COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

QUESTION NO. 1

QUESTION: Councillor E. Tuffy

"Noting the Reply to Question No. 17 on the Agenda of the Lucan Area Committee meeting of 28th May 2013, to ask the Manager if there has been any progress with legislation which would allow a tenant of a Council house in Lucan to purchase her house from the Council?"

REPLY:

As previously outlined in reply to Question 17 May 2013, there is currently no Tenant Purchase Scheme in place.

The 'Fixed Term Tenant Purchase Scheme for Long Standing Tenants' was introduced in February 2011.  This scheme only applied to tenants of 10 years standing or longer, and did not replace the 1995 Tenant Purchase Scheme.  The closing date for applications under the 2011 scheme was 31st December 2011, and all sales must have been finalised by 30th June 2013.

31st December 2012 was the last date on which the Council could accept an application from a tenant to purchase a dwelling under the 1995 Tenant Purchase Scheme, and all sales under this scheme must be completed on / before 31st December 2013. 

It is understood that the DOECLG intends to introduce legislation to underpin a new scheme for the sale of existing local authority houses to tenants on incremental purchase principles.    This Incremental Purchase Scheme is expected to allow for social housing applicants and social housing tenants to purchase 'designated' new local authority and approved housing body houses.  Under the proposals, for the first time, this scheme is expected to provide a mechanism for approved housing bodies to offer new houses for sale.

The Council has not as yet been advised of a commencement date for this scheme.