A local Councillor has called on Westmeath County Council to conduct an immediate in-depth survey of all local authority housing, HAP and RAS properties.
Green Party Councillor, Louise Heavin, stated her concern during the most recent sitting of Athlone-Moate Municipal District, noting that the deteriorated condition of certain properties was negatively impacting on the health of tenants.
“I have had numerous representations from relevant tenants complaining about the really poor condition of their properties. My heart breaks when I see the conditions in which such tenants have to live and they are continuously concerned that their landlords will evict them should they complain about the condition of their home.
“This local authority has a duty of care for tenants in such a vulnerable situation, coping with health issues. It is not acceptable that tenants have to live in properties where there is damp and mould flourishing.
“During my time as a Councillor, I have yet to hear of any reference to inspections of local authority, HAP or RAS housing stock, but we must inspect these properties as a matter of urgency and if there are issues tenants must be alternatively housed until the relevant accommodation problems are rectified,” Cllr Heavin stated.
Referencing the motion, Athlone Deputy Mayor, Cllr Aengus O’Rourke noted that local authority housing stock was maintained to a good standard “in general”, but there were “huge issues” with HAP and RAS accommodation.
“The tenants living in HAP and RAS properties appear to be continuously ignored by their landlords. I have visited such accommodation in recent times and am appalled by the conditions in which tenants have to live.
“What sanctions can be imposed on these landlords who do not seem to care for their tenants? It is a problem which we, as a local authority, have allowed to grow, but it is one which must be addressed promptly,” Cllr O’Rourke remarked.
Concurring, Independent Councillor, Paul Hogan stated that there were “isolated incidents” relating to local authority housing stock, the main issues arising with tenants inhabiting HAP and RAS accommodation.
“What were the findings of any recent inspections? There definitely appears to have been a collapse in communications in this particular instance and I would certainly welcome a review in terms of the number of relevant properties which have been inspected in the recent past,” Cllr Hogan commented.
Fine Gael Councillor, John Dolan, noting the local authority’s standing as the “biggest landlord in the county” queried how often council housing stock was being inspected.
“It is routine that all local authority housing stock is inspected on a regular basis and this should be a directly allocated role. Tenants should not be living in sub standard accommodation,” Cllr Dolan asserted.
Responding, director of services, Barry Kehoe, noted that there were 269 housing stock inspections conducted in 2021 resulting in 249 letters of non-compliance being issued.
“Westmeath County Council houses are in good repair and there is a maintenance system in place to deal with the normal maintenance and repair issues that arise from time to time in all houses.
“The Council spends substantial resources on an annual basis on maintenance of its own housing stock – over €1.9m in Budget 2022 on its reactive and planned maintenance programmes.
“In terms of expenditure per unit, the National Oversight and Audit Commission report on local authority performance indicators shows that in 2020, Westmeath County Council was at the top end of the middle third of counties on expenditure per unit. In addition, the Council makes full use of other programmes such as the Energy Retrofit programmes, the disabled persons grants and grants for vacant units to leverage additional Government funding to upgrade its housing stock.
“As identified in ‘Housing for All’, the department of Housing Local Government and Heritage, supported by the Local Government Management Agency, is advancing proposals that would support local authorities nationally to complete condition surveys of council owned housing and move to a more planned management and maintenance model for all relevant stock.
“HAP and RAS properties are private sector units, the maintenance of which is the responsibility of the landlord. These properties are inspected in accordance with the requirements of the schemes at or around the time of housing supports being provided to the tenants.
“In addition, these properties will be re-inspected over time. As a local authority we provide significant resources to the inspection of private rented houses and this was supplemented in Budget 2022,” Mr Kehoe concluded.
