Rent Supplement

Toby Take a Bow

I'm sure this has been asked 3,000,000 times previously, but I can't find an exact match in the search function.

Anyway, I was recently made redundant and I'm looking into claiming rent supplement but all of the information and the people I've been talking to is making my head swim. Any advice would be much appreciated, particularly regarding this:

Rent Supplement will only be provided if the accommodation is suitable for your needs and the rent is below the maximum rent level set for your county.

So, from what I gather the maximum rent set for the Dublin city area is €390 (I don't think I've ever seen a room rented for less than €500 in the Dublin city area) but my rent is €600 per month. Does that mean I'm immediately disqualified? It seems insane that people paying more than the 'maximum' rent are penalised when surely they would need it as much (if not more) than people renting for €390?

If this is the case, do I have to concoct an elaborate lie with my landlord to pretend that I am - and always was - paying the required maximum amount?

Also, does anyone know how the rent supplement affects the landlord? Will they still get the money, or is some sort of complicated hassle for them?

Like I said, any help would be much appreciated.

Kotek Besar

Toby did you ever find the answer to this? I need to know too!

Kerry3333

First of all it will not affect the landlord because Rent Allowance is paid with your money.
Secondly, they have gone very strict on RA. Were you renting your home before you were made redundant if so, you will be entitled to RA if you are renting for 6 months or more.
Most importantly the CWO will ask if you are on the housing list and if you are you will be entitled to it, if not you will have to apply to your local council for a house and if they assess you as having a housing need you WILL get RA. But keep in mind this is very difficult, the council are extremely strict
Lastly, You will NOT get RA if your Rent is above the maximum allowed for your area.

Kerry3333

Also If you read the Information on the website:

A single person in accomodation in Dublin: €529
A single person in shared accomodation in Dublin: €350/€390
A couple in shared accomodation in Dublin: €390
A couple with no children in Dublin: €770

So if its just you and you are not sharing the accomodation with other people then you rent is allowed to be €529.

Toby Take a Bow

Kotek Besar wrote: »

Toby did you ever find the answer to this? I need to know too!

I did, I was (well, still am) in rented accommodation with a flatmate so because my rent was over the limit I was told in no uncertain terms that I was not going to be able to get it. A friend of mine was also told by a guy in the office that deals with this kind of thing, that any attempt to pretend you were paying the 390 for the Dublin area, whilst actually paying your previous rent (you'd have to do a deal with your landlord, where it shows up on paper as you paying 390 and then you'd give him the money in cash) would be found out, and you'd be liable for fraud. However, you can legitimately request your landlord to lower your rent to 390 *after* you get made redundant, and that's okay. I wasn't really in that position, as my landlord had recently lowered my rent, and I was worried that they might chuck me out if they heard I was unemployed.

So, I never got it, and it took a serious amount of money to cover the rent. Back in college now (anything to avoid the dole queues) and hoping against hope that my grant application will be accepted.

Good luck if you apply for RA, Kotek Besar!

Kotek Besar

Many thanks for the update.

What I can't seem to fathom is - if the rent is at or lower than what is deemed correct for my circumstances, Rent Supplement can be claimed, however if the rent is higher, then I am disqualified from receiving any Rent Supplement at all? Perhaps I've misunderstood, but that appears not to make any sense at all.

My family and I have lived in our rented home for 2 years. We both work at the same company and we've just been informed we'll be redundant in less than 30 days. Our rent is higher than the limit for our circumstances for Rent Supplement. So, if we stay put we get nothing, and if we move to a property that's at or within the limit, we then also get nothing because we won't have lived there for at least 6 months.

Is that correct? It seems completely bonkers.

susiebubbles

No that is incorrect. You have to be renting for 6 months yes, but you are not tied to a particular building. Apply for rent allowance were you are, possibly get rejected then move citing a lower rent to your next cwo. Or just move (your landlord will have to fill out a lot of forms and proof ownership through prtb registration/solicitor) so its a bit unfair to ask if you will have to move.

Toby Take a Bow

Kotek Besar wrote: »

Many thanks for the update.

What I can't seem to fathom is - if the rent is at or lower than what is deemed correct for my circumstances, Rent Supplement can be claimed, however if the rent is higher, then I am disqualified from receiving any Rent Supplement at all? Perhaps I've misunderstood, but that appears not to make any sense at all.

Not too sure about the moving, but you get no rent relief if your rent is over the threshold (whatever that is, depending on the circumstances). It seems insane not to give you the option of getting the rent relief and then making up the difference yourself. Surely people paying over the threshold have just as much need of the relief as people who are under it (more so, if you think about it). A nuts system, and more so because it's not tied in to the social welfare system, so you have to apply for social welfare and then apply for rent relief.

Graces7

susiebubbles wrote: »

No that is incorrect. You have to be renting for 6 months yes, but you are not tied to a particular building. Apply for rent allowance were you are, possibly get rejected then move citing a lower rent to your next cwo. Or just move (your landlord will have to fill out a lot of forms and proof ownership through prtb registration/solicitor) so its a bit unfair to ask if you will have to move.[/QUOTE

Never heard that you need the PTRB reg to get RA. Need to get the form signed by the LL but here in Cork that is alll Can be the agent rather than the LL

There must be a reason for the limit business?