please help refused social housing and rent allowance

nataliewalsh9

Hi Everyone,

I have a question about rent allowance and the housing list.

I applied for rent allowance in November 2011, I was renting privately for 5 years before that with my boyfriend with no problem. However, after a break up I couldn't afford accommodation on my own, I had just finished a college course and had no job.

When I visited my Community Welfare Officer he told me that I needed to get my housing need assessed in case my rent allowance claim was reviewed. I am new to the Cobh area, I have no connection to the area but I was living in Cork city for 5 years so it didn't make much sense to me to apply to Cobh, especially since on the housing application form it states that they consider if you've lived in the area for a period of 5 years.

Anyway I filled out the forms and applied to Cobh town council, as advised, to get my housing need assessed. I met with the housing officer this week and told her where I am living and that I have had no problems there except for some damp problems, I didn't want to overstate the problem, but I thought I should mention that when she asked me about the accommodation. She said she would defer the application because I hadn't been living here for 6 months, but it seems she didn't do that because it has been assessed.

I recieved a letter from the council today stating that my social housing application has been refused because "under the social housing assessment regulations 2011 as amended you are not deemed to have a requirement for your own housing at present and you cannot therefore be considered to have a housing need."

I have read a bit and it seems you have to be on the council housing list in order to continue getting rent allowance? Am I right here or maybe I have misunderstood? Or does the fact that I was renting previously count?

Does this mean when the rent allowance is reviewed that it could be refused because I am not on the housing list and considered by the council as not having a housing need?

I hope I'll have a job by then and I won't need it, but it kind of has me worried now, I have applied for so many jobs with no luck. Any help would be hugely appreciated.

Thank you

edellc

yes you need to be on the local housing list for the area you are living in and renting privately for six months.....I know some forms say on/or in relation to housing list and/or privately renting but they really mean you need to be doing both

Go and apply for the housing list, you will get an interview with them once you hand in all the forms, then get a letter to say yeah or ney as to whether your on it or not once you have that say yeah go back on reapply for rent allowance....pain in the backside really but if needs be then needs be

best of luck with it as its a full time job in itself trying to get your welfare and housing needs sorted out

saa

Guy high up in SDCC was saying to me how unusual it is for them to house single occupants unless you can register as a homeless individual with receipts of hostels/support services used etc. They probably think you're going to be in a better position soon and probably get that job youre lookin for so they dont want you in social housing for good or at least they assume a single person can rent a room on the dole.

But you can still go for rent allowence just keep trying, if they say no once and you go oh okay then your need wasnt that great as you continue to get by without, try every avenue, can you reapply. Call citizens advice as well.

nataliewalsh9

Hi guys,

Thanx for your replies!

I have already applied for social housing and I've been told no. I am currently claiming rent allowance as I was renting for 5 years before now so they gave it to me and told me to get on the housing list.

(I guess I am thinking of the worst case and that I could still be on it later in the year) My worry now is that when the rent allowance is reviewed that it will be taken off me because I am not on the list

Thanx again for your replies

edellc

Your worrying about something that may or may not happen you have your rent allowance for now, and normally once you have it and your situation hasnt changed then they will renew it....as the poster above said they usually dont want single people on the housing list as it clogs up the system and on social welfare and rent allowance you can usually rent a room in a house or even your own bedsit, social housing is usually for families or if your homeless

best of luck OP and stop worrying about what might happen in the future live for now as you may not be here tomorrow

TraceyOConnor

Hi, i have been to socialwelfare and the citizens information office and i am still unclear on hot to fill in the council housing form!

i got it yesterday and need to send it off as soon as possible
i currently live in my home house that is over crowded as i am 28 weeks pregnant and single mother. and only living off 100 a week off socialwelfare

on page 9 on the form ( details of other household members seeking accommodation)
do i have to fill out all the members that live in my current address or is that just stating who would be accompanying me when i move?

and if any body knows what i would need to bring with me (birth cert etc) where i wont be refused and havr to come back could ye let me know if anyone has an idea! i currently have a house on hold and the rent is 100 a week also which is the cheapest and most officiant for a child to live in also and can only be held for the next couple of weeks. any help would be greatly appreciated as im running out of ideas for help