COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, November 11, 2019

QUESTION NO. 16

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Executive for a report into the RAS scheme? How many are on RAS in SDCC ? When will the RAS scheme end and what will replace it for people on RAS?

REPLY:

The Rental Accommodation Scheme was originally introduced to provide accommodation for long-term rent supplement recipients assessing as having a housing need. 

Under the Rental Accommodation Scheme, the Council enters a contract with landlords to provide housing for an agreed term for people with a long-term housing need.  The Council pays the rent directly to the landlord and the tenant contributes a portion of the rent to the Council in accordance with the Council’s Differential Rent Scheme.

Landlords must register tenancies with the Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), the tenancies are governed by the Residential Tenancies Acts and the properties must meet minimum standards for private rental accommodation.

939 tenants are currently accommodated in private rental properties let under the RAS in South Dublin County with a further 170 tenants accommodated in units owned by Approved Housing Bodies with rent contributions subsidised under RAS.

In general, tenants accommodated under RAS are deemed to have their housing needs met and are no longer eligible to be on the Council’s housing list with the exception of a limited number of RAS tenants housed prior to April 2011 that requested to retain access to social housing.  However, RAS tenants may apply for apply for a transfer to alternative accommodation, in line with other social housing tenants, on the grounds provided for in the Housing Allocation Scheme, i.e. medical requirements, overcrowding etc.

The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme was introduced to replace rent supplement which will affect the numbers eligible for RAS but there are no current plans to cease RAS.  RAS tenants cannot transfer directly to HAP.

Where landlords issue notice to terminate RAS tenancies, the Council will endeavour to offer those tenants alternative accommodation suitable to their housing need and subject compliance with the conditions of his/her current tenancy agreement, i.e. clear rent account, clear Garda check/no record of anti-social behaviour, property condition inspection etc.  In such instances, suitable properties will be sourced within RAS where possible, but housing may be provided under other tenures (e.g. long term leased units, Council owned, AHB owned) while the tenant also has the option to source another property in the private rental market where the landlord of that property is willing to participate in RAS.