How does social housing work ?

drogon.

I own my own house and thankful/gratefully have a good job to go with it.. However within my circle of friends who all would be in similar situation as myself, were talking last night as if getting a social house is some sort of lottery that a person wins and gets to keep for their life, is this true - can someone explains how it works ?

One experience I have is as follows, I know a work colleague who used to live in the UK and then moved back home during the last recession. He managed to get a council house when he returned, the guy went to college worked hard and managed to get into IT. He would easily be earning 70K+, has a nice Merc.. Yet lives in the council house, says he doesn't want to move as the rent is cheap. Surely cases like this, should be re-assessment every few years ? He should be told to move on from the council house ?

Mrs OBumble

You're right, there should be regular reassessment.

But under the current rules, there isn't. The house is his for life, so long as he keeps paying the rent and doesn't do any antisocial behaviour.

The argument is that keeping people like him there raises the social capital of the neighbourhood.

gmisk

I thought the amount people pay in rent to the council based on what they earn? So if person making more they pay more? Obviously this would be a lot lower than market rent still, but I think bigger issue is people sitting in council houses some in massive arrears and a chunk with no intention of ever working a day in their life, despite being more than able too.

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121900540#Comment_121900540

Correct, but some Councils have a maximum rent charge, Kerry:

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121900502#Comment_121900502

I hadnt realised this. I thought once you earned over the income limit for social housing you would be obliged to move on.

Although that situation helps create a mixed development from a socio-economic pov, its very unfair on middle income earners who earn too much to qualify for social housing, yet dont earn enough to rent privately.

They are stuck at home in mom's house whilst a colleague who earns more than they do, but accessed social housing previously, is in a govt home & paying minimal rent for life.

csirl

There's no follow up or reassessment after the initial application. Completely reliant on the honour system. I know a famly who got a council house even though they owned a house. House was one purchased by the council in a nice area, so they took it as it waa in a nicer area to their own house - which they then rented out. Owned house had been inherited from an elderly relative.

Jizique

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121900674#Comment_121900674

Absolute farce of a system

drogon.

I guess I have couple more questions,

• About a year ago, another guy I knew (through a friend) got a new built apartment. He had to put carpets and floors himself, I remember he was whinging for having to do it. Is this really the case ? assuming folks may demand basic stuff like that be put in already
• Can you pass on a social house to your kids or the minute the person dies it goes back to the council ?
• 
  

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121900868#Comment_121900868

You get the basic shell, it is up to you to furnish it.

Yes, tenancy can be passed on if they are on the tenancy agreement for X years, need and qualify for social housing in own right, otherwise it reverts to Council

ted1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121900540#Comment_121900540

15% of Income. It with a max cap.

many don’t ever bother paying it as the council don’t enforce it and are owed millions in Arrears

circular flexing

How much housing is provided by local authorities anymore? Would have thought most of the new stock is sourced through housing associations like Tuath who have different rules to local authorities.

Luxembourgo

What an absolute joke of a system, no wonder there is so much entitlement out there.

With the cost of houses surely investment into making the a more efficient and fair system is warranted

ToweringPerformance

We are in a social house and pay rent based on our three wages will be 4 next assessment as my youngest is now working. Very good system and a great mix of people in the area part social/part affordable/part private.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121907781#Comment_121907781

Their rules are very similar, and their rents are exactly the same for "social housing", which is the major part of what they do.

Thespoofer

Blood pressure starting to rise...

chiefwiggum

I know someone, and this is 100% true, who bought a nice apartment in Galway. Rented it out and applied for a council house in their home County and got it!. Was about 20 yrs ago. Told council she owned no property.

fergiesfolly

I know people on the housing list in Galway for nearly a decade. Is it much shorter in other counties?

My own daughter was advised by someone working for the council to apply for a house when she turned 18 and she'd get one before she turned 30. I was disgusted with that attitude. I told her she'd better have more ambition than that!

phormium

A relative now in his late 60s got a one bed council property couple of years ago after about 12 yrs on list, was in private rented accomodation until then under the housing scheme. Came unfurnished, it was old and needed redecoration which he had to do at his own cost, got a grant of about 1k alright to do it but it cost a good bit more than that, there was literally nothing in there no floorcoverings/white goods etc.

Another woman I know has recently got a lovely new house in a recent social scheme, on list about 12 yrs also with 2 children.

I don't think you get them in any way quickly unless pure luck and no one else wants that particular property for some reason!

