Council Waiting List

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123194008#Comment_123194008

Yes, an interesting set up. It seems once you qualify for HAP, you could earn 200k per year and still not have to pay market rent. Very odd altogether.

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123192624#Comment_123192624

No need to apologise, you dont make the rules and you have done well to better yourself for sure.

Skweefie

I appreciate that. I'm proud of myself. My son has a brighter future now and thats what I was aiming for.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123196083#Comment_123196083

lcstress2012

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123188775#Comment_123188775

so will you be paying rent or mortgage?

Skweefie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123196539#Comment_123196539

I will never own the asset. It belongs to the housing agency. I have been facilitated with a rent agreement.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123196077#Comment_123196077

Until this thread, I hadn't realised the impact of HAP: it may not give you a forevva-home, but taking a HAP property effective means you are housed for life, no matter how your circumstances change.

Whereas if you didn't take the HAP property, your income would be assessed at the time you were offered a social house.

Someone on 200k gets about 110k after tax, so would pay about 1100 per month in differential rent. In some parts of the country, that would be more than market rent, in others (esp Dublin) it would be less.

Of course the type of property may vary: it would be best to get into a council or agency owned property while your kids are still at home, because after they have gone, you would only be eligible for a1 bed. 1100 could be very expensive for some council-owned 1 beds!

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123196614#Comment_123196614

No, but you could get a mortgage on a different property I would have thought. No rules around not being able to that whilst on HAP i dont think? BTL mortgage for example, maybe in a cheaper area.

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123196641#Comment_123196641

Depends where you live, as you say. Plenty of council owned properties in Dublin are well over 1100 a month, inc 1 or 2 bed apartments.

Remember that the councils and AHBs activley buy up new apartments in high quality developments and in nice areas.

Skweefie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123196722#Comment_123196722

My understanding of BTL mortgages is that they are for investors who want to rent out the property and not live there. But you have a point in that I dont think there is any restriction on a person on HAP applying for a mortgage either. I've only 13 years left before I retire so I dont think it can work for my circumstances but it might for others that have a few more years left in their career.

thesandeman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123196641#Comment_123196641

There is a cap though. Galway CoCo is about €127 per week. Not sure about the city but I think it's less than €150.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123197163#Comment_123197163

It seems councils can have different rules on caps.

Fingal explicitly say the day is 40/week on subsequent earners, but don't list a cap for the principal earner.

lcstress2012

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123196614#Comment_123196614

so when you hit retirement age you’ll still be paying rent till you die? That’s ridiculous? You’d be better off saving as much as you can and get a mortgage.

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123197163#Comment_123197163

Once you qualify for HAP, there is no income limit. You have to pay a percentage of your after tax salary towards the rent, but even if your salary goes up tp 200k a year, you still qualify for HAP.

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123198561#Comment_123198561

There are other benefits to covet this. Anyone renting privately is highly unlikely to be able to pay their current rent when they retire.

Its why renting long term in this country isnt a good idea.

thesandeman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123198592#Comment_123198592

Yeah, I know. I'm saying there is a cap on the rent charged if you get a LA property.

Skweefie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123198561#Comment_123198561

I only have 13 years left in the workforce so I dont have time for a mortgage.

easyvision

sorry to hijack the thread but does anyone know DLRCC weekly cap on rent % or upper weekly limit for single person? Thanks

j2606

Hi all, I don't want to start a separate thread so thought best to throw this one in here.

My situation is this, we own a property which we rent out to a family on HAP in the DLR CC area. We rent another property ourselves from a private landlord in SDCC area. Our landlord has given notice that she intends to sell up (nothing in writing, just a verbal heads up).

My parents have a 3 bed council house in SDCC. Is there anything in the above that would preclude me moving my family.in with my parents and becoming additional tenants? We would be thinking it's a short term basis but as my parents get older it could well become more permanent.

Any advice appreciated.

Ezeoul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123260847#Comment_123260847

As you own a property you do not qualify to be added to the tenancy of your parents' house by the local authority. You would also need to be eligible under all the other eligibility criteria (income, family size etc).

