Latest news with #HousingAssistancePayment
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- 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
- Politics
- 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.'
The Journal
05-06-2025
- Business
- The Journal
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
Irish Examiner
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Almost 3,000 council homes currently boarded up across Ireland, new figures show
There are more than 770 councils homes across Ireland which have been boarded up for more than a year. New figures released under Freedom of Information to Sinn Féin's Thomas Gould show local authorities have a total of 2,749 council homes currently boarded up across the State. Of those, 776 have been out of use for over a year, with two in Wicklow out of use for between 84 and 90 months. According to the most recent report of the National Oversight and Audit Commission, the average re-letting time in 2023 was 33.72 weeks, an improvement on 35.22 weeks in 2022. However, these varied from 13 weeks in Laois and 15 weeks in Monaghan to 65 weeks in Kerry and 61 in Limerick. Mr Gould said the number of homes empty was "insulting to those impacted by the housing emergency". "Each of these homes should have a family living in them, children growing up in those four walls. Instead, these homes are empty and children are growing up in hotels. 'They [the Government] try to blame everyone but themselves. The reality is that this is an issue in all local authorities and in far too many communities because of their failings. They do not provide enough funding to maintain homes and they do not provide enough funding to return them to use. 'There are more than 20 homes across the State that have been idle for longer than five years." In total, the FOI reveals, councils spent €366m on maintenance of homes, but requests for maintenance countrywide was 169% of the number of homes. Meanwhile. a report by Ombudsman Ger Deering into the Housing Assistance Payment (Hap) scheme has found inconsistencies in how it is operated by local authorities, delays in some applications being processed, and inequities between how Hap tenants and social housing tenants are treated. The Ombudsman's report identified a number of issues with the scheme, including a significant amount of duplication between the application process for social housing support and the application process for Hap, with much of the same documentation needed to apply for both. In addition, a separate application must be made for each scheme, despite the fact approval for social housing support automatically entitles a household to Hap. Read More Due to delays in processing some applications for Hap, there can be a significant difference between the date the application is made, and the date it is validated and payment starts, the report adds. In the meantime, the applicant may have lost out on the property due to the delay. The Ombudsman said where an applicant had been approved for social housing support, they should be entitled to payment from the date their tenancy starts. Read More Cork and Kerry mental health services have fewer staff now than during staffing crisis two years ago
Sunday World
30-05-2025
- Business
- Sunday World
Election candidate owes thousands to young mum he charged extra to rent his property
Mother of three Kirsty Fitzsimons says she was told to fork out extra for a 'top-up' to the agreed rent costs from Dermot McGuckin. Names to be blurred out on Fitzsimons rent extorsion talking to Alan Sherry in Mullingar Gary Ashe,21/5/2025 Dermot McGuckin says the RTB hearing went ahead without his knowledge An election candidate and landlord who called for more social and affordable housing for struggling families has refused to pay thousands he owes to a young mother after the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) found he had illegally withheld her deposit. Dermot (Diarmuid) McGuckin (58), who is originally from Dublin but living in Fossa, Co Kerry, was ordered by the RTB to pay €3,280 to Kirsty Fitzsimons for illegally withholding her deposit for a property he rents out in Tallaght, Dublin. As well as running as an Independent candidate in the local elections in Killarney, McGuckin has set up firms in diverse industries, including home care for the elderly, tourism, cleaning services and communications. He is also a taxi driver and was elected chair of the Irish Taxi Federation in Killarney. McGuckin further describes himself as a public relations consultant, and a number of years ago set up The Bellarose Foundation, which he said provided cleaning and care services to women going through chemotherapy. Kirsty Fitzsimons with documentation for the RTB He also organised a Great Santa Cycle in Killarney to raise funds for what he called the Bellarose Youth Development Fund. As well as not returning his tenant's deposit, McGuckin was also getting Kirsty to secretly pay an additional €830 per month on top of the €1,950 lease agreement. Kirsty said: 'When we contacted him about renting it, he said, 'I have someone else who is highly interested and it is between you and them. They have offered x, y and z above the lease, what can you offer'? 'I have never seen anything like it – and I've been renting since 2017,' she said. Kirsty said she felt like she had no option but to pay the extra to secure the rental property which is in Forest Lawns in Kingswood. News in 90 Seconds - May 30th 'I had three children and was desperate for a house for the kids and there was no alternative. He had €1,950 down as the lease agreement but was actually charging €2,780. 