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SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 14, 2026

QUESTION NO. 32

QUESTION: Councillor J. Sinnott

To ask the Chief Executive what has been the average turnaround for vacant social units in 2026?

REPLY:

The average turnaround time for vacant social housing units, commonly referred to as voids, is monitored by the council as part of its housing management and re-let performance. The turnaround period can vary depending on the condition of the property when it is returned, the extent of works required, the availability of contractors, any health and safety or compliance works needed, and the time required to complete allocation and tenancy processes once the unit is ready for re-letting.

For 2026 to date, Housing has continued to prioritise bringing vacant social housing units back into productive use as quickly as possible, while also ensuring that homes are returned in a safe, compliant and lettable condition. The works required can range from minor repairs and cleaning to more substantial refurbishment, including electrical, plumbing, heating, window and door, fire safety, damp remediation, energy efficiency, or adaptation works where required.

We work to minimise void periods through early inspection of properties, timely scoping of works, prioritisation of urgent re-lets, contractor engagement, and close coordination between housing maintenance, allocations and tenancy management teams. Where more extensive works are required, turnaround times will inevitably be longer; however, the objective remains to return each vacant unit to use at the earliest possible opportunity while maintaining appropriate standards for incoming tenants.

The average turnaround for vacant social housing units in 2026 is currently 21.45 week with 103 properties re-let as of 31 August 2026. We will continue to closely monitor void turnaround times, identify opportunities to reduce delays, improve the sequencing of works, and support the timely allocation of homes to households on the social housing waiting list. There are currently 62 vacant dwellings, representing approximately 0.58% of our total housing stock.