eviction due to a landlord selling on a property. Previously, any individual in receipt of housing supports, such as HAP or the rental accommodation scheme (RAS), was able to ask a council to buy the property and turn it into a social housing unit. Read More Councils criticised for spending too much refurbishing rental properties
