COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Tuesday, May 06, 2014
MOTION NO. 1
MOTION: Councillor T. Gilligan
That the Manager agrees to set up a mutual transfer database within the county where tenants can state where they would like to be moved which could then be matched with a tenant who is also willing to move
REPORT:
A manual register of those interested in mutual exchange is already maintained and circulated on request or at the time an interest is expressed. This register is updated when there are additions or deletions and on being informed of change in circumstances.
The Housing Department is working on reinvigorating the Mutual transfer system as there is a reduced possibility of accommodating normal transfer applicants. The statistics below clearly outline the declining number of vacancies in tenancies since 2011. This is significant when you consider that there is 7674 on the housing list and 775 on the transfer list competing for this small number of vacancies. While the transfer list itself accounts for approximately 25% of allocations over half of this number are priority cases.
| Total Housing Allocations |
Non-Priority Transfers | Priority Transfers |
Total Transfer Allocations | |
| 2011 | 416 | 55 | 61 | 116 |
| 2012 | 381 | 46 | 44 | 90 |
| 2013 | 277 | 41 | 34 | 75 |
The Council is currently examining the possibility of generating an on-line register for those seeking a transfer. While demand continues to grow, the supply is falling further so this initiative has the potential to provide a greater service to the transfer applicant while also allowing greater utilization of the limited housing stock.
A business case for this website is currently being prepared and will be tested to safeguard the customer and the Council. The integrity of such a system is vital to guard against its misuse.
It is proposed that this register will enable greater choice and empowerment of customer to view possible accommodation which meets their assessed needs. Overall the aim is to:
- Encourage a greater supply of properties which otherwise may not have been considered under the terms of the Transfer List.
- Incorporate a content management process and tools to manage the list of properties advertised and assurance that the website is up-to-date. For instance an inactive account will be downloaded if advert is not renewed by the tenant.
- Permit the council to monitor those seeking transfers and mitigate against any risk of illegal transfers.
- Provide a greater incentive for tenants to comply with terms of tenancy and clear arrears.
- As applicant will directly be registering on line, decide on the detail they wish to display on the public website and edit at anytime, therefore less likelihood of breach of data protection than the manual register.
- Possible economies as tenants are encouraged to maintain property at a good standard to encourage any interest from prospective transferee. Also the tenants party to the mutual transfer must accept property in the current condition
- Administratively it may allow applicant a viable alternative to the priority transfer which absorbs consider administrative resources in terms of approvals on Priority Committee and subsequent appeals arising from same.
- There is the opportunity that this facility could be expanded to accommodate tenants of different tenures such as council leased properties and be a prototype that could be replicated nationally across other local authorities.
This is currently at early stages of development.