COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, May 11, 2009

MOTION NO. 4

MOTION: Councillor R. Dowds

That the Manager produce a report on ways whereby rents in privately owned houses occupied by people on our Council's housing waiting list could be reduced.

REPORT:

South Dublin County Council does not have any direct role to play in setting the rents in private rented accommodation.  These rents are dictated by market forces.  

A very large proportion of the people on the Council's Housing Waiting List are in receipt of Rent Supplement whereby the state pays the bulk of the contract rent for their accommodation.  The Department of Social and Family Affairs sets limits on the rents payable to landlords in respect of accommodation for people entitled to Rent Supplement.  These limits are currently under  review following an announcement in the recent Budget and it is likely that Rent Supplement rents will be reduced by an average of 10%from June.

Rents vary in accordance with property types and location.  Rent Supplemented tenants will now required to pay a minimum of 24 euro per week towards the rent payable for their accommodation. 

One of the core objectives of RAS is to make savings on the RS rents paid in respect of Rent Supplemented properties and this is being achieved in  South Dublin. Rental Accommodation Scheme rents are and have always been approximately 8.3% lower than the RS rents at the time of contract.Rents currently being agreed are considerably lower than those which were achievable last summer.  This results in a saving for the State.  Under the Rental Accommodation Scheme tenants pay a rent contribution in accordance with the Counc il's Differential Scheme.