After adopting a Government plan to offer long-term tenants up to 45 per cent off the purchase price of their local authotiry home, Westmeath County Council is to write to its 1,700 residential tenants before the end of the month to inform them of this.
This was revealed at this week’s monthly meeting of the council, and tenants have until the end of the year to make an application.
As part of the budget for 2011, the then Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan announced the fixed-term tenant purchase scheme, to offer people who have lived in a council house for more than 10 years the incentive, and opportunity to purchase it.
The plan will offer a 3 per cent discount off the market price of the property for every year the tenant has lived there up to a maximum of 15 years.
This scheme does not replace the existing 1995 plan, which is still in place for all council tenants resident for a year or more in a local authority house.
It is believed that of the 1,700 tenants in Westmeath, up to one third may be eligible for this, and all details can be got at the housing office at the County Buildings in Mullingar and the council offices Athlone. Also, the county council is able to offer a loan facility to those tenants who qualify and pass a stress test.
All applications must be in by December 31, 2011, and the scheme expires exactly one year later.
