Council housing list

snubbleste

Looking for anecdotal evidence..
Does anyone know how long the waiting list is for social housing in the city?
And if you refuse the first offer, how long is it until there is a second offer?

biko

Apparently about 6 years for the east side and 10 years for the west side, according to a friend that's on the list.
If you refuse the first offer you just have to wait until another comes along, no fixed timespan.

Krieg

Aye thats pretty much what ive heard too.

Of course the waiting list also comes down to personal circumstance i.e. single mothers get bumped up the list a few years etc. etc.

vulcan57

My son has been on the list for about 5 years and was told when he registered that he would be probably waiting a minimum of 7 years. He has a partner and three young children as well.

snubbleste

Just reading through that august publication the galway independent , nice comment there from a woman with disability on the housing list commenting on the city council's firesale of affordable houses

I am 8 years on the housing list, a person with a mobility disability, so i have been pidgeon holed into a box. If the accommodation is not ground floor only (which is impossible because 2 bed bungalows with immediate parking - which 2 OT say i need are not available at all in Galway according to the council) then i cannot be considered for any other kind of property, even if it could be addapted!!!
Headford rd is my area of preference. Letters from doctors, specialists, occupational therapists, local td's fall on deaf ears.
We have no money they say way before the recession. We have no suitable property they say, again, way befor the recession. We may build some suitable bungalows they say, well over 6 years ago now. Who are they you ask? Galway City Council i say, the same people selling off low cost housing instead of supplying it to us on the social housing list for what seems like forever. Disgusted is mild to what else i feel about this artical. suzy young

Greaney

I'm a bit fuzzy on the details but they're posted in the council housing waiting room. I think on first refusal you stay the same place in the list, but on either second or third they start bumping you down and after third or something like that (if they consider their offers reasonable) you are put to the bottom of the list again.

When I was on the council list (early 90's) the waiting time was 4 yrs, now it's 6-10. Families with Children (not necceserily one's headed by single parents) are made a priority, as well as older and disabled folk. Disabled can mean mentally ill.

Aurora Borealis

Refusal of an accommodation offer incurs an eighteen-month penalty, whereby no further offers are made during that time. This can be appealed in exceptional circumstances only.

Xiney

then why does rent allowance have a rule that if you refuse council housing three times in an 18 month period they cut off your rent allowance?

Surely those two penalties are contradictory...

geeniebops

And why are houses allocated as affordable now being sold off for those with bucks (most likely those with an overflow of cash buying a 'cheap' second property) instead of being used as houses to lessen the social housing queue?

snubbleste

geeniebops wrote: »

And why are houses allocated as affordable now being sold off for those with bucks (most likely those with an overflow of cash buying a 'cheap' second property) instead of being used as houses to lessen the social housing queue?

They are only available to FTBs:
Are you a first time buyer?
Can you get finance for a mortgage?
Can you afford to make monthly repayments on a mortgage?

Mrs OBumble

Xiney wrote: »

then why does rent allowance have a rule that if you refuse council housing three times in an 18 month period they cut off your rent allowance?

Surely those two penalties are contradictory...

Ahh, sure, no one said that the rules need to make sense together!


(I totally don't understand the whole council housing racket deal: If someone can manage to get by for eight years before being allocated with a council house, then it seems pretty questionable whether they really need social housing at all.)

yourmano

Agreed. After 8 years someone would have a lot of explaining to do really. No wonder we're in the hole we're in.

Xiney

JustMary wrote: »

Ahh, sure, no one said that the rules need to make sense together!


(I totally don't understand the whole council housing racket deal: If someone can manage to get by for eight years before being allocated with a council house, then it seems pretty questionable whether they really need social housing at all.)

Well, they're likely getting by on rent supplement, which is supposed to be a temporary measure before being allocated social housing.


Clearly, temporary has become pretty permanent. I'm sure the slumlords landlords don't mind too much either.

snubbleste

Bump for this.
Anyone know of an applicant being offered/allocated social housing in the last year? How long were they waiting?

PEACEBROTHER

Does anyone know where my friend stands on his issue,
He is in full time employment with a OH and baby but his oh doesnt work, can he apply for council house ?

snubbleste

PEACEBROTHER wrote: »

Does anyone know where my friend stands on his issue,
He is in full time employment with a OH and baby but his oh doesnt work, can he apply for council house ?

If their income is below around €40k, then yes they can.

PEACEBROTHER

can you apply online

biko

Application process
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/housing/local-authority-and-social-housing/applying_for_local_authority_housing

http://www.galwaycity.ie/AllServices/Housing/SocialHousing/HowtoApplyforSocialHousing/

Mrs OBumble

PEACEBROTHER wrote: »

Does anyone know where my friend stands on his issue,
He is in full time employment with a OH and baby but his oh doesnt work, can he apply for council house ?

I think pretty much anyone can apply. But some applications will be turned down 'cos they don't meet the criteria, which relate to income, assets, previous purchases (maybe and inheritances), and some other stuff.

robmac110

I work in Dunnes and get around 220 euro a week, I also get FIS for our nine kids, along with this my wife gets carers allowance for our son who is special needs. The SDCC told us we were overlimt to get on the council list, we are also told we are overlimit to apply for rent allowance(couldn't even tell us what the limit was). We are stuck renting privatly for what will be about ten year untill some of the kids leave home, well more if they have to wait on a council wating list. We know of people earning more than fifty thousand a year between them with two kids who were able to get on the council list no problem. Are we being discriminated aganist because we are married and tell the truth?

mikemac

Gaway Citizens Information Service
Augustine House
Augustine Street, Galway, Co. Galway
091 563344

Head in and talk to them.
They are extremely helpful and will explain the process.
Do up a list of questions before you go in

Head The Wall

robmac110 wrote: »

I work in Dunnes and get around 220 euro a week, I also get FIS for our nine kids, along with this my wife gets carers allowance for our son who is special needs. The SDCC told us we were overlimt to get on the council list, we are also told we are overlimit to apply for rent allowance(couldn't even tell us what the limit was). We are stuck renting privatly for what will be about ten year untill some of the kids leave home, well more if they have to wait on a council wating list. We know of people earning more than fifty thousand a year between them with two kids who were able to get on the council list no problem. Are we being discriminated aganist because we are married and tell the truth?

