regarding free social houses

arcius · 08-01-2015 2:27pm #1

Hi guys.
My friends family of three got some problem. They are couple with their 2 years old son. They live in apartment in Co. Kildare since two and half years ago. They do get rent supplement. Recently they were told that the apartment they live in is up for sale and they have to leave within three months. Since month ago they been looking anything where the rent supplement is accepted but there is nothing out there for the amount within the rent supplement limits. Kildare county housing department said they have nothing and the waiting list is huge. Does anybody knows if there are any empty social houses anywhere in Ireland in any county? If so can that family simply apply for housing in that county although they do live in county Kildare? They are ok to move anywhere in Ireland. What if they will not find anything? Hopefully they won't be another family on the street?

Gatling · 08-01-2015 8:04pm

No it doesn't work like that you get housed based on your circumstances and time on the lists .
There are plenty on empty social housing properties around but they go to who's top of the list .
There's currently an 8+ year wait to be housed

arcius · 09-01-2015 2:34am

So is this the case that if they don't find anything they'll become homeless and will have to go on the street although they informed all institutions two months in advance about their situation? I know there is an 8+ year waiting list in some counties, but not in all. I heard on the radio some time ago, that there are empty houses waiting to be occupied somewhere in the country but people just don't want to move from around major cities. So here is the family who are willing to move anywhere in Ireland just to have the roof over their heads. Or, as they say, over their son's head.. Just interesting if there is any county with social houses available to move in now.

fussyonion · 09-01-2015 11:19pm

Just because there are empty house lying idle doesn't mean your friend can just take one.

Your friend will have to wait for however long it takes to reach the top of the list and then he/she will be offered a house.

Until then, there is nothing he/she can do except look around for properties where a Landlord will accept Rent Allowance, or perhaps think about the RAS scheme.

It annoys me that people can just have children and immediately feel entitled to be housed.

arcius · 09-01-2015 11:40pm

fussyonion wrote: »

Just because there are empty house lying idle doesn't mean your friend can just take one.

Your friend will have to wait for however long it takes to reach the top of the list and then he/she will be offered a house.

Until then, there is nothing he/she can do except look around for properties where a Landlord will accept Rent Allowance, or perhaps think about the RAS scheme.

It annoys me that people can just have children and immediately feel entitled to be housed.

Don't be annoyed - it is bad for blood pressure. Who said they feel entitled??? They worked for more than 12 years and got unemployed just year ago. They are in the position same as a lot families are at the moment are. They got on housing list way before their child was born so it is nothing to deal with the child. They got on that list because they were assessed by local authority as in need of social housing. Because they are on the housing list they automatically are on RAS scheme waiting list (this is what council people said). And the question wasn't about entitlements, the question was are there any areas where accommodation is available as heard on the radio and if so is there a possibility to get that accommodation in their case. If you re annoyed please do not comment, just keep your anger for your self and people around you. Here I just wanted to ask if people know anything about available accommodation and not to read nothing meaning messages

taytobreath · 09-01-2015 11:44pm

do they know their local councillor/politician, they could help

arcius · 09-01-2015 11:51pm

taytobreath wrote: »

do they know their local councillor/politician, they could help

Thank you for that. I will suggest this to them.

fussyonion · 09-01-2015 11:58pm

You're getting more worked up than me darling!
If she's on the RAS waiting list, she can kiss goodbye to ever being offered a council home because it's EITHER RAS scheme OR council house.

Sorry for trying to advise you.

arcius · 10-01-2015 12:43am

fussyonion wrote: »

You're getting more worked up than me darling!
If she's on the RAS waiting list, she can kiss goodbye to ever being offered a council home because it's EITHER RAS scheme OR council house.

Sorry for trying to advise you.

I do appreciate every advice so thank you for the one you gave. They didn't apply for ras but the council said they are automatically on ras waiting list if they are on housing waiting list and they will get what becomes available first (RAS or Social House). This is how the system is now but I presume it depends from council to council.

fussyonion · 10-01-2015 12:46am

arcius wrote: »

I do appreciate every advice so thank you for the one you gave. They didn't apply for ras but the council said they are automatically on ras waiting list if they are on housing waiting list and they will get what becomes available first (RAS or Social House). This is how the system is now but I presume it depends from council to council.

