Rent Allowance - Need a letter from Garda/Social Worker

stressed out

Hi guys

I've applied for rent allowance and in order for me to get it, I need a letter from the Garda/Social Worker outlining exceptional circumstances why I cannot return to the family home.

I have been renting in a house for the last number of years. I have to vacate the house soon as the owner is returning. Rent is minimal, as it is a relations house. I live alone though

I am 35 years of age and I do not want to return to the family home. I had to live there before for a period a few years ago and I think I would go crazy living with my parents. Also in fairness to them, they are retired and want the house to themselves.

Is this not reason alone to not returning to the family home? I am not being ungrateful at all, but a grown independent woman can't be expected to do this. I know other people have had to do it and I did for a time, but it was so stressful with constant arguments. I couldnt even have friends over as it wasn't my place.

What can I do? Can I go to a Garda and ask for a letter?
Thank you.

yellowtrout

I don't understand why you've been asked to get a letter from the Gardai or Social Workers-that's bizarre.
Are you working?

stressed out

No I am on JA. It's one of the requirements for rent allowance.
I thought they might overlook it, considering my age, but apparently not.

Slydice

It's not one of the requirements for rent allowance.

Here's a link to the citizens information page on rent allowance:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/rent_supplement.html

I'd say it'd be a good idea for you to get in touch with your local authority to ask them to carry out a housing needs assessment.

Balagan

As you were paying minimal rent to a relative, you would not meet the prior rental criteria for Rent Supplement of having rented privately for 6 of the past 12 months while having been able to afford the rent when the tenancy started and have since suffered a change in financial circumstances which leaves you unable to pay the rent. In cases where someone, usually someone young and/or someone who, irrespective of age, is vulnerable for various reasons, is unable to live at home because of difficulties, usually involving some kind of mental/physical abuse or other dangerous circumstances, the CWO would take that into account but the applicant would have to produce evidence from a social worker or Garda that the home situation had such a history. Another route to meeting the criteria for Rent Supplement is, as another poster mentioned, to have the Local Authority approve you as being in need of social housing.

stressed out

There has been an inspector up to the house I'm living in. He's assessed the house. But I still need this letter.
As far as they're concerned the original family home is an option for me, when in reality it's not.

Unfortunately this letter is a requirement - it's on the list of documents needed.

All I can say is that I suffer from depression and having to live at home will only exacerbate the situation. That's the truth by the way. But would I be able to tell this to a social worker? I could get a letter from my doctor to give to a social worker?

snubbleste

OP, such a letter is not a requirement, given your age. Ridiculous!
Complain to the CWO's supervisor about their tactics.

Apply to the Council's housing list.

LegacyUser

Trust me. Get your name on the local council housing list. It takes nothing to do it. They will then give you a letter stating you have been assessed as having a housing need. Once you have this letter that is ALL you need to qualify for rent allowance. You do not need any kind of letter from garda etc. best of luck.

stressed out

xxxgillox wrote: »

Get your name on the local council housing list. It takes nothing to do it. They will then give you a letter stating you have been assessed as having a housing need. Once you have this letter that is ALL you need to qualify for rent allowance. You do not need any kind of letter from garda etc. best of luck.

I'm already on the housing list. The guy came up to assess the house.
The list unfortunately says that u need this letter. It's a joke really, considering my age.

The CWO won't humour me til I have a letter saying I'm in need of housing but I can't get that letter without first getting the letter from Garda/social worker.

Balagan

Just to clarify, was it the CWO or the Local Authority which asked you for a Garda or Social Worker letter outlining the exceptional circumstances preventing you from returning to live in the family home?

mitosis

OP, ask a Garda to sign a letter. Problem solved. You'll have to do better than "I don't want to" as an exceptional circumstance, though. Also, I fail to see why you think your age should preclude the hard pressed taxpayer from wanting their money well spent.

donalg1

xxxgillox wrote: »

Trust me. Get your name on the local council housing list. It takes nothing to do it. They will then give you a letter stating you have been assessed as having a housing need. Once you have this letter that is ALL you need to qualify for rent allowance. You do not need any kind of letter from garda etc. best of luck.

You can't just fill out a form and get on the housing list anymore, you need to be deemed to have an actual housing need. In the op's situation she would be deemed not to have a housing need as there is room in the family home for her. However as she is already on the list she is lucky.

Slydice

I think you better get the request for that letter in writing. It doesn't make sense. Explain that you do not understand what they want. Ask them to give you something with their signature on paper outlining what they want.

stressed out

Hi guys

I'm not sure if I'm on the actual housing list yet. Sorry. I did all the paperwork they asked for and had the local authority up to assess the house I'm in.
I think if I get this letter, then I will be on the housing list - I'm not sure how it works.

To clarify it was the Local Authority who asked for the letter not the CWO.

OP, ask a Garda to sign a letter. Problem solved. You'll have to do better than "I don't want to" as an exceptional circumstance, though. Also, I fail to see why you think your age should preclude the hard pressed taxpayer from wanting their money weel spent.

I've already stated that it was very stressful living back with my parents.
And I don't intend staying on JA or rent allowance forever. I am hoping to start my own business soon as there is no work out there.
I really don't appreciate the tone of your reply.

