Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2023
338. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the procedures for a tenant on the Drogheda housing list who is moving to a HAP tenancy in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown; which local authority is responsible for making the HAP payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33464/23]
View answerThe flexibility of Housing Assistance Programme (HAP) as a social housing support is one of the scheme's key characteristics and was one of the primary benefits envisaged at the outset of the scheme. With this in mind, my Department issued circulars relating to inter-authority movement in 2017 and 2019, with the aim of facilitating movement of HAP households from one local authority area to another in cases where a HAP tenant wishes to access rented accommodation with HAP support in another local authority area.
Inter-authority movement is, however, subject to certain conditions, such as the relevant Social Housing Income Eligibility Bands and confirmation that the applicant's income is below the threshold in the new local authority.
HAP tenants that avail of inter-authority movement continue to be dealt with by their originating local authority. However, the rent limits applicable are those that apply in the local authority where the property is situated. The originating local authority will engage with the relevant new local authority to facilitate eligible requests for inter-authority movement.
HAP tenants who avail of inter-authority movement, can only be offered access to the housing transfer list of the originating local authority. The practical operation of transfer lists is a matter for each local authority to manage, on the basis of their own scheme of letting priorities. The making of such schemes is a reserved function of the local authority and as such is a matter for the elected members.
Limerick City and County Council provide a highly effective HAP transactional shared service on behalf of all local authorities. The HAP Shared Services Centre (HAP SSC) manages all HAP related rental transactions for the tenant, local authority and landlord. Once a HAP application has been received and confirmed as valid by the relevant local authority, it is then processed by the HAP SSC. Any rental payment arising for a given month will then be made to a landlord on the last Wednesday of that month.
