COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 09, 2026

QUESTION NO. 25

QUESTION: Councillor P. Holohan

To ask the Chief Executive if the Council would explore the creation of an online portal that tenants can advertise their dwelling for mutual transfer and downsizing and have the ability to communicate with each other.

REPLY:

A mutual transfer may be facilitated between South Dublin County Council (SDCC) tenants and tenants of another Local Authority (LA) or Approved Housing Body (AHB). All transfers are subject to the agreement of the relevant LA/AHB and contingent on both applicants meeting the criteria outlined below:

• Submission of a completed application-A fully completed Mutual Transfer Application Form must be submitted to the council for assessment and approval.
• Clear rent accounts-Both parties must demonstrate that their rent accounts are up to date and free of arrears.
• Compliance with tenancy conditions-Each applicant must be in full compliance with the terms of their existing tenancy.
• Acceptance of property condition-Both tenants must agree to accept the new dwelling in its existing condition at the time of transfer.
• Property inspection and approval-A full inspection of each property will be carried out by the Housing Maintenance Team, and formal sign-off will be required before a transfer can proceed.
• Suitability of accommodation-Each dwelling must meet the assessed housing need of the incoming household, including compliance with bedroom requirements as set out in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) guidelines.
• Completion of new tenancy agreements-Both applicants must sign new tenancy agreements for their proposed homes and provide updated household income information to support rent assessment.

The Housing Department will prepare a detailed business case for the development/sourcing of a secure online portal to facilitate mutual transfers for council tenants. This assessment will be undertaken in collaboration with the Housing Strategic Policy Committee and will examine the potential benefits, costs, operational impacts and risk-mitigation requirements associated with introducing a digital platform.

Any proposed online portal must:

• Improve transparency and accessibility by providing tenants with a centralised, user-friendly system to register interest in transfers, view eligible matches and track application progress.
• Strengthen safeguards against illegal or informal transfers by ensuring all interactions take place within a controlled, monitored environment.
• Enhance efficiency for both tenants and council staff through automated checks, digital document submission, and streamlined communication.
• Support data integrity and regulatory compliance by ensuring all applications are processed through an auditable system aligned with statutory requirements and data-protection obligations.
• Promote fairness and consistency in the transfer process, with clear eligibility criteria embedded within the system to prevent inappropriate matches.

The integrity, security, and governance of such a portal will be central to its design, with appropriate controls implemented to protect tenants and the council from fraud, misrepresentation or unauthorised property exchanges.