Question about rent allowance?

Kooki

Hi there,
Hope someone can give me info on this. I’m trying to get rent allowance set up and I’ve no idea how it all works.

The rent of the place is 600 for a one bed apartment for one person. I know the allowance for the area I’m in is 529 per month. How does this work, does this mean then that the rent allowance is not accepted or that I will pay for the difference in the amount. Also I thought that there was to be some form of contribution to the amount (the 529) already??

If anyone knows more specifically this works, I would hugely appreciate your knowledge. Thanks again.!! K

alwaysadub

If the rent allowance limit is 529 euro the rent can't be anymore than that, if your rent is 530 they would refuse you RA! You have to be in rented accomodation for 6 months( and prove you could afford to live there previously) or in need of social housing.
If you are approved, the HSE will pay you most of your rent and you pay a bit yourself, used to be 24 euro a week for me but could be different depending on your circumstances.

Kooki

Thanks for that info. But is there any way around this at all? Can you agree with the landlord to pay the extra money directly to them and then put down the 529 on the form or something.

I don't have anything organised yet, but looking at places to rent online, very few are this amount or less. Mostly I've seen places anywhere between 500-600 - and most of them don't even accept RA.

But why then do landlords advertise places - for 1 person for above this amount?? Makes no sense.

Just want to find out all I can first - I only have enough to cover deposit and first two months rent - and if its not approved after that it'll be a disaster.

Techno_Toaster

most people wont except rent allowance for many reasons the main 2 being something to do with tax and the 2nd one being they don't want the type of people associated with social welfare in their house, sitting around, doing nothing all day. Narrow minded I know especially in the recession times where people are jobless and use SW as a means to get by but each to their own.

The limits are there to be stuck to. You can ask the landlord to take the rent down for you and see if they will accommodate you, my landlord did this for me so its handy. I wouldn't advise lying about the rent. 1 its dishonest, 2. its against the law and 3. it would be messy i'd imagine. Talk to landlords see if they'll reduce the rent, most should as houses aren't being rented for high amounts anyway.

Rent allownace varys on how much you have to pay but you will contribute something to the rent yes and they will pay you a set some every week towards it.

Again you have to prove your 6 months living somewhere to show you've contributed to the rent before.

tasha200

In my experience a whole load of people have to lie about their true rent.... everyone is happy (except the person who has to lie and pay the actual difference) and the poor get poorer while the rich etc ect.. since they brought in the ridiculous 'caps' on rent all it has done is create more poverty..
Most people have no choice but to lie about the rent (landlords are quite happy about this) to the swo, then pay the difference... in alot of areas it is the only way to get housed... if the rent is declared above the cap, the swo will refuse you rent allowance and tell you to move....

Slydice

do landlords take advantage of this? as in threaten to tell the cwo on ya if you complain and such?