Yawns

I bet it's the Central Rents Unit in Dublin that the OP is applying to and not a local CWO. When I moved I was asked to provide one of the following:

copy of the Landlords mortgage agreement

copy of the Deeds to the house

solicitors letter stating who owns the house

A headed letter from estate agent who I was dealing with wasn't enough. They said I had to have 1 of the above. The only reasonable one was the solicitors letter.

stressed out

Yawns wrote: »

I bet it's the Central Rents Unit in Dublin that the OP is applying to and not a local CWO. When I moved I was asked to provide one of the following:

copy of the Landlords mortgage agreement

copy of the Deeds to the house

solicitors letter stating who owns the house

A headed letter from estate agent who I was dealing with wasn't enough. They said I had to have 1 of the above. The only reasonable one was the solicitors letter.

Hi
It's just a local borough council office I applied to, not the Dublin one.
That's a lot of stuff they asked for, BTW.
It took me about a week to get all the stuff together for the housing application.

Susie564

Yawns wrote: »

I bet it's the Central Rents Unit in Dublin that the OP is applying to and not a local CWO. When I moved I was asked to provide one of the following:

copy of the Landlords mortgage agreement

copy of the Deeds to the house

solicitors letter stating who owns the house

A headed letter from estate agent who I was dealing with wasn't enough. They said I had to have 1 of the above. The only reasonable one was the solicitors letter.

That's to provide proof of ownership of the house and it's pretty standard for rent allowance applications. Along with your completed form & lease agreement.

Graces7

When I applied to be on the council housing list, just last year, I had to get a form signed by the Gardai. It was one of many such forms; I think there was some ??re identity?? I had to show the Gardai my passport. ( This was Cork County)

There was also, and this was both for the RA and the council, a form to be got from the Revenue etc, as well as the more obvious things eg the landlord;s particulars.

I felt very self conscious going to the Gardai, but the way she handled the papers made me ask and learn that they get asked this all the time.

Please just take the paperwork to them? It will be easier than you think probably; it was for me! Good luck...They are used to this kind of request.

donalg1

I think all Local Authority housing applications have a form to be signed by the Gardai, its to make sure you dont have any criminal convictions, if you do you cant be put on the list.

stressed out

donalg1 wrote: »

I think all Local Authority housing applications have a form to be signed by the Gardai, its to make sure you dont have any criminal convictions, if you do you cant be put on the list.

Hi
I have already brought forms to the Garda and got them signed. I also had to get a commissioner for oaths to sign some stuff. I done all this about a month ago and the borough council checked that I provided all documents and then I waited for the guy to assess the house.
When this was all done, a couple of weeks later I got a letter asking me to get a letter signed by a Garda/social worker about not being able to return to the family home.

It appears that not many people on this thread have been asked for this letter. I still don't know how to go about getting the letter. I may have to ring citizens information to find out.

Edit: I just read over the posts again. Would it be sufficient for me to type out a letter stating why I cannot return to the family home and get it signed and stamped by a Garda?

donalg1

stressed out wrote: »

Hi
I have already brought forms to the Garda and got them signed. I also had to get a commissioner for oaths to sign some stuff. I done all this about a month ago and the borough council checked that I provided all documents and then I waited for the guy to assess the house.
When this was all done, a couple of weeks later I got a letter asking me to get a letter signed by a Garda/social worker about not being able to return to the family home.

It appears that not many people on this thread have been asked for this letter. I still don't know how to go about getting the letter. I may have to ring citizens information to find out.

Edit: I just read over the posts again. Would it be sufficient for me to type out a letter stating why I cannot return to the family home and get it signed and stamped by a Garda?

The LA will only house you if they deem that you have an actual housing need, which basically means that if they dont house you today you will be homeless tomorrow. So they are probably looking at your situation and thinking you have somewhere to stay in your home place therefore you dont qualify for Housing.

The reason they are getting you to get something signed by the Guards or Social Worker is because they need a reason that you cant return as in there is some legal reason why cant go back I would think.

stressed out

Hi
Thanks for all the replies

The LA will only house you if they deem that you have an actual housing need, which basically means that if they dont house you today you will be homeless tomorrow. So they are probably looking at your situation and thinking you have somewhere to stay in your home place therefore you dont qualify for Housing.

The reason they are getting you to get something signed by the Guards or Social Worker is because they need a reason that you cant return as in there is some legal reason why cant go back I would think.

Yes this makes sense.
I phoned citizens information today and they said they are really cracking down on people. In fact people who are seperated were asked could they return to the family home aswell.
I am going to my doctor to get a writing from him and hope that this is enough. I will let you know if this is sufficient as it may help someone else in the same situation.

donalg1

stressed out wrote: »

Hi
Thanks for all the replies



Yes this makes sense.
I phoned citizens information today and they said they are really cracking down on people. In fact people who are seperated were asked could they return to the family home aswell.
I am going to my doctor to get a writing from him and hope that this is enough. I will let you know if this is sufficient as it may help someone else in the same situation.

I have heard the same thing about a couple who have seperated and one goes to the LA for housing but is refused on the grounds that there is a spare room in the house they were living with their spouse. The days of anyone and everyone getting on the housing list and being housed by the LA are over by the looks of it, and rightly too imo.

ShaShaBear

I was put in the same situation, had to get a letter from the local authority in Castleblayney to say that the two-bedroom council house that my mother rented with her other two kids didn't really have enough space for another person. My CWO even went so far as to suggest I could bum on my mother's couch

Kerry3333

Hi Can u let us know if the letter from the doctor was enough for them. I was in the same situation last year. I am still deemed not in need of housing. Thanks