Your parents can apply to add you to the tenancy list (a list of occupants) but this can also be refused, and even if it was accepted, it still does not make you a joint tenant.

Either way, your parents would need to advise the local authority if you did move in, as your family income will be means for rental assessment purposes.

j2606

Thanks Ezeoul. If I sold my property and had a lump sum in my bank account, would that be a blocker or is it just income that's considered? My brother and his family had been living with my parents until they purchased a home so I am aware of the requirements to inform the authority and provide the relevant information.

Lastly is that information you shared available online? Eligibility criteria is quite scarce from the research I've done.

Ezeoul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123261843#Comment_123261843

The criteria includes a condition about being in genuine need and being able to provide a home from your own resources, -so if you own a house and sell it, then apply for a tenancy, I don't know how SDCC would view that.

The eligibility criteria is available on the SDCC website.

Allocation Scheme (opens as PDF)

https://www.sdcc.ie/en/services/housing/finding-a-home/finding-a-home.html#Am%20I%20eligible%20for%20Council%20Housing?

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123261286#Comment_123261286

Your parents don't just need to inform the council, they need to get permission.

This won't be given if the house would be overcrowded.

How many kids do you have, and what size are they?

j2606

It's a 4 bed house, we have 13 year old girl and 10 year old boy.

Ezeoul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123264293#Comment_123264293

Just a word of caution.

If your parents are the only two occupants in a four bedroom house, SDCC council will offer to "right-size" them.

A neighbour of mine who was living in a two bed council house with her husband was right sized last year to a one bed after he passed away. SDCC informed her six weeks after he passed away that they were moving her, and she was given no choice in the move.

One of my siblings was a joint tenant with my mother on their home, also SDCC. He was downsized to a one bed apartment after she passed away.

j2606

Thanks again, I am aware of Under occupancy concerns and it's part of reason I'm considering moving in. I thought they would offer/ attempt to movr than but i didn't think they would force them. I have in mind that I could sell my property, move in with them and then fund their purchase of the home. That removes any threat down the line.

Tommy Hilfiger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123161615#Comment_123161615

Hi, may I ask how do you go about this? is it e-mail to the housing team to make the request?

I would have assumed that they (DCC) would be doing this already…

Thank you again,

T

Tommy Hilfiger

Hi all, apologies for the delayed response.

To clarify - my housing needs are with DCC, not with any other council (SDCC, Fingal etc..)

I have been living with friends and family on and off for a number of years, this is not good of course, I used to rent bedsit, but that was back when there was plenty.

I regularly check my place on the Housing Online (DCC Website) by logging in with DOB & Council#, it shows place and areas of choice, this goes up and down weekly.

I understand that this can be an emotive subject, people seeking others to solve their problems (free homes /reduced rent) and I get it, really, I wish I was independent and was able to pick and choose where I can live, however, poor financial decisions have led to this, believe me it's not fun to have cap in hand at my age!

I am trying to get my life sorted and as mentioned, I am a productive member of society.

My initial questions was to try and determine if there any other options other than waiting for a choice based lettings list.

It is also correct, there are very strict rules regards income thresholds, it states this on the [DCC] council website below;

* Positions may be subject to change as applicants may move within bands as their circumstances change. Persons on the Housing List will not be offered accommodation if their incomes are not in accordance with the Income Thresholds.

Tom

Ezeoul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123311793#Comment_123311793

They may be, but if I were you, I'd call into the DCC offices in person and ask. Express an interest.

No harm to also make your case to the housing bodies yourself. (Tuath and Cluid to start).

Tommy Hilfiger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123311935#Comment_123311935

Thanks for that, I will get onto it this week. I wasn't sure if I could contact the housing associations directly. Appreciate it 👍🏻

Zennor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123161615#Comment_123161615

The AHB sector seek nominations from local authorities who provide them from the housing lists. Unfortunately AHB’s do not offer a quicker solution but are an increasingly large part of the solution.