If they end up on RAS, they'll have a long-term lease with a Landlord (from 4 years to 20) but I know with South Dublin County Council, for example, you are definitely removed from the Housing List.

Obviously your friend would prefer the Council house, so for her sake, I hope the Council home comes first.
Good luck anyway.

arcius · 10-01-2015 12:58am

fussyonion wrote: »

If they end up on RAS, they'll have a long-term lease with a Landlord (from 4 years to 20) but I know with South Dublin County Council, for example, you are definitely removed from the Housing List.

Obviously your friend would prefer the Council house, so for her sake, I hope the Council home comes first.
Good luck anyway.

I believe they just want the roof over their heads. And it doesn't matter if it is any scheme or just landlord who accepts rent supplement. And I do know they will be removed from housing list if they get RAS and vice versa

But it doesn't matter - they just don't wan't to end up on the street...
I started this thread just because I heard on the radio recently that there are empty houses available in the country but nobody wants to move from major cities and surrounding areas. Thank you for your opinion

SMJSF · 10-01-2015 1:40am

also, the rent allowance numbers change for every area/county. Rent prices are at least E200+ higher than they are allowed to go on RA.
they wouldn't be put on to the street.
if worst comes, tell them to find somewhere (friends or family home if possible, it's cheaper than a storage unit) to store there furniture and anything they can live a while without, and get a b&b, I know it's not ideal, but situations do come to that.... But not a hostel, it's not a good place for kids to be in!

arcius · 10-01-2015 4:19pm

SMJSF wrote: »

also, the rent allowance numbers change for every area/county. Rent prices are at least E200+ higher than they are allowed to go on RA.
they wouldn't be put on to the street.
if worst comes, tell them to find somewhere (friends or family home if possible, it's cheaper than a storage unit) to store there furniture and anything they can live a while without, and get a b&b, I know it's not ideal, but situations do come to that.... But not a hostel, it's not a good place for kids to be in!

Thank you for your advice.

snubbleste · 10-01-2015 6:01pm

I assume you are harping on about
http://www.ruralresettlement.com/

arcius · 10-01-2015 6:22pm

snubbleste wrote: »

I assume you are harping on about
http://www.ruralresettlement.com/

Thank you for the link. Never heard about this program.

yipeeeee · 10-01-2015 6:28pm

You say they became unemployed a year ago but applied for social housing long before this.

If both were working why the need to apply.

Something doesn't add up here or maybe I took it up wrong.

arcius · 10-01-2015 6:43pm

yipeeeee wrote: »

You say they became unemployed a year ago but applied for social housing long before this.

If both were working why the need to apply.

Something doesn't add up here or maybe I took it up wrong.

They got advice long time ago to apply for social housing even though they were both working. So they did apply and they were assessed as in need of social house. Don't ask me how come, because I don't know. He had full time job fur sure and she was working trough the agency. Probably their income was not big. Anyway, there is no point for me to lie. They are where they are now and the question is about the near future

Anyway, thank you for your opinion.

Grab All Association · 11-01-2015 5:30pm

arcius wrote: »

So is this the case that if they don't find anything they'll become homeless and will have to go on the street although they informed all institutions two months in advance about their situation? I know there is an 8+ year waiting list in some counties, but not in all. I heard on the radio some time ago, that there are empty houses waiting to be occupied somewhere in the country but people just don't want to move from around major cities. So here is the family who are willing to move anywhere in Ireland just to have the roof over their heads. Or, as they say, over their son's head.. Just interesting if there is any county with social houses available to move in now.

The rules changed in 2011. You can be on only one county council waiting list and must have a connection to the area your applying

bobmalooka · 12-01-2015 2:46am

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

On that link you will find a list of the rent supplement limits in every county in ireland. I suggest looking on daft.ie selecting a county and setting the maximum rent to the limit for that county, I would think the best counties to check would be in the Midlands, West and border counties where demand is lower.

mrsbyrne · 12-01-2015 5:48pm

bobmalooka wrote: »

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

On that link you will find a list of the rent supplement limits in every county in ireland. I suggest looking on daft.ie selecting a county and setting the maximum rent to the limit for that county, I would think the best counties to check would be in the Midlands, West and border counties where demand is lower.

See the post above this one re needing a connection with a county

regarding free social houses

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