Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 May 2012
112 Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if tenants in receipt of rent allowance cannot get their landlords to reduce their rent in line with the new guidelines issued by the Department will they have to move to other properties at lower rent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26079/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraRent supplement provides short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation, whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer. There are currently approximately 95,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement, with €436m provided in 2012. The new maximum rent limits were set after an analysis of the most up to date market data available. The emphasis of the rent limit review was to ensure that maximum value for money for tenants and the taxpayer was achieved whilst at the same time ensuring that people on rent supplement are not priced out of the market for private rented accommodation.
As existing claims come up for review they will be assessed using the new limits. In all cases under review where the rent is above the new maximum limit the individual concerned is being asked to contact the landlord to renegotiate the rent. Where a landlord does not agree to reduce the rent to the new rates, Departmental officials will discuss the options open to the tenant up to and including seeking alternative accommodation having due regard to any existing lease arrangements. It should be stressed that there will be no case of homelessness from this measure and Department officials are dealing with each case based on the individual circumstances of the rent supplement tenancy.
