Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 May 2024
351. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if it is acceptable for an approved housing body (details supplied) to ask one of its tenants to cover the cost of an attic conversion in a situation in which there is additional housing need due to overcrowding; if this is Department policy; whether it applies to all approved housing bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22556/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 63 of the Housing Act 1966 deals with overcrowding and inter alia establishes effective limits on the numbers of people that can occupy the same bedroom. Accordingly, a property will be considered overcrowded when the number of people normally sleeping there and the number of bedrooms are such that any two people, if they are older than 10 years old and of the opposite gender, must sleep in the same room. Additionally, the Act requires that there is at least 400 cubic feet of free air space for each person in a bedroom.
Requests for housing transfers are considered solely by the relevant local authority concerned in accordance with that authority’s allocation scheme, which is made by the elected members under section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and in compliance with Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011, as amended.
It is a matter for the local authority to decide the conditions to be met in relation to transfer applications. Local authorities will have regard to the existing accommodation of such households, including the extent to which it may be overcrowded.
Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are independent, not-for-profit organisations. They provide affordable rented housing for people who cannot afford to pay private sector rents or buy their own homes; or for particular groups, such as older people or homeless people.
Although an AHB is responsible for the management and maintenance of these dwellings, if the AHB is in receipt of a relevant Exchequer funding scheme, it must fully comply with the terms and conditions of that scheme.
In relation to renovations or extensions, it is a matter for each individual AHB to decide where this may be necessary or feasible.
