Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS)?

biscuits_08

Has anyone any experience of renting out there property using the Rental Accomodation Scheme (RAS)? I have to move away from my house due to work commitments and need a guranteed rent for a few yrs to cover my mortgage. I was told about this Rental Accomodation Scheme (RAS) where your local co. council rents out the house for you as part of there social housing scheme, they find the tennants but you as the landlord still hav to look after the house. But your rent is guranteed by the co council. Has anyone used this scheme to rent out there house? what were your tennants like, and would you recommend this as a way of renting out your house?

donalg1

As landlord you still have a certain amount of say in your who becomes your tenant, if you are going with the scheme make sure you get a tenant specific contract, i.e. if that tenant leaves the Local Authority doesnt just put another in straight away without you signing something first. Best thing to do is talk to the RAS Officer in your Local Authority

mimithin

I have been using RAS for a number of years - guaranteed rent but nothing more... the council are not helpful. They are just an intermediary. I have not found them to be helpful or even available to me in relation to problems which have arisen.

From the tenant point of view - they think they own the house because of the council system they have come through and our house has been modified by our tenant - without notice or even informing us... The council see this as the tenant wanting to improve their home - not exactly how you might see it... The council will not want to get involved in disputes or disagreements. They may tell you they agree with you but rest assured they are telling the tenant the same thing.

Also in relation to the practicality of the rent - Your monthly payment date can change without notice - to do with payment cycles.. so you might be expecting the rent on the 10th and it might not come until the 26th.
Also the rent can be withheld if your tax clearance cert is not up to date or if there are works which need to be completed on the house.

On the plus side you are exempt from paying the €200 second home tax - RAS scheme landlords are exempt.

Good luck.

biscuits_08

Thanks for the info...I wouldnt be happy with anyone making any changes to the structure of my house without my prior knowledge...nor would getting the rent paid at different time each month be suitable for me. I was a bit wary of this scheme anyway so at least I have some good question to put the the council when i meet with them so thanks for that...

Fordpefect

I have been renting to them for two years the review is due and they are proposing to reduce the rent from €850 to €680 PM a huge drop, Im not sure if this is negotiable or not, does anyone know, on the plus side, the money goes in every week

biscuits_08

Well, from reading this and other posts re the RAS scheme its is generally more negative than positive, its a pity because i really need some sort of guranteed rental income to cover my mortgage since I have to change jobs and location due to the fact i cannot pay my mortgage given my current salary...I would not like to see any anti social behaviour goin on in my property and I would not like to do that to my neighbours who are decent people. I know I wouldnt be very happy if it happened to me. I will meet with the council anyway but i feel the negatives outweigh the guranteed rental income, which as a previous post pointed out is not even guranteed as the council can reduce it if the feel like....

Biscuits

You retain full landlord rights and responsibilities.

If a tenant makes any changes beyond normal painting and decoration without your written consent they are in breach of their tenancy agreeement. You would be free to issue written warnings/terminate the tenancy if they do not return the property to its original condition- that's tenancy law, and specifically written into the RAS contract.

Depending on the type of RAS Agreement you have with the council your agreement with the council could end with the termination of the tenancy, though.

The other side of that is that it's not up to the council to check up on this nor to rectify it- that's your job as landlord.

The RAS is essentially a private tenancy agreement, the same as any other, when it comes to relationship between the landlord and tenant, it's all governed by the Private Tenancies Act.

family guy

I have a RAS related question

Im currently living in my parents home but getting married in 7 weeks time
my fiancee is living in a house under the RAS scheme,

I applied for a mortgage but was turned down, hopefully with more saving in 6 months time i get approved

anyway, can I live in the house with my wife in 7 weeks time under the RAS scheme? im working full time earning €400 a week so im willing and able to pay a slice of the rent

is this allowed or accepted or could we find ourselves homeless after we get married?

any help on this would be great

cheers

donalg1

Once its ok with the Landlord i wouldnt see a problem with it, although you will need to inform the Local Authority as the differential rent will have to be adjusted when you move in but after that i wouldnt imagine there being a huge problem with it