COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 08, 2021

QUESTION NO. 4

QUESTION: Councillor William Joseph Carey

To ask the chief executive to outline the process and estimated timeline for the securing and transferring properties from one tenancy to a new tenancy. Can the council provide the following information. • From date of surrender of property to the securing of property • From date of surrender to modification or presentation to new tenancy • To outline what common works may be entailed prior to the transfer of property to a new tenancy. • What are the specifications that are sought by SDCC prior to a new tenancy being allocated.

REPLY:

Refurbishment works differ greatly depending on the condition and age of the property.  Upon the surrender of a tenancy, an assessment is made whether the property needs to be secured and, if necessary, this is generally undertaken immediately. An electrical and mechanical safety survey of each vacant property is also undertaken and may result in various heating, electrical or related works being required.  A separate assessment of any painting, joinery or other required repairs is also undertaken.  All required works are then procured from contractors on our re-let works framework and the home is also thoroughly cleaned before allocation.

In certain circumstances, vacant properties may be suitable for specific works to meet a priority housing need and such works would also form part of the re-let works in those circumstances.

Once the Allocations section are made aware of an arising vacancy, either a new property or a relet, the process of securing a tenant begins. The property may be advertised on Choice Based Letting or offered to an applicant with a priority need (medical/homeless).  Once an offer is accepted, an assessment is carried out in relation to the prospective tenant's housing need, income and Garda check etc.  Refusals of properties can delay the allocation of a property as the process has to be repeated each time. The Allocations section continues to review and streamline processes to ensure new tenancies are completed as soon as a property is ready for occupancy.

The re-let period from surrender of property to allocation of new tenancy (key to key) currently averages 19 weeks and in 2020 we completed refurbishment of 140 such units of existing housing stock.