rent allowance co. cork

Atina20

Hi guys.. Looking for a bit of info on rent allowance... my partner recently lost his job and things are now getting tight so we went about rent allowance....... I live with my partner and our child we are living here about 11 months. When i went to the cwo officer she said we need to register on housing list, i thought this wasnt necessary if you were in rented accommodation over 6 months.

Does getting on the housing list take long, what is involved.... any advice please??

edellc

anyone who is seeking RA has to register for council housing it is part of the criteria, go to your local office and ask for the form fill in relevant details, get tax office and SWO to to stamp where it is requested, gather all documents that they ask for and return to the office you got it from.

They will write to you giving you a date to come for an interview its just to go over your form with you and make sure you are who you say you are, once interview is over you should receive a letter stating your on the housing list

You bring this letter to your CWO when applying for RA along with proof that you are renting for the last 6mth, you might also check that your rent meets the threshold for the area you are in if not you will be refused RA

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/rent_supplement.html

^^^^^
link for citizens info re: rent allowance

Atina20

still didnt see on that link where it says you have to be on housing list as part of criteria..?? So what is the usual waiting time for this process.

edellc

there isn't a usual waiting time it just depends how busy they are....just go down to the office and ask :rolleyes:



Accommodation for homeless people.
Private rented accommodation. You can combine time living in more than one rented accommodation to satisfy the 6 months (183 days). You must be able to show that you could afford the rent at the beginning of your tenancy and that you could have continued to pay rent but are unable to do so because of a change in your circumstances which occurred after you started renting.
An institution, for example, a hospital, care home or place of detention.
Or

Have been assessed by a local authority as being eligible for and in need of social housing in the last 12 months. If you don't have a housing need assessment, you must go to the local authority to have your housing need assessed. The local authority must be in the area that you intend to live and claim Rent Supplement. Only when you are assessed as eligible for and in need of housing can you apply for Rent Supplement. Rent Supplement is not payable while the local authority is carrying out a housing needs assessment.


HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT
it may say OR but it is a necessary once you go down to the office and get the form and read it then you will see it is essential

Lugh Ildanach

The condition isn't just that you've been renting, it is whether you have been in private rented accommodation for 6 months AND if you are considered to have been able to afford the rent at the start of the tenancy.

Is it possible that they are saying that you weren't in a position to afford the rent when you moved into the accommodation? What was your financial position when you first entered into the tenancy?

If they consider that you could not reasonably have afforded the rent (for example, if you were dependent on a social welfare payment), then you will have to have been assessed by the local authority.

joe9k5

I've been waiting for about 5 months now to be assessed. Once you apply they give you a confirmation letter you need to bring back to your CWO.

Atina20

Thanks for reply guys, oh really does that get the ball rollin with the cwo when you bring that letter??

My circumstances where... my partner was working full time and we could afford rent but now he has lost his job and so he went to cwo and that is what they said. So basically there is no OR in the situation its just do it... I dont want to leave our rented house and it is below the maximum rate that is allowed..