COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, July 13, 2026
QUESTION NO. 24
QUESTION: Councillor J. Spear
To ask the Chief Executive to outline the Council’s succession policy when a sole tenant dies, including the process adult children or other family members must follow to apply to succeed the tenancy.
REPLY:
The eligibility requirements and criteria governing the succession of a social housing tenancy are set out in the Council's Allocation Scheme.
When a council tenant who is a sole tenant dies or is required to surrender the tenancy for reasons beyond their control (for example, long term hospitalisation or imprisonment) it may be possible to allocate the tenancy to a member of the tenant's household in the following circumstances and at the discretion of the housing authority:
Spouse/Partner:
The tenancy may be allocated to a surviving spouse/partner provided:
• Such spouse/partner has been resident in the dwelling for a continuous period of at least two years prior to the death of the tenant and
• has been included in the assessment for rent purposes for that period
Household member:
The tenancy may be granted to the next member of the household, provided that the person has continued to reside in the house as their normal place of residence continuously for a minimum of five years up to and including the time of bereavement/surrender and has been assessed for rent purposes for that period.
Where there are two or more surviving members of the family who meeting the criteria above, a joint tenancy may be granted by the Council.
Under some circumstances where such an allocation is being considered, the housing authority may require the household to move to another property if it considers the property to be too large or the property has been designed or adapted for the use of someone with a disability who no longer resides in the property. No such allocation will be considered where the property has been designated as an Older Persons Dwelling (and where the person applying for the tenancy is not an elderly person).
A formal written application must be made to the council within 3 months of the death or departure of the tenant and be accompanied by supporting evidence and information to prove their entitlement for consideration under this provision, including having been assessed for rent purposes for the requisite time up to and including the time of bereavement/surrender.