COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
MOTION NO. 17
MOTION: Councillor M. Ward
"Due to the current housing crisis and the Council's difficulty in finding alternative accommodation for RAS tenants that have received a notice to quit. This committee agrees that additional supports be in place for RAS tenants that have received a notice to quit including access to choice based letting and access to HAP.
REPORT:
With regard to existing RAS tenants, where Landlords have issued notice to terminate the tenancy (other than for reason of breach of tenancy by the tenant), the following options are available to facilitate transfer to alternative accommodation.
- On receipt of the termination notice, the Council will include the tenants on a priority list with other tenants also on notice and will endeavour insofar as possible to identify a vacant property suitable to their needs, prior to the expiry date of the notice or any extended period granted by the Landlord. Available properties across all housing tenures are considered, regard being had to other housing priority lists operated by the Council.
- The Tenant may source another suitable property in the private rental market where the Landlord may be interested in participating in the RAS Scheme.
- For tenants who had applied for and were approved for inclusion in the RAS Fixed Transfer List and have access to the Choice Based Letting scheme, they can monitor the Council’s website weekly and submit expressions of interest in any suitable properties advertised thereon. The Council’s Housing Allocations Section will then offer the property to the persons who have expressed interest and who have greatest priority and suitability for the property.
The Residential Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is deemed to be a social housing support by Section 19 of the Housing( Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 which came into effect on 1/4/2011. This in effect means that any tenants transferring to RAS are considered to have their housing need met and are no longer eligible to remain on the housing list.
Tenants who had transferred to RAS prior to the above legislation and who had a live Housing application were written to in 2011 advising them of the revised terms of RAS and affording them an opportunity to apply to be placed on a RAS Fixed Transfer List where they retained any time on list from their current housing application. Tenants on the RAS Fixed Transfer List have access to CBL but this access can be suspended from time to time, if their rent account is in arrears.
A number of tenants on notice from RAS Properties are on the RAS Fixed Transfer List and some have been successful in obtaining alternative properties in this manner.
With regard to the HAP scheme, the scheme as currently constituted is available to applicants who are approved for Social Housing Support i.e eligible for the local authority waiting list . As RAS Tenants are already in receipt of Social Housing support they are precluded from the HAP Scheme.
Applicants availing of the HAP scheme are required to source suitable properties from the private rental market as the need arises but retain the right to access other forms of social housing in due course by way of inclusion on a transfer list.
If the motion is passed by the Committee and agreed by the Council, the terms of the motion will be notified to the Department of Housing, Planning Community and Local Government.