Understanding HAP

The_Kitty · 24-04-2019 1:57pm #1

Out of curiousity I'm wondering how HAP is even an option for people? For a single person the rent limit in my region for HAP is 380. The rents for 1/2 bed apartments in the area are 750-1000 euro. Houses would be 1000+. Landlords don't like accepting HAP in the first place for a variety of reasons. So how do people secure properties for rent giving the low rent limits and the fact hap tenants aren't attractive to landlords?
The post isnt a dig at anyone or wanting to debate, just wondering how it works. I'm under the annual income threshold for HAP but my rent is significantly higher than the HAP rent limit for the area.

splinter65 · 24-04-2019 9:35pm

The_Kitty wrote: »

Out of curiousity I'm wondering how HAP is even an option for people? For a single person the rent limit in my region for HAP is 380. The rents for 1/2 bed apartments in the area are 750-1000 euro. Houses would be 1000+. Landlords don't like accepting HAP in the first place for a variety of reasons. So how do people secure properties for rent giving the low rent limits and the fact hap tenants aren't attractive to landlords?
The post isnt a dig at anyone or wanting to debate, just wondering how it works. I'm under the annual income threshold for HAP but my rent is significantly higher than the HAP rent limit for the area.

Say your income is €250 per week and your rent is 550€ per month(€127 per week)and the rent limit is €380 per month (€88 per week)
Your basic contribution to your weekly rent will be €30. The HAP is then €58 per week.
But that leave your landlord short €38 per week.
You will be paying that €38. So your total weekly contribution to your rent will be €68 and HAP will pay €58.

The_Kitty · 24-04-2019 10:17pm

splinter65 wrote: »

Say your income is €250 per week and your rent is 550€ per month(€127 per week)and the rent limit is €380 per month (€88 per week)
Your basic contribution to your weekly rent will be €30. The HAP is then €58 per week.
But that leave your landlord short €38 per week.
You will be paying that €38. So your total weekly contribution to your rent will be €68 and HAP will pay €58.

Thanks! Is it true though that you pay the equivilant of a council rent on top of the rent balance?

splinter65 · 24-04-2019 10:26pm

The_Kitty wrote: »

Thanks! Is it true though that you pay the equivilant of a council rent on top of the rent balance?

If you were single and had income of 250€ and were living in a Council house then your rent would be just €30 per week.
So, yes, with HAP you are paying Council rent plus whatever the landlord is short.

24-04-2019 10:49pm

splinter65 wrote: »

Say your income is €250 per week and your rent is 550€ per month(€127 per week)and the rent limit is €380 per month (€88 per week)
Your basic contribution to your weekly rent will be €30. The HAP is then €58 per week.
But that leave your landlord short €38 per week.
You will be paying that €38. So your total weekly contribution to your rent will be €68 and HAP will pay €58.

How do you figure out €30 basic contribution from earning 250pw?

If you earn 400pw, how much would it be in that case?

Is there a calculator for that somewhere?

splinter65 · 24-04-2019 11:15pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

How do you figure out €30 basic contribution from earning 250pw?

If you earn 400pw, how much would it be in that case?

Is there a calculator for that somewhere?

It gets a bit more complicated if you’re a parent or a coupe but if you’re single in Tipperary then you pay €20 for the first €200 income you have and 20c on every € after that.

24-04-2019 11:25pm

I found this info for Wicklow:

Rent will consist of:
The RENT as calculated will be €24.00

PLUS
20% of the tenants(s) (see ‘b’ below) assessable income in excess €188.00
PLUS
20% of each subsidiary earner’s (see ‘c’ below) assessable income in excess of €30 per week, subject to a maximum of an amount equal to the MINIMUM RENT for each subsidiary earner;

LESS
A deduction of €5 per child will be allowed in respect of each dependant child of the household. A ‘dependent child’ for the purposes of rent assessment means a person aged 18 years or under or persons over 18 years of age and in full time education and not in receipt of income

Multiplied by 3%

(vi) THE MINIMUM RENT SHALL BE €27

Where spouses and/or partners are in receipt of separate payments their incomes are combined for the purpose of determining the principal earner.

