COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, January 12, 2026

QUESTION NO. 12.

QUESTION: Councillor K. Keane

To ask the Chief Executive to report on the process for review of the differential rent scheme, including details of consultation with tenants, tenant unions such as CATU, and organisations with expertise in tackling poverty and inequality.

REPLY:

'An Overview of Local Authorities Differential Rent Schemes and Rent Reviews' is due to be published imminently by the Value for Money Unit, Local Government Audit Service. This report is nearing completion and will provide a strong evidential basis for strategic adjustment of our differential rent scheme to address inequities in the current rent scheme along with ensuring that sufficient funding is in place to meet future social housing management and maintenance costs.

Each local authority currently has autonomy in determining how social housing rents are set through a differential rent scheme which is a function of the council’s executive. We are very conscious that any adjustments to the scheme must first and foremost be equitable and affordable for our tenants, while also being sufficient to meet all of the costs involved in managing, maintaining and upgrading our social homes into the future. Accordingly, in 2026 we will present our housing stock investment programme to the Housing Strategic Committee for review along with the analysis supporting a review of the current differential rent scheme to ensure long-term sustainable funding for the managment and maintenance of our housing stock.