HAP scheme: Can the landlord refuse? And other questions..

4fvw6lcprxeoyq

So I got the HAP-Pack in the door today and I'm wondering what happens if my landlord doesn't want to go along with it?

Also, what happens if the house doesn't pass their QA inspection? The house is fairly old and mightn't have/pass the BER, but I'm quite happy here as the rent is low, there's not many houses in the area for rent, and it's got plenty of rooms and garden space. I'd prefer it to a warm bedsit any day...
Will the council refuse the HAP payments to the landlord if they're not happy with the house?

3rd Question: What's the 'catch' with the HAP scheme? When the government introduce a new scheme they usually have an ulterior motive, like with the TUS scheme where they pretend the dole numbers are lower than they really are, etc..

I can't see how it benefits anyone, tenant, landlord or the government...

pilly

It benefits the government because you come off the housing list.

It benefits the tenant by paying your rent.

It doesn't benefit the LL in any way. That's the reason a lot of LL's won't go with it. All red tape and bull****.

How are you paying the rent at the moment? If it's RA then I'd do everything you can to stay that way.

I'm not sure what would happen if the house doesn't pass inspection. I'd imagine the LL gets a letter out etc., if the LL is not willing to invest to get the house up to standard then it's bye bye for you I'm afraid.

It's such a shame really especially for people like you who are perfectly happy where they're living.

crossmolinalad

How are you paying the rent at the moment? If it's RA then I'd do everything you can to stay that way

no that's the end of the game
They stopped with RA
Everyone goes on hap and HAP pays a part of the rent straight to the landlord

I'm in the same situation and landlord didn't go with hap
he had to renovate the whole house to the latest standards and he wont and told me I can get plenty others who are willing accept and pay a low rent for a house like this one so I do not get anything from hap

Other thing was landlord told me I have contracts with you so I want the rent from you in full and not from other parties
If you not pay up I knock on your door if they wont pay I never get the money from them

4fvw6lcprxeoyq

pilly wrote: »

It benefits the government because you come off the housing list.

It benefits the tenant by paying your rent.

It doesn't benefit the LL in any way. That's the reason a lot of LL's won't go with it. All red tape and bull****.

How are you paying the rent at the moment? If it's RA then I'd do everything you can to stay that way.

I'm not sure what would happen if the house doesn't pass inspection. I'd imagine the LL gets a letter out etc., if the LL is not willing to invest to get the house up to standard then it's bye bye for you I'm afraid.

It's such a shame really especially for people like you who are perfectly happy where they're living.

Ah right, thanks for the info. Yea, I'm on RA at the moment.

I find it strange that I received this today when the CBL goes live tomorrow. I only got the login details, etc, for CBL a few days ago.

From the CBL website: "If you are an applicant on the Social Housing Support waiting list, you can still apply for HAP. Please note that HAP is a social housing support. If you are housed under HAP you are adequately housed but may submit a transfer application request for consideration."

This suggests that I have an option when applying for HAP but the application form states that I MUST return the application.. Suppose I'll email them and see if I can get away without returning the form.

It seems a bit odd: The two schemes seem to be conflicting as they state that you'd have to "submit a transfer application request for consideration" to get back on to the CBL scheme, or maybe the transfer is just to choose a house on the CBL while on the HAP. Or else they're just trying to confuse everyone!

pilly

Alora Deep Sourdough wrote: »

Ah right, thanks for the info. Yea, I'm on RA at the moment.

I find it strange that I received this today when the CBL goes live tomorrow. I only got the login details, etc, for CBL a few days ago.

From the CBL website: "If you are an applicant on the Social Housing Support waiting list, you can still apply for HAP. Please note that HAP is a social housing support. If you are housed under HAP you are adequately housed but may submit a transfer application request for consideration."

This suggests that I have an option when applying for HAP but the application form states that I MUST return the application.. Suppose I'll email them and see if I can get away without returning the form.

It seems a bit odd: The two schemes seem to be conflicting as they state that you'd have to "submit a transfer application request for consideration" to get back on to the CBL scheme, or maybe the transfer is just to choose a house on the CBL while on the HAP. Or else they're just trying to confuse everyone!

