Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 February 2024
350. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the implications for a RAS tenant, considering RAS is designated like social housing as social housing support, whose income goes over the income limit, who pays rent in line with the increased income but then receives a notice to quit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7675/24]
View answerThe Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is a social housing support that meets the needs of people in receipt of Rent Supplement for 18 months or longer and who are assessed as having a long-term housing need. Accommodation provided under RAS is governed by the terms of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2021, as amended.
RAS involves a three way contractual relationship between landlord, tenant and the Local Authority (LA), with the LA retaining responsibility for payment of rent to the landlord and for sourcing alternative accommodation if a dwelling becomes unavailable through no fault of the tenant.
In RAS, the tenant pays a rental contribution to the LA based on its differential rents system. In cases where there is a financial change of circumstances, the amount of differential rent that the tenant pays to the LA may increase or decrease in line with that change.
In 2023, my Department provided funding to LAs to acquire at least 1,500 social homes. These additional acquisitions have focused particularly on properties where a tenant is in receipt of social housing supports, such as RAS, and has received a Notice of Termination due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property.
Local authorities will work with all social housing supported tenants who receive a Notice of Termination and offer the available supports which may include a tenant in situ acquisition, if appropriate, support to obtain an alternative tenancy (including a HAP or RAS supported tenancy) or an allocation to local authority stock.
