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Just got my rent review form...

  • 08-03-2012 10:47am
    #1
    ShaShaBear
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,528 ✭✭✭


    So, just got the form in the door, which has also alerted me to the fact that my 400E per month flat is over the limit for my area by 10 quid. I spoke to my landlord and he has no interest in reducing it, as he said that is the marketable rent for this area for a flat of this size. He's not kidding either. A quick scan of Daft shows that 400 is the utmost lower limit of monthly rent with the exception of shared student accomodation. I'm in college full-time, so I'm going to have to take a day off somewhere to go in and speak to my CWO (my lease is up at the end of May, I was planning on moving anyway) but is there anything I can say to her that might assist me in getting rent allowance at least until then?

    I have no idea how I'm going to find a place for under 390 euro. I've only seen one in my area in the past 6 months and it was actually a large bedroom in a house with an en-suite and small kitchenette stuck into it. I have a dog, so something like that isn't suitable (and in any case, that's technically shared accomodation).

    Any help on how to handle this would be greatly appreciated, I'm really worried I could lose the rent allowance over 2 quid a week.


Comments

  • #2
    Lugh Ildanach
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 522 ✭✭✭Lugh Ildanach


    Go back to your CWO with the response from the landlord, and with the information you have gathered on alternative properties. They have a discretion to allow rents over the limit, and as its only 10 Euro and only for a few months, then hopefully common sense will prevail. If they refused, you could appeal the decision based on the fact that there is no alternative accommodation out there under the limits.

    However, if you are moving house, its unlikely that you'll get more than the new limits for the new place. You might be better staying where you are if you can persuade CWO to go the extra 10 Euro.


  • #3
    ShaShaBear
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,528 ✭✭✭ShaShaBear


    Lugh Ildanach wrote: »
    Go back to your CWO with the response from the landlord, and with the information you have gathered on alternative properties. They have a discretion to allow rents over the limit, and as its only 10 Euro and only for a few months, then hopefully common sense will prevail. If they refused, you could appeal the decision based on the fact that there is no alternative accommodation out there under the limits.

    However, if you are moving house, its unlikely that you'll get more than the new limits for the new place. You might be better staying where you are if you can persuade CWO to go the extra 10 Euro.


    The place I'm in at the minute isn't very live-in friendly. I worked up a bill of almost 300E heating the apartment over Winter, and I've had to resort to an electric blanket as I can't afford to pay that again. It's very damp and mouldy, and the shower isn't working properly, so I really couldn't manage another year here. I was hoping (wishfully) that upon moving into a new place it might be easier to negotiate a tenner decrease in rent per month (plenty of places in much better condition available for 400 per month). Landlord just reckons since I get 188 a week, I can just do without rent allowance and continue to pay.

    Hopefully something acceptable comes up by May, I'm still paying my last ESB bill, so saving for a deposit is getting very difficult, and losing my rent allowance wouldn't help!
    I'll go into her next week and see what she says on the current situation.


  • #4
    Lugh Ildanach
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 522 ✭✭✭Lugh Ildanach


    Its not a matter of you paying the extra yourself. If the CWO doesn't approve it, you won't get ANY rent supplement. If the landlord is suggesting that he certifies a lower amount on the form, then that would be fraud (on his part as well as yours).

    There are housing standards, which includes an adequate heating. Was your heating bill 300 Euro for the whole winter? Or per month?

    Do you get fuel allowance?

    If your housing does not meet minimum standards, you can refer the matter to the PRTB www.prtb.ie and/or the local authority. If the housing is as bad as you say, then you'd be more than justified in getting a reduction in the rent. 400 may well be the going rate for decent housing, but the market rate for accommodation in bad condition is obviously worse.

    Although it sounds as if you're better out of there.

    If you are in arrears over the ESB, and they won't come to a reasonable arrangement with you, you can apply for Exceptional Needs Payment from the Community Welfare Officer to clear the arrears - http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW94/Pages/3WhodoIcontactifIcannotpaymyelectricityorgasbill.aspx


  • #5
    ShaShaBear
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,528 ✭✭✭ShaShaBear


    Lugh Ildanach wrote: »
    Its not a matter of you paying the extra yourself. If the CWO doesn't approve it, you won't get ANY rent supplement. If the landlord is suggesting that he certifies a lower amount on the form, then that would be fraud (on his part as well as yours).

    There are housing standards, which includes an adequate heating. Was your heating bill 300 Euro for the whole winter? Or per month?

    Do you get fuel allowance?

    If your housing does not meet minimum standards, you can refer the matter to the PRTB www.prtb.ie and/or the local authority. If the housing is as bad as you say, then you'd be more than justified in getting a reduction in the rent. 400 may well be the going rate for decent housing, but the market rate for accommodation in bad condition is obviously worse.

    Although it sounds as if you're better out of there.

    If you are in arrears over the ESB, and they won't come to a reasonable arrangement with you, you can apply for Exceptional Needs Payment from the Community Welfare Officer to clear the arrears - http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW94/Pages/3WhodoIcontactifIcannotpaymyelectricityorgasbill.aspx


    No, no - I meant I would probably have better luck negotiating to have the rent reduced from 400 to 390 with a new landlord.

    I do get fuel allowance, but only in the past month (SW told me I didn't qualify as I was a student, and I had to fight for it and got it through at the start of February but with no backdating). The bill for two months over Winter was 300 (electric storage heaters). I only had the living room one on using Nightsaver, and on moderate settings. The bedroom doesn't have a nightsaver option, so I had to stop using it, and the kitchen and bathroom don't have heaters.

    I'll go to the CWO next week and voice my concerns, hopefully it will go well.
    Thanks for the advice though!


  • #6
    Lugh Ildanach
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 522 ✭✭✭Lugh Ildanach


    good luck.

    just for information, housing standards regulations say that there must be heating appliance in every room which is lived in (unless house was let prior to 2009, in which case they have until February next year to bring it up to spec).

    A house that doesn't meet up to date regulations shouldn't be charging up to date rents!


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  • #7
    ShaShaBear
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,528 ✭✭✭ShaShaBear


    Lugh Ildanach wrote: »
    good luck.

    just for information, housing standards regulations say that there must be heating appliance in every room which is lived in (unless house was let prior to 2009, in which case they have until February next year to bring it up to spec).

    A house that doesn't meet up to date regulations shouldn't be charging up to date rents!


    Oh, I didn't know that! Something to mention to the CWO!


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