A Subsidiary Earner is a member of the household, other than the tenant who has an income.

So for example, a couple with one child that have an income of €500pw their rent would be:
€24 (basic)
+ 62.40 (20% of 500-188)
-5 (for child)
x3%
=83.85

I imagine different councils have different rates?

splinter65 · 25-04-2019 12:28am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I found this info for Wicklow:

So for example, a couple with one child that have an income of €500pw their rent would be:
€24 (basic)
+ 62.40 (20% of 500-188)
-5 (for child)
x3%
=83.85

I imagine different councils have different rates?

Yes they do. People need to look for “differential rent” on their LA website.

The_Kitty · 25-04-2019 1:13pm

splinter65 wrote: »

Yes they do. People need to look for “differential rent” on their LA website.

Thanks for the information guys. I checked it out online and the equivilant council rent for my income is 95 euro weekly and the max HAP relief that would be available to a single person in my county is 88 euros weekly. My rent is 800 monthly. I will double check it with the council but it looks like HAP relief isnt viable for a single person working full time and renting in todays market.

dartboardio · 26-04-2019 1:19am

Do they give much consideration to say young working people with no kids? For the housing list lets say.

I cant stay living with my mam forever and me and the boyfriend would eventually like to move out together. However not with the rent prices atm. Im on a full time minimum wage so i dont fancy paying over 100 a week outta that

For example if i applied for the housing list and went for the interview to explain my situation would they look at me funny because i dont have children hanging out of me?

Should i feel like im not entitled to financial assistance with housing just because i work or need to get out of the family home eventually or how does it work?

Basically would it be fine to go in the interview and say the real story ie im in my twenties now and cant really afford to privately rent cant live with my parentts forever and would appreciate some assistance bladebla such as HAP?

If anyone could give me an idea of what a couple would pay on Hap? 1 full time worker on minimum wage and the other is on social welfare payments. No kids.

Thanks

Dante7 · 26-04-2019 1:28am

HAP doesn't work. You have to game the system. Register as homeless and then you will be eligible for the HAP homeless scheme which bypasses the rent limits and will also allow the prospective landlord to get the deposit and rent in advance. You would have to be an idiot not to claim as being homeless.

dartboardio · 26-04-2019 1:34am

Dante7 wrote: »

HAP doesn't work. You have to game the system. Register as homeless and then you will be eligible for the HAP homeless scheme which bypasses the rent limits and will also allow the prospective landlord to get the deposit and rent in advance. You would have to be an idiot not to claim as being homeless.

Do you have to go to an interview to explain your situation and how homeless you are?

Dante7 · 26-04-2019 2:33am

dartboardio wrote: »

Do you have to go to an interview to explain your situation and how homeless you are?

Yes. There are a few hoops to jump through, but just get yourself an eviction notice and present yourself at the HAP homeless section in Parkgate Street, and hey presto, you are homeless and can avail of the scheme. It's a joke.

splinter65 · 26-04-2019 11:22am

dartboardio wrote: »

Do they give much consideration to say young working people with no kids? For the housing list lets say.

I cant stay living with my mam forever and me and the boyfriend would eventually like to move out together. However not with the rent prices atm. Im on a full time minimum wage so i dont fancy paying over 100 a week outta that

For example if i applied for the housing list and went for the interview to explain my situation would they look at me funny because i dont have children hanging out of me?

Should i feel like im not entitled to financial assistance with housing just because i work or need to get out of the family home eventually or how does it work?

Basically would it be fine to go in the interview and say the real story ie im in my twenties now and cant really afford to privately rent cant live with my parentts forever and would appreciate some assistance bladebla such as HAP?

