Local homeless charity Galway Simon Community is calling on landlords to consider accepting HAP (Housing Assistant Payment ) from people accessing their services who are struggling to find rental properties under the scheme. The appeal comes as the Simon Communities study Locked Out of the Market IX, released this week, found that there were no properties available in Galway City within the Rent Supplement/HAP limits.
Emma Dolan, Head of Client Services at Galway Simon Community, said the rental market in Galway is almost impossible for their clients to access. “Our biggest challenge at the moment is finding affordable move-on accommodation for clients in our housing services and for those turning to our homelessness prevention services. It is extremely difficult for people accessing our services to secure a rental property that’s within the HAP limits in Galway and we find that what works best is when we have relationships with local landlords who we can turn to. Over the years, we’ve partnered with many landlords and together we’ve been able to reach solutions that have been beneficial to both the landlord and tenant.
This is why we’re publicly appealing to any landlords in Galway that would be willing to accept HAP to get in touch with us so that they can help to make a difference to an individual or family we’re working with. Having a secure and affordable home can stop the spiral into homelessness and this is what we are trying to achieve for those accessing our services.”
Locked Out of the Market IX: The Gap between Rent Supplement/HAP Limits and Market Rents was conducted over three consecutive days – 1st, 2nd and 3rd of November, 1,2,3, 2017. The study found that there was only an average of 15 properties to rent over the snapshot period in Galway City, showing a decrease in supply since the last study, when there was an average of 22 properties.
Out of these properties available to rent, not one of them was within Rent Supplement/HAP limits for a single person, couple, couple/parent with one child or couple/parent with two children. The average rent in Galway City during the study was recorded at €1,200 for a one-bedroom property and €1298 for a two-bedroom property.
If you are a landlord and are willing to accept HAP for your rental property, please get in touch with Galway Simon on 091 381828 or email [email protected].
