Getting help with council housing from councillors

faber11

Just wondering if anyone might have any idea about whether approaching local councillors, TDs etc for help when applying for council housing actually works? I'm on Disability Allowance and I've been on the housing list in Cork city for 7 years as a single person. I apply for housing on the CBL website every week. Is there anything i can do to help my case?

Fann Linn

Back in the early 90's when CoCo housing wasn't in such high demand, I went to Sean Ardagh in Dublin and within a month I had 3 viewings arranged for Inchicore in Dublin and two in Tallaght.

With coco housing now like golddust, I'd say there would be murder if any politician was seen to be moving people up the ladder.

You could of course ask on the qt!

splinter65

faber11 wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone might have any idea about whether approaching local councillors, TDs etc for help when applying for council housing actually works? I'm on Disability Allowance and I've been on the housing list in Cork city for 7 years as a single person. I apply for housing on the CBL website every week. Is there anything i can do to help my case?

Is the accommodation you are in right now exacerbating your Disability?

faber11

No, but the landlady wants to take back the apt over the next few months...

splinter65

faber11 wrote: »

No, but the landlady wants to take back the apt over the next few months...

You need to find somewhere else to live then. I assume your getting rent supplement or HAP?

faber11

I'm on the Hap scheme...

January

No, it doesn't help.

wifey28

20 years ago it did help, because social housing was plentyful and there wasnt as many people on the lists.
However now you could have every td in your area write a letter and it wont do squat.
About 3years ago now ,y family and I were facing homelessness, rents rising all around us and hubby was let go from his job and the rent allowance we were givien (was wrongly calc'd at the time and had us paying out of 360 jsb a week over 160 on rent alone which left us after bills with about 50 euro a week to feed a family of 4 and put petrol in the car to take the kids to school which was 25km one way away)
I went to 3 prominent TD's and they all agreed to write leted explaining our circumstances to the council but all mad us fully aware that being realistic their letters had no weight at all these days as everyone goes to their local td after being on the list a year or so. And there are so many people that are in the exact same situation their just arent houses for these people.

And its even harder to get houses in some areas as a single person as small houses and apts just arent being built, most councils are building 3-4 bed homes to house families.

We were informed the wait on the south side of cork city rght now for a family is upwards of 15 years!


The only sure fire way to get a house these days is to get a terminal illness and apply for medical priority on the list and then youd prob get housed within 2-3 years. (if you live that long)
(I speak from experience on this one as I was diagnosed with cancer about 18 months ago and applied for medical priority on this basis, as with cancer i can now not get health or life insurance so will never be able to get a mortgage based on this. We got lucky the lady pulled 8 houses from the cbl list as the last she was giving out in the area and we got housed 6 months after my diagnosis)

splinter65

faber11 wrote: »

I'm on the Hap scheme...

Your landlady has to give you proper notice to vacate as per RTB regulations.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/renting_a_home/if_your_landlord_wants_you_to_leave.html

When you accepted the HAP scheme did you write to them and tell them that you wanted to be considered as in need of housing?
If you didn’t then they consider you to be housed and your no longer on the list.

myshirt

January wrote: »

No, it doesn't help.

+ 1 million.

If anything op, it makes the council more resolute and can push you down as they dig their heels in and say they will stand by the rules.

Sienna5050

splinter65 wrote: »

Is the accommodation you are in right now exacerbating your Disability?

Does it make a difference if it does make your disability worse,im in social housing and put in for a transfer last July and getting nowhere,and i know of several long term properties lying empty a long time ,up to a year ,and totaly suitable for my needs etc.....so hard to keep going ,and its not in the city areas of high demand.

Gatling

Sienna5050 wrote: »

I know of several long term properties lying empty a long time ,up to a year ,and totaly suitable for my needs etc.....so hard to keep going ,and its not in the city areas of high demand.

But the problem is just because you think that they suit your needs ,there is likely hundreds or thousands of othes who it suits too ,
Depending on time on the list and priority you just have to bide your time ,

zell12

Labour says they'll get you a housing solution if you go to a Labour member.
https://clyp.it/0x2dvrqx

Don't know if it is true or not.

Sienna5050

Gatling wrote: »

But the problem is just because you think that they suit your needs ,there is likely hundreds or thousands of othes who it suits too ,
Depending on time on the list and priority you just have to bide your time ,

Yes i understand this,im in for transfer on medical grounds ,fully supported by doctors and consultant and it is seriously impacting my dissability where i currently live,on an amost daily basis,Also the lists in my area arent like Dublin,and my area of choice is a small village ,and empty places and new ones currently being built near completion,and id be giving up a larger place to move to smaller.just frustrating.
Sorry OP for hi-jacking your thread.

wifey28

Sienna5050 wrote: »

Yes i understand this,im in for transfer on medical grounds ,fully supported by doctors and consultant and it is seriously impacting my dissability where i currently live,on an amost daily basis,Also the lists in my area arent like Dublin,and my area of choice is a small village ,and empty places and new ones currently being built near completion,and id be giving up a larger place to move to smaller.just frustrating.
Sorry OP for hi-jacking your thread.

There was a story on redfm a few months ago of an elderly man living in a 4 bed i believe on corks north side, he applied for a transfer to a smaller home in 1998! 20 years awaiting a transfer when he could see smaller houses all around him empty.
It took for him to go on the radio to get a xfer! And what actually happened was when he got home a man wasstanding on his doorstep. He was a father of 4 living in a 2 bed jsut round the corner awaiting a bigger house over 10 years!
They both walked into the council and a week later both were living in each others houses. Yet in the 10-20 years both were looking for an xfer the council could not do this for them!

Sienna5050

wifey28 wrote: »

There was a story on redfm a few months ago of an elderly man living in a 4 bed i believe on corks north side, he applied for a transfer to a smaller home in 1998! 20 years awaiting a transfer when he could see smaller houses all around him empty.
It took for him to go on the radio to get a xfer! And what actually happened was when he got home a man wasstanding on his doorstep. He was a father of 4 living in a 2 bed jsut round the corner awaiting a bigger house over 10 years!
They both walked into the council and a week later both were living in each others houses. Yet in the 10-20 years both were looking for an xfer the council could not do this for them!

Thats just shocking.

splinter65

Sienna5050 wrote: »

Does it make a difference if it does make your disability worse,im in social housing and put in for a transfer last July and getting nowhere,and i know of several long term properties lying empty a long time ,up to a year ,and totaly suitable for my needs etc.....so hard to keep going ,and its not in the city areas of high demand.

Did you put in for a transfer based on evidence that your health had deteriorated and your home was no longer suitable?

Sienna5050

splinter65 wrote: »

Did you put in for a transfer based on evidence that your health had deteriorated and your home was no longer suitable?

Yes fully supported by my doctor and consultants ,with letters from them and me and how and why etc its affecting me,dont want to disclose the illness on here,but its got worse because of my current living conditions,and is affecting me daily.

Gatling

Sienna5050 wrote: »

Yes fully supported by my doctor and consultants ,with letters from them and me and how and why etc its affecting me,dont want to disclose the illness on here,but its got worse because of my current living conditions,and is affecting me daily.

Are you on the list long

Sienna5050

Gatling wrote: »

Are you on the list long

Im on transfer list since last July,currently in social housing.