This is the Galway City forum. Not South Dublin

The rent allowance goes from €500 to €1100 depending where you live, if the house you have is costing you more than they allow you won't claim.

The fact you have nine kids probably says something about the size of house you have.

Correct me if I am wrong here in these figures but you seem to be taking home €69,974 annually. You're wages come to €11,440 and the govt pays the rest .


Child Benefit x 9 = €1516
Carers Allowance = €848
Your Wages = €880
FIS €646 weekly = €2587


I feel like I am the one being discriminated against, you seem to be complaining because you aren't getting enough handouts.

robmac110

Head The Wall wrote: »

This is the Galway City forum. Not South Dublin

The rent allowance goes from €500 to €1100 depending where you live, if the house you have is costing you more than they allow you won't claim.

The fact you have nine kids probably says something about the size of house you have.

Correct me if I am wrong here in these figures but you seem to be taking home €69,974 annually. You're wages come to €11,440 and the govt pays the rest .


Child Benefit x 9 = €1516
Carers Allowance = €848
Your Wages = €880
FIS €646 weekly = €2587


I feel like I am the one being discriminated against, you seem to be complaining because you aren't getting enough handouts.

Hang on, I don't beg for these payments i would gladly stop getting the FIS if it meant we could have an house we could pay reasonable rent on. But have you tried to turn down a payment once you have applied?? Maybe this is why the country is in such a state. Sorry for not realising this was the Galway City sitttt by the way.

Head The Wall

robmac110 wrote: »

Hang on, I don't beg for these payments i would gladly stop getting the FIS if it meant we could have an house we could pay reasonable rent on. But have you tried to turn down a payment once you have applied?? Maybe this is why the country is in such a state. Sorry for not realising this was the Galway City sitttt by the way.

Hang on you, if you can't afford rent on that amount you are doing something seriously wrong. You say you can't turn down a payment but you come on here whinging when they say no to your application.

The neck on some people, you shouldn't be having that many kids if you can't be looking after them.

robmac110

Head The Wall wrote: »

Hang on you, if you can't afford rent on that amount you are doing something seriously wrong. You say you can't turn down a payment but you come on here whinging when they say no to your application.

The neck on some people, you shouldn't be having that many kids if you can't be looking after them.

Your user name seems to suit you. Your figures are wrong, i wish they were right. I do not have to explain to you the taxes I have paid over the years of running a business, or the years I worked without taking a penny from the state. Are you willing to show what money you get from work or otherwise and what benefits you receive. Please do not take down to me as I expect I have more experience of life than you do.

Head The Wall

robmac110 wrote: »

Your user name seems to suit you. Your figures are wrong, i wish they were right. I do not have to explain to you the taxes I have paid over the years of running a business, or the years I worked without taking a penny from the state. Are you willing to show what money you get from work or otherwise and what benefits you receive. Please do not take down to me as I expect I have more experience of life than you do.

I didn't say they were exactly right and I asked to be corrected if that was the case. Keep it on topic anyway, what I earn has nothing to do with the council housing list.


You asked why you were told you were over the limit, I worked off the rough figures you gave us and gave you a response. Just because you don't like the answer doesn't mean it's wrong.

What are you paying in Rent a month and where are you renting? Also were these people you know actually earning €50K or was that made up of benefits also.

muppetkiller

robmac110 wrote: »

I work in Dunnes and get around 220 euro a week, I also get FIS for our nine kids, along with this my wife gets carers allowance for our son who is special needs. The SDCC told us we were overlimt to get on the council list, we are also told we are overlimit to apply for rent allowance(couldn't even tell us what the limit was). We are stuck renting privatly for what will be about ten year untill some of the kids leave home, well more if they have to wait on a council wating list. We know of people earning more than fifty thousand a year between them with two kids who were able to get on the council list no problem. Are we being discriminated aganist because we are married and tell the truth?

Sorry but this kinda annoys me ...at any stage did you sit down and say ..."you know what maybe we can't afford to have an 8th or 9th Kid !! "
You're housing needs are alot larger than a regular sized family so finding suitable location will prove more difficult.

Head The Wall

muppetkiller wrote: »

Sorry but this kinda annoys me ...at any stage did you sit down and say ..."you know what maybe we can't afford to have an 8th or 9th Kid !! "
You're housing needs are alot larger than a regular sized family so finding suitable location will prove more difficult.

He has accommodation, the problem is he doesn't want to pay for it himself. The council say he takes in too much money to qualify. I would tend to agree with the council.

The figures I provided are from Govt sources which he says are wrong. I wouldn't be believing him at all

muppetkiller

Head The Wall wrote: »

He has accommodation, the problem is he doesn't want to pay for it himself. The council say he takes in too much money to qualify. I would tend to agree with the council.

The figures I provided are from Govt sources which he says are wrong. I wouldn't be believing him at all

Oopps sorry you're correct I didn't read it fully...Sorry OP for going off topic.

Head The Wall

No need for apologies, I'm just livid at the expectations of some people. Why do I have to pay taxes so he can get so many benefits because of all his kids that he can't afford to keep.