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Unlawful Subletting of Social Housing

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  • 30-04-2021 8:53am
    #1
    Ada101
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭


    Hi,

    I have an issue with the house I am living in, I am suspecting that the landlady is renting out a house which in reality is a social house for multiple reasons.

    She does not provide a contract and never mentioned a rent book. (I insisted to get a rent book which she could not refuse)

    Many things are broken in the house and she does not want to repair them (Oven, cooker-we are using a manual lighter at the moment). Recently the washing machine started to leak.

    She rents out the house with many people. She used to keep a bedroom for herself (I think that's just an eyewash) and now she is subletting it. The amount of money she receives from subletting this house is around €1500-€2000

    The supposedly landlady is not even Irish.

    How do I confirm that my suspicion could be correct?

    Your answers are helpful to me.

    Thank you very much
    Tagged:


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    #2
    Deeec
    Registered Users Posts: 4,766 ✭✭✭Deeec


    What do you want to achieve by finding this out?
    Of course it is wrong if she is doing this - If it is true and you want to make an issue of it you could find yourself without a place to live. My advice would be to find somewhere else to live.


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    #3
    Wabbit Ears
    Registered Users Posts: 3,043 ✭✭✭Wabbit Ears


    If you suspect welfare fraud then fill in a report on the welfare.ie website and itll be investigated. This is anonymous

    https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/secure/ReportFraud.aspx

    It seems like you'll lose out if you do that and you're right. I see no win for you bar some debatable moral victory. Anyway, hope teh above answers your question.


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    #4
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Seems like youd be better off addressing the actual issues affecting you in the tenancy first?


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    #5
    JimmyVik
    Registered Users Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭JimmyVik


    Its certainly possible. But surely a big risk to her.
    I know someone who was subletting a hotel room a couple of years ago where the council put her.
    Brazenly had it on AirBnb and told anyone coming to it that it was a private hotel room.
    She stayed in her sisters house on the nights that it was let on airbnb.


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    #6
    Xterminator
    Registered Users Posts: 4,719 ✭✭✭Xterminator


    The supposedly landlady is not even Irish.

    Ah, relevant facts.


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    #7
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,755 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    Ada101 wrote: »
    Hi,
    ....

    Many things are broken in the house and she does not want to repair them (Oven, cooker-we are using a manual lighter at the moment). Recently the washing machine started to leak.

    That is not a reason why it may be a social house.


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    #8
    Nozebleed
    Registered Users Posts: 1,727 ✭✭✭Nozebleed


    Ada101 wrote: »
    Hi,

    I have an issue with the house I am living in, I am suspecting that the landlady is renting out a house which in reality is a social house for multiple reasons.

    She does not provide a contract and never mentioned a rent book. (I insisted to get a rent book which she could not refuse)

    Many things are broken in the house and she does not want to repair them (Oven, cooker-we are using a manual lighter at the moment). Recently the washing machine started to leak.

    She rents out the house with many people. She used to keep a bedroom for herself (I think that's just an eyewash) and now she is subletting it. The amount of money she receives from subletting this house is around €1500-€2000

    The supposedly landlady is not even Irish.

    How do I confirm that my suspicion could be correct?

    Your answers are helpful to me.

    Thank you very much

    Report it to your local County council. they wont throw you out of the house...but the will investigate. they will also offer you alternative accomodation sometime down the line if your suspicion is correct. this is clearly illegal and if the landlady if guilty should be convicted of fraud..this is widespread i Ireland.


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    #9
    wench
    Registered Users Posts: 1,633 ✭✭✭wench


    Nozebleed wrote: »
    Report it to your local County council. they wont throw you out of the house...but the will investigate. they will also offer you alternative accomodation sometime down the line if your suspicion is correct. this is clearly illegal and if the landlady if guilty should be convicted of fraud..this is widespread i Ireland.
    Why would the council offer a private tenant alternative accommodation? They haven't enough for those on the housing list.


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    #10
    Caranica
    Registered Users Posts: 10,041 ✭✭✭✭Caranica


    I don't see anything in your post op that suggests it's a social house? Only that the landlord may not be declaring rental income.


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    #11
    Wesser
    Registered Users Posts: 1,813 ✭✭✭Wesser


    If she lives in the house and is doing rent a room then the max she can earn before paying tax is 14000 pa and she has to be living in the house.


    2000x 12 is 24000 so i hope she is paying tax on this.


    If she is renting out the whole house and does not live in the house then she is subject to income tax on rental income as per usual rules.

    So..... is she tax compliant?


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    #12
    Bicyclette
    Registered Users Posts: 378 ✭✭Bicyclette


    The local fire safety officer might be interested too, if there are lots of people crammed into a small house.

    You are unlikely to know or be able to find out if the landlady is tax compliant but you can contact Revenue https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/assist-us/reporting-shadow-economy-activity/reporting.aspx


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    #13
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 596 ✭ [Deleted User]


    No matter who you complain to OP, you’ll find yourself without somewhere to live in jig time. Have you considered this?


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    #14
    Yellow_Fern
    Registered Users Posts: 2,582 ✭✭✭Yellow_Fern


    Jeremy Beagle wrote: »
    No matter who you complain to OP, you’ll find yourself without somewhere to live in jig time. Have you considered this?

    It is more important that abuse of social housing is stopped. I presume there is no abuse here and there will be no problems for the tenant.


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    #15
    EddieN75
    Closed Accounts Posts: 467 ✭✭EddieN75


    <MOD SNIP>

    MOD NOTE

    Please don't suggest anything illegal.


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    #16
    Paulzx
    Registered Users Posts: 1,968 ✭✭✭Paulzx


    Bicyclette wrote: »
    The local fire safety officer might be interested too, if there are lots of people crammed into a small house.

    If it's a single dwelling the Fire Safety officer will have no remit to either inspect or take action. The legislation specifically omits single dwellings


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    #17
    Ada101
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭Ada101


    Thanks a lot.


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    #18
    TSQ
    Registered Users Posts: 283 ✭✭TSQ


    Paulzx wrote: »
    If it's a single dwelling the Fire Safety officer will have no remit to either inspect or take action. The legislation specifically omits single dwellings

    I don't think you are correct. The fire officer can inspect a dwelling where rooms are being let individually. I know of a situation where a single family home was being rented per bed space to various people. A complaint was made to the local authority and the only way they could deal with it under legislation available to them was by sending round the fire officer. Incredibly, there was no other enforcement route available to them, despite the obvious overcrowding and apparent change of use from private home to essentially a guest house or hostel.


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