'When I told the HAP [Housing Assistance Payment scheme] about this they said to stop paying him extra rent. After that, he was contacting me at all times about the top-up. He was actually the most difficult landlord I ever dealt with in my life.' When McGuckin ran in the local elections in Kerry he claimed one of his main concerns was 'more social and affordable housing' for struggling families. Kirsty said her experience with him was 'completely different'. Kirsty Fitzsimons tells our reporter her story 'He said he was for families and all that. If he was, he wouldn't be charging outrageous amounts of rent for young families. I think it was ridiculous. All he cared about was the money. 'I'm waiting for the deposit nearly two years. I think he thought I'm young so he'd be able to take advantage.' In the end, Kirsty only stayed in the house for six months before leaving, but when she did leave in July 2023, McGuckin refused to give her the €2,780 security deposit back. McGuckin has owed the money to the young mother-of-three for almost two years but had point blank refused to give it back, didn't bother turning up to the RTB hearing and has not responded to Ms Fitzsimons' calls and messages since. Things were even more stressful for Kirsty after she received bad health news recently. 'I was going through all this with the RTB and him, and then I found out I had a BRCA1 gene for breast and ovarian cancer. I have to get a double mastectomy and an ovariectomy.' The RTB ordered McGuckin to pay the €2,780 deposit and an additional €500 in compensation. However, when contacted by the Sunday World, McGuckin claimed that he wasn't even aware there had been an RTB case against him. 'To have a court case [RTB hearing] without me being there is very f**king harsh. But I don't know, I'd have to see what notes I have on it and bring them up. 'To go ahead and have a hearing without me having any input whatsoever, surely there's a law against that?' Kirsty is now facing the prospect of surgery A spokesperson for the RTB confirmed there is indeed a law against that and rubbished McGuckin's claims that they would schedule the hearing without informing all parties. 'By law, we must give notice of a dispute hearing. We will only schedule a case for a hearing when we have contact details for all parties,' they said. The spokesperson said the RTB contacts all parties to confirm contact details before sending them hearing notices. As well as claiming he was unaware of the RTB case, McGuckin tried to justify not giving back the deposit and made a series of claims which Kirsty said were outright lies. 'There was a lot of reasons why she didn't get it back at the time,' McGuckin claimed. Asked what they were, he said: 'Damage to the property and there was some stuff gone from the property that was there when she moved in.' Asked for examples of either damage or missing items, he couldn't provide even a single one. 'Ah now, I have a list there I'd have to go through. As I said, this is the first I've heard about this,' he said. Kirsty said McGuckin was lying about damage to the property and any missing items. 'It's complete and utter nonsense. I can't believe he said there were things missing. I've never been accused of stealing before. He can't tell you what was missing because there was nothing missing.' She said every other landlord she has dealt with, including estate agents, have always given her glowing references. McGuckin also claimed he hadn't heard from Kirsty since she left in July 2023. 'I'm at a loss of what to tell you. I haven't heard from her since she left. I think once maybe she got in contact after she left.' However, Kirsty said that was another lie and she has contacted him numerous times since by phone and by email, but he has ignored all communication. Asked if he was willing to give her back her deposit now, McGuckin said: 'I'd have to look in to that. I know it was withheld for a reason and probably multiple reasons, I wouldn't be holding onto anything you know... if everything was OK, there'd be no issue.' Kristy said she was insulted that McGuckin would try to say she was at fault for not getting her deposit back. 'I wouldn't have gone to the RTB if what he was saying was true and wouldn't be doing an interview about it. He didn't inspect the house before we moved in. He got the previous tenant to leave a key under the mat. He also didn't inspect it when we moved out. He had no bill for any supposed damage he claimed was caused, he can't name a single thing missing,' she said. When the Sunday World asked McGuckin why he was looking for an additional €830 in payments on top of the €1,950 lease, he initially said: 'Em, no, whatever was on the lease agreement would have been what was charged.' However, when we pointed out Kirsty had messages showing he was in fact demanding €2,780, he said: 'I can't remember off-hand. I mean you're after getting me completely off hand on this one.' Landlords can legitimately ask for payments on top of HAP payments if the HAP payments don't meet the rent amount, but cannot ever ask for payments on top of what is stated on the lease. The property was also in a rent pressure zone with strict limits on how much rent could be increased by from one year to the next.
