Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 May 2021
312. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the housing assistance payment limits for social housing support for families securing own door accommodation in line with rents paid for social leasing units in the space in which his Department is paying much higher rents as an entity than single families can get support for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23084/21]
View answerUnder the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, a tenant sources their own accommodation in the private rented market. The tenancy agreement is between the tenant and the landlord and is governed by the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended. HAP supported tenancies are afforded the same protections as all private rented tenancies. The accommodation sourced by tenants should be within the prescribed maximum HAP rent limits, which are based on household size and the rental market within the area concerned.
Each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 20% above the prescribed maximum rent limit to secure appropriate accommodation for a household that requires it, or up to 50% in the case of homeless households in the Dublin region. It is a matter for the local authority to determine, on a case by case basis, whether, and to what extent, the application of the flexibility is warranted.
The Programme for Government commits to ensuring that HAP levels are adequate to support vulnerable households, while we increase the supply of social housing. The Government’s objective, in terms of supply, is to focus strongly on new build, and in particular, local authority led new build activity. However, leasing is one of a range of options available to local authorities to supplement delivery.
Under long term leasing arrangements, suitable properties can be leased to a local authority or an approved housing body (AHB) for periods of between 10 and 25 years. The local authority or AHB is responsible for day-to-day property maintenance. Varying discounts - between 5% to 20% - are applied to market rent to calculate the lease payment for the property to take account of the level of tenant management or property maintenance responsibilities taken on by the local authority or AHB. Unlike HAP, leased dwellings are sourced by the local authority or AHB and are allocated dwellings.
Leased properties can be sourced through a range of different schemes - including direct leasing by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies, the Mortgage to Rent Scheme, the Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) and the Enhanced Leasing Scheme - and have the potential to provide faster and more flexible delivery than traditional delivery methods.
My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP and Leasing schemes under review as they are key mechanisms in meeting housing need across the country.
