Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2020
301. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will establish an independent appeals process to allow those persons on local authority housing waiting lists that were removed against their will to appeal against that decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14330/20]
View answerThe oversight and management of the lists of qualified households awaiting accommodation, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with Sections 20 and 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Social Housing Assessment and Allocation Regulations, respectively.
Under Regulation 28 of the Assessment Regulations, a household’s qualification for support may be reviewed at the discretion of a local authority and Regulation 29 provides that the household’s qualification for support shall be reassessed at the point of allocation of support. If upon review, a household is found to exceed the limits on income eligibility grounds, for example, they would be removed from the list.
Furthermore, authorities are also required, when directed by the Minister, to undertake a statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA) to count the number of households on the waiting list for social housing supports whose need has not yet been met. The SSHA process requires all local authorities to review those households who are on their housing list but who are not currently in receipt of housing support. As part of this assessment, all local authorities write to relevant households informing them of the assessment process and seeking updated information where necessary. Where a number of attempts to contact a household failed to elicit a response, authorities were advised that it was not unreasonable to then close the household’s application. However, local authorities were also advised that should the household subsequently respond with the information required within a reasonable time, the application could be re-activated.
I understand that many local authorities have internal complaints and appeals systems which may be used to appeal cases. This is entirely a matter for the local authority concerned.
Where a household is dissatisfied with the level of service by its local authority, it is open to that household to make a complaint under the authority's customer service complaints procedure.
Following that complaint, if a household still considers that it has been adversely affected by a local authority's action, or lack of action, which it considers unfair or unreasonable, it is open to the household to make a complaint to the Ombudsman.
