Search Results for 'Housing Benefit'

A TD has written to the chief executives, and heads of housing, at both the Galway city and county councils, asking them to freeze rents for social housing tenants for this year.

Problems for tenants with the high cost of accommodation as a proportion of their income and arrears on mortgage, rent and utility bills are an indication of the continued social and economic impact of the high cost of accommodation generally in Ireland according to the National Social Monitor – Ireland Social Scoreboard published by Social Justice Ireland.

Galway Simon Community has responded to the latest rent hike report saying that the rental market in Galway is in a crisis state and the government needs to respond in order to ensure more people do not become homeless.

RONAN FAGAN

According to the latest rental report by property website Daft.ie rental prices in Mayo have increased by five per cent over the past 12 months, and a 3.5 per cent increase quarter on quarter. The report states that the average rental price in Mayo now stands at €588, with a a four bedroom house now costing on average €639 per month, an increase of almost six per cent on this time last year, while a three bedroom house will now cost on average €427 per month to rent, an increase of 4.7 per cent. A five bedroom house has an average rental price per month of €717 per month, an increase of 10.1 per cent in 12 months, by far the biggest percentage increase of any price of a rental property in the county according to the report.

Mayo County Council has begun a process to try and establish the exact housing need in the county. They have written to everyone who is currently on the housing list in the county to establish if all of those on the list are still in need of social housing, with a return deadline of September 21 this year.

The tenant purchase scheme for long-standing tenants of the Galway City Council has been relaunched, offering tenants the opportunity to buy their own homes from the council at a reduced rate.

Landlords and residential property investors are finding the rental market more challenging in recent months with rents in some locations falling by approximately 10 per cent. While this is bad news for landlords, it is good news for tenants. There is still good activity in the rental market with many would-be property purchasers staying in the rental market. However supply of rental property has increased as those vendors who cannot currently sell are deciding to rent as an alternative.