I don't really know what CBL is but my feeling on it there trying to meet long term needs in the private market which is what has caused the current crisis we have at the moment.

It's a crap situation for you to put in though when you're perfectly happy where you are and your getting the RA quite happily.

Don't know what else to advice except try to avoid it as long as you can.

4fvw6lcprxeoyq

crossmolinalad wrote: »

no that's the end of the game
They stopped with RA
Everyone goes on hap and HAP pays a part of the rent straight to the landlord

I'm in the same situation and landlord didn't go with hap
he had to renovate the whole house to the latest standards and he wont and told me I can get plenty others who are willing accept and pay a low rent for a house like this one so I do not get anything from hap

Other thing was landlord told me I have contracts with you so I want the rent from you in full and not from other parties
If you not pay up I knock on your door if they wont pay I never get the money from them

Sounds like you're in a similar kind of house/situation to me then.

That's a bit worrying.
If they're forcing everyone on to HAP (which it seems like) then they're forcing people to move into 'better' accommodation and giving them less choice of what kind of houses they can rent.

pilly

Alora Deep Sourdough wrote: »

Sounds like you're in a similar kind of house/situation to me then.

That's a bit worrying.
If they're forcing everyone on to HAP (which it seems like) then they're forcing people to move into 'better' accommodation and giving them less choice of what kind of houses they can rent.

And they're not realising that there isn't the availability out there of all this "better" accommodation.

4fvw6lcprxeoyq

pilly wrote: »

I don't really know what CBL is but my feeling on it there trying to meet long term needs in the private market which is what has caused the current crisis we have at the moment.

It's a crap situation for you to put in though when you're perfectly happy where you are and your getting the RA quite happily.

Don't know what else to advice except try to avoid it as long as you can.

I think the CBL are council houses (but I'm not certain) that they 'advertise' so that it's easier to pick suitable accommodation for yourself, instead of the council deciding for you.

4fvw6lcprxeoyq

Also, it might be a way for them to pretend they're providing housing, when the council can't actually afford to buy or build any houses. So they're passing the buck to the landlords and forcing them to up their standards.

I don't think they really know what they're doing to be honest, they're trying out different schemes every year or two. The RAS went by so quickly I didn't even get a chance to apply for it!

crossmolinalad

HAP is now operational in many housing authorities. Find out where HAP is in operation. It is expected to be rolled out to remaining housing authorities by early 2017. Different rules apply for Rent Supplement depending on whether you live in a HAP area or in an area where HAP is not yet in operation. See ‘Rules’ below for details.
Under the HAP process, people assessed by a local authority as having a housing need will apply for housing support under HAP rather than Rent Supplement

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Rent-Supplement.aspx

rent supplement will be faced out and HAP will become the norm and rent for HAP client will be paid straight to the landlord
That's what they told me 4 months ago

Gatling

CBL = choiced based lettings .

It's a council programme where your given a pin to access a secure website advertising council houses and apartments that your eligible through need ,ie single people with no kids one bed properties ,2 bed for those with one or two kids and 3 beds for families with boys and girls ,
They advertise on Friday through to Tuesday you can select one or several properties your interested in and apply for them ,
Depending on time on the list and need you could be considered for one of choices,
Council and other housing bodies can advise properties.


To answer the OP yes landlords can and do refuse Hap and yes the property must meet certain criteria to be accepted on the scheme

GGTrek

Absurd bureaucratic scheme, guaranteed to cost the landlord a fortune in time and money due to overzealous council inspectors and stopping of payments for various reasons:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/hap_landlord_booklet_english_v4_2016.pdf

the_syco

GGTrek wrote: »

Absurd bureaucratic scheme, guaranteed to cost the landlord a fortune in time and money due to overzealous council inspectors and stopping of payments for various reasons:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/hap_landlord_booklet_english_v4_2016.pdf

More like; absurd bureaucratic scheme, guaranteed to increase homelessness as LL's will probably opt to sell the house rather than input money into updating it.