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Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 September 2012

Thursday, 20 September 2012

Ceisteanna (70, 71, 72)

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

70. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Social Protection the procedure involved in closing a rent allowance claim either by the tenant or the landlord; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39677/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

71. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Social Protection in view of the budgetary constraints facing her Department, the action being taken to clamp down on tenants receiving rent allowance several weeks and in some cases months after they have left the rental property after notification has been given to the welfare officer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39678/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

72. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Social Protection in cases where rent allowance claimants are found to have either failed to pay the rent allowance to their landlord or who are claiming money for property they no longer reside in, if they are made to repay the Department the money received and if any consequences are placed on future rent allowance applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39679/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 to 72, inclusive, together.

The purpose of rent supplement is to provide 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. There are currently over 90,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided €436 million for 2012. Under the legislative provisions governing rent supplement, the Department’s relationship is with the tenant. Rent supplement is specifically for the benefit of tenants to assist them with their accommodation needs. There is no direct relationship between the landlord and the Department in the administration of the scheme.

Where a recipient’s circumstances change, they must inform the officer dealing with their rent supplement claim who will determine if the change affects their on-going entitlement to the payment. In the case where a recipient changes address the rent supplement claim is closed and a new application must be made in respect of a new tenancy arrangement.

Control is an integral part of the day-to-day administration of the rent supplement scheme. There are a number of operational controls in place to ensure that payment of rent supplement does not continue to those who no longer have an entitlement such as regular review of claims and warning reports issuing to officers where there is a change in the recipients circumstances which would prompt a review of entitlement.

It is open to the landlord to bring to the attention of the Department any instance where they suspect that a tenant is receiving rent supplement and is not paying their rent or is receiving payment in respect of accommodation where they no longer reside. Where the Department becomes aware that a person is not using rent supplement to meet the accommodation costs at the address provided, payment of the supplement is suspended and the matter investigated. I have recently introduced powers of enquiry for appropriate staff to formally request landlords to provide information in respect of their rent supplement tenants, principally to verify the agreed rent and existence of the tenancy. This measure will improve both the governance and oversight arrangements in place.

Where a landlord has a grievance in relation to the non payment of rent by a tenant, s/he may apply to the Private Residential Tenancies Board to have the dispute resolved through the Board’s dispute resolution process. Overpayments of rent supplement are recoverable from the recipient. A departmental debt will remain on the customers’ records until fully recovered and may result in a reduction of all future entitlements, up to and including state pension and the disbursement of any likely estate upon death. My Department actively pursues the recovery of all overpayments, including the initiation of civil proceedings, where appropriate.

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