If anyone could give me an idea of what a couple would pay on Hap? 1 full time worker on minimum wage and the other is on social welfare payments. No kids.

Thanks

Why doesn’t your boyfriend have a job?

dartboardio · 26-04-2019 10:37pm

splinter65 wrote: »

Why doesn’t your boyfriend have a job?

Hes in full time education on BTEA.

Could you try answer my question? Thanks

splinter65 · 27-04-2019 12:00am

dartboardio wrote: »

Hes in full time education on BTEA.

Could you try answer my question? Thanks

You have to first apply to be on the housing list of the local authority that you’re living in.
They’ll decide wether your in need of housing or not.
If they do decide that you’re in need of housing then they’ll send you a hap form.
Then you find somewhere to live.
It has to be within the rent limits for a couple with no kids in your local authority.
Then they’ll means test you and decide what contribution you can make to your rent. They will make up the balance.
But only to the rent limit.
If the rent limit is €450 and your rent is €600 then you will be paying the €150 excess yourself.
Oh and one more thing

Don’t ever ever again order me to answer your query. I asked you a perfectly legitimate question. If you go down to the council with that attitude they’ll laugh you out the door.
Nobody owes you anything.

dartboardio · 27-04-2019 12:10am

splinter65 wrote: »

You have to first apply to be on the housing list of the local authority that you’re living in.
They’ll decide wether your in need of housing or not.
If they do decide that you’re in need of housing then they’ll send you a hap form.
Then you find somewhere to live.
It has to be within the rent limits for a couple with no kids in your local authority.
Then they’ll means test you and decide what contribution you can make to your rent. They will make up the balance.
But only to the rent limit.
If the rent limit is €450 and your rent is €600 then you will be paying the €150 excess yourself.
Oh and one more thing

Don’t ever ever again order me to answer your query. I asked you a perfectly legitimate question. If you go down to the council with that attitude they’ll laugh you out the door.
Nobody owes you anything.

Thanks for the info.

What a narcissistic answer. Of course it was a legitimate question. I didnt order a thing from you.

I will ASK you to answer my query as and when I like. Never, ever tell me what to do as a former registered user.

There was absolutely no attitude with my answer, but yours was a bit short changed in that you could have said 'why doesn't your boyfriend work? Well dartboardio here is what will happen when you apply as a couple with no kids'.

Horrible smell of entitlement off your last post, however, leave it. Thanks for the info.

The_Kitty · 27-04-2019 8:54am

dartboardio wrote: »

Do you have to go to an interview to explain your situation and how homeless you are?

I applied for the social housing list at the end of March and got a letter within a week saying my case was being investigated and that I have a meeting end of April (my meeting is Monday). I'm not sure what to expect and whether i'll be laughed out of it as a single, working person renting with no kids. I think it would be hard to be considered since you are living at home as they consider the family home to be alternate accomodation. I think maybe if there was a reason your home accomodation wasnt suitable like having a disability or something. I know of one young single woman that got a council place. She was living at home but she has fibromyalgia. I don't know what happens if you declare yourself as homeless? There defo would be an interview but not sure what else happens.

splinter65 · 27-04-2019 9:58am

dartboardio wrote: »

Thanks for the info.

What a narcissistic answer. Of course it was a legitimate question. I didnt order a thing from you.

I will ASK you to answer my query as and when I like. Never, ever tell me what to do as a former registered user.

There was absolutely no attitude with my answer, but yours was a bit short changed in that you could have said 'why doesn't your boyfriend work? Well dartboardio here is what will happen when you apply as a couple with no kids'.

Horrible smell of entitlement off your last post, however, leave it. Thanks for the info.

I guess you don’t like the info because it’s not what you wanted to hear.
Lifetime of disappointment ahead for you if you think everything’s going to be easy.
You don’t expect to pay €100 per week for rent? Lol.

mp22 · 27-04-2019 12:19pm

Thread closed....long bans to follow

Understanding HAP

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