Need advice on rent allowance.

Steve30x

I am living in a council house since february this year but since I moved in here I have been tormented by kids and adults (asbo). First the teenagers were playing hurley against the windows of the house with a sliter , then when I ignored them they started to throw eggs at the house , then they tried to poison my dog , then they threw a stink bomb in my letter box , on friiday morning at 5:50am someone broke the bedroom window while I was asleep in bed and then on sunday evening at 7:50pm the teenagers were playing football against the broken window (Its double glazed with the outside pane of glass broken). Also Theres RATS in the Attic (I thought they were gone but they went quiet for a few days). The council expects me to pay for a replacement window.

I have gotten onto the council about all this too many times and I reported it all to the gardai. The council was here on friday trying to accuse me of lying. I got onto two local councillors and they are trying to help. One councillor said the town Clerk will supply me with a letter stating why I am leaving the house for the health board so that I can get rent allowance. I am not leaving the house until I can get someplace else or if I can get rent allowance for an appartment.

What I need to know is am I entitled to Rent allowance , can I get most of the deposit from the health board and how much is the limit on rent for an appartment that I can get if I can get rent allowance. I just want to get out of here yesterday. I havent gotten a decent nights sleep in months.

Also What will happen with getting a house from the council when or if I leave the house?

First of all, I'm sorry you're living in such awful conditions. But I'm also sorry to say that I don't think you will be entertained when it comes to an application for Rent Allowance.

In order to qualify for RA, you must be
(a) renting privately for six months or
(b) be "in need" of housing - you're not, you have a house (bad as it is).
(c) You must be accepted onto your Local Authority Housing List - again, you won't be on the list, as you have already been housed.

You also will not qualify for RA if you:
(d) Are leaving local authority housing without reasonable cause.

As fair as I am aware, CWOs have also been instructed not to help with Deposits for rental accommodation, though anecdotally this varies from CWO to CWO.

I think your best option is to formally apply for a transfer to other council accommodation on the grounds of stress due to anti-social behaviour. Then get those two Councillors involved in working to either get you moved from your current house to another in a different area or to get you RA on the grounds of "reasonable cause". This may be hard though, if the Council is already sceptical of your issues. Also get your GP involved.

If you just leave a Council house - without going through the proper channels, they will be very hesitant / not prioritise housing you again.

Steve30x

I am already getting the two councillors to get me on a rehousing list but because I am not here for a year yet I can not be put on a transfer list. But saying that I am getting a letter from the town clerk stating that I am leaving the house because of the anti social behaviour being directed at me. I did ask for to apply to be put on the transfer list but was told that I have to be living here for 12 months before they would consider letting me apply. Also one of the councillors is after writing a letter to the town clerk requesting he help me get rent allowance and most of the deposit which I will bring to the health officer tomorrow and I am after reporting everything thats been going on to the gardai which they have kept in a log which I was told will also help my case. Also I was with the Council's Liason officer on friday and she came to the house and witnessed the two council guys trying to acuse me of lying. She is also trying to help.

Be prepared for a tough fight. The Council aren't likely to want to admit to an anti-social element, or they will be opening the door for all in the area to apply for RA on the same grounds...

Best of luck Steve30x... it does sound apalling.

Wouldn't it be great if they could round up all these scumbags and stick them on an island somewhere, and leave decent people to live in peace?

Steve30x

Actually I am being targetyed because of the location of my house. The house next door to me is boarded up and there is a big green facing my house. I am all my own here. I wouldnt mind but just turn the corner about forty feet away and the guy in that house doesnt have any bother. Theres 22 houses in a U shape across the road from me who are getting no hassle either. I dont have a front garden either which also doesnt help.

MariMel

Steve, I am sooo sorry to hear about your troubles in your house.
I have been in a similar situation in my own house.
My satellite was pulled off my wall and through the wall of the house, breaking my box inside.
There wasnt any fencing around the back of the house when i got it and since i am on the end of a block of 4, people used to use my back garden to walk through for a short cut and as a dumping ground for rubbish.
I have had my house broken into......by a 5yr old!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My bins kept getting stolenm so i had them up against the back door. then last year they were set alight, resluting in my back door having to be replaces, all windows and pipes at the back of the house had to be replaced too. this work was only done after one hell of a fight with me going in every few days to them
Finally I got my 6ft fence round the house only for my house to be egged a few times.
My son didnt sleep in his own bedroom for 8months after the fire since it was him who woke up and saw it first. (he was 6 at the time)
Months later, even after letters form councillors and doctors they wont consider moving us.
My story has an ok ending.....I met someone and he satys here a few nights.....we are getting married in november so he'll be here permenantly from then. and since he started coming round I have had no trouble whatsoever. I was amazed.....then again he is rather imposing looking:)

All I can say is keep at the council, dont give up, be prepared for a long and tough battle, log everything, get doctors letters and stay strong.

Steve30x

There might be light at the end of the tunnell. Aparently there will be a house coming empty around the corner and I am getting the two councillors to fight to get me moved into that house where it is a whole lot quieter. Whatever way it goes I will go to the health board tomorrow and see if its possible to get rent allowance. I will give them six months and save a lot of money and if I am still here I will be putting wire mesh over the windows and metal gates over the doors. I dont care what the council says. The only way I will take it down is if they move me.