Idbatterim

Makes total sense apply when you are 18. Savings could easily be over a million euro. They are giving out free housing that would cost e500 or 600k on a mortgage, what's the interest on that over 30 years? No lpt, no management fee , no maintenance..easily a million euro and that would be after tax....

zell12

Waiting lists vary 7 months in Leitrim, to 15 years in Kerry, 16 years in Donegal, 18 years - 20 years in DLR

rob316

Previously lived in a council house for 15 years, at last count I was paying about 160 per week for a 2 bed so never heard of a max rent. Still markedly cheaper than private rent but not free by any means. Yes you could not work and pay 20 quid a week but there wasn't any non working family in my block.

Should you get a lifetime tenancy? No probably not.

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121908881#Comment_121908881

T'would be €70pw or less in the Kingdom https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121900627/#Comment_121900627

rob316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121900502#Comment_121900502

And that's a good system, someone with a household income of 100k is paying for more than someone on welfare. The whole point of the part 5 planning in all estates now is that their is a good social mix. No longer creating disadvantaged areas full of crime.

I have no idea why anyone would continue to rent from the council if your household is bringing in 80-100k, if you can buy the house, given you'll be getting 40% off the market price, the mortgage would be cheaper.

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121909037#Comment_121909037

100k for a couple (both working) with kids isnt that much. Its only slightly above average wage.

You would struggle to buy on that salary in average areas in Dublin.

Mixed developments are good, i agree. But the issue at the moment is the councils are renting/buying homes in new developments, on top of the part 5 allocation.

Meaning that ofen, very few of the new homes are available to the private market.

So again, the squeezed middle get squeezed out as they dont qualify for social housing and cant afford the private rent.

The councils should be delivering a lot more cost rental and afforable homes, not just social homes for those on no and low incomes.

The nurses and teachers who emigrate because they cant afford a home should be catered for through affordable and cost rental homes, at scale.

Geuze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121900649#Comment_121900649

It is a lifetime tenancy.

There is a TD in social housing.

BagofWeed

In the age of neo liberalism in Ireland unless you are going to be a highly paid person than you don't have much of a chance of having a good disposable income while paying mortgage /renting so social housing list is the way to go. Folk on the continent don't look down on social housing the way so many Irish do.

Know plenty of people with good jobs in social housing as they went on the lists young while I also know plenty of folk who work just as hard living at home with their parents, the same ones that laughed at some of the other lads for going on the list all those years back.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121908777#Comment_121908777

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121910401#Comment_121910401

A couple earning an average salary dont qualify for social housing in ireland.

They earn too much.

So its not an option for average salaried folks, never mind the well paid.

Sonic the Shaghog

Being honest it's easy say reassess and move them on if it's over a certain amount but in the current housing climate all that would do is incentivse people not to better themselves.

Let's say you've a cap of 40k, go over it, you need to move to the private market. Who would bother taking a job or promotion up to even 60k in this climate unless your partner someone got bumped to similar. You are back into a rental market where you are getting ripped off and could be turfed out anytime and end up moving up to 30 to 60 mins away to your next rental.

Then add kids to the mix. Let's say they grow up in area go to school there, have their friends etc and then overnight the council essentially kicks your family out and you end up in a new school, maybe 30 mins or more away in a new area cause it's the only rental your parents can afford as they are both just over the cap.

Then you've the lovely possibilities of getting moved on, then you get sick or laid off and once again qualify for social housing and get it, only to be possibly moved on again if you get back to work? What happens in cases for a large chunk of the population who might earn just over the cap but never will manage to anywhere near a mortgage and then need social housing again when they retire?

Ya I know there a lot of piss takers out there, especially the career dole merchants but I'd rather leave a person/family who bettered themselves and is working hard in a house then get into a quagmire like the above due to jealous whingers.

BagofWeed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121910957#Comment_121910957

Don't apply as a couple. A partner may move in after the tenant gets accommodation and the council will adjust the rent then based on both incomes. You have to use you head, being honest will never get you anywhere these days.

3DataModem

I recall a friend of mine moving back in with his dad before he died for a few years (or "moving my bills and stuff") so he could keep the council house after his dad died. :shrug:

purplepanda

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121908196#Comment_121908196

The above case is certainly fraud. The evidence is still available for that person to lose that flat & be liable for financial compensation & substantial costs to the council.

Nowadays the councils & housing associations will have easy access to mortgage registers & housing ownership. I know a lad that let his sister with husband & kid live in his council flat. He had married & bought a house with wife & kids 35 miles away.

Eventually after 10 years plus the council decided to take the flat back. Sister husband & kid had to move out, the local MP even tried to get the tenancy changed to the sisters name The lad & his sisters family had good connections, as the father was former prominent trades union official. Even so the Council refused & sister & family had to go into temporary accommodation. Years ago the brown envelope to a local councillor would have done the trick.