Looking for advice for a council flat for my uncle.

gazzer

Im hoping that I might be able to get some advice for my uncle

My aunt who died recently lived in a 2 bedroomed flat in Dublin city for 68 years. 9 months ago her 72 year old brother (he is seperated and was living in a bedsit) moved in with her to look after her as she was sick with Cancer.

We knew that my aunt was dying and we were always telling my uncle to go over to the council to let them know that he was living with his sister as when she died there might be a problem with him living in the flat.

Due to the breakup of his marriage and a ton of other personal stuff that was going on in his life he never went over to the office to tell them. However we paid double my aunts rent from the time he moved in with her. We couldnt tell the council on his behalf. He had to go over himself.

Anyway my aunt died last month and as is the case with council flats a ton of people have gone over to the council to ask if they could have the flat. Due to the circumstances that my aunt died in (I have gone into this in a seperate thread) we really were not in any state to be going over to the council last month. In the meantime my uncles grandson (he is his guardian along with his seperated wife as the boys father wants nothing to do with him) is in hospital after been beaten up on his way home (he lives out in Clondalkin). He is in a very bad way both physically and emotionally and does not want to go back to Clondalkin and has begged his grandfather to let him move in with him.

Last week my uncle finally went over to the council office to ask if there was any chance that he could stay in the flat and told them that he would like his grandson to live with him. He had a petition signed by every person in the flats complex (my aunt was very well liked) asking that my uncle stay in the flat.

I know it is probably selfish on our part but because the flat has been such a focal part of our life for so many years (we always popped in there to visit my aunt and it was the meeting point for so many family gatherings over the year) we really want my uncle to stay there and not have to go back to the bedsit. He is working full time in order to give his ex a sufficient pension and is in no way a scrounger. The man has never owed money in his life. By having him there it would be like the family connection is still in the flat (my mother has popped into the flat every Sat for the last 40 years when coming back from shopping) and it would be nice for my deceased aunts family to still have that connection.

I know that people have strong feelings about people 'leeching' off the system and wheter of not council accomodation is a good thing but I am just looking for advice as to wheter my uncle could have any chance in remaining in the flat with his grandson. Paying the rent is not a problem and we have offered to pay a number of months rent up front as well as any deposit required. However the man that my uncle spoke to was very rude to him and told him that there was no way that he was getting the flat as 'there are plenty of people looking to move into it' and that the petition was not worth the paper it was written on.

Thanks

gurramok

Go to a TD to help argue your case with the council as its special circumstances.

mikemac

This is a special case and the council probably won't make an exception so go to your TD, they could do something there

Victor

Actually, a local councillor would be a much better idea than a TD.

mikemac

A councillor is more aware of the situation but a TD can do more.
If both lobby and send letters who would be taken more seriously.

Depends on the situation but I'd imagine it's the TD.
Do both OP!

K_P

I'm going to go against the tide here and say that from first-hand experience I can honestly say that TDs and councillors lobbying don't make much of a difference in housing applications. Maybe they did in the past but not so much anymore. Half my days in the council were spent sending identical replies to TDs and their identical letters. I would frequently get 10 or more letters from the same councillor or TD passionately advocating that 10 different people get the same house. We both knew it was completely futile but they went through the motions to keep constituents happy. Anyway, I digress.

The rules on succession of tenancies are fairly strict. You have to be a family members of the deceased, have been registered at the tenancy in the previous two years and paying rent accordingly.

So really, this will come down to whether or not your uncle was officially staying there, ie, were the council aware he was living there and was he charged rent. If so, then you stand a very good chance of him being allowed to stay. However, if he wasn't and if he's only gone to the council now to apply for housing then I'm afraid it's extremely unlikely that he'll be allowed to stay. The council will have to allocate the flat to the next person on the list. Best of luck OP.

gazzer

Thanks everybody for the replies. Hopefully some good luck will come my uncles way (god knows he needs it). K_P thanks for your input also with the council view point. One thing I will say though is my aunt who passed away had been on a waiting list for 10 years for a old folks apartment up in Aughrim St and there were people who went on the list after her who got flats and she wasnt offered any. She knew this as she would have talked to various people at mass and when out shopping etc who would tell her that they got one of these flats and yet had applied for them long after she had.

On top of that there are 3 individuals living in this council block (both young men) who have apartments there and who would not have had relatives living in these flats previously yet my uncle has been on the waiting list for the last 4 years and was never offered anything. I know that the council have their rules and regulation but in my experience these rules are often bent depending on what information is given.

If we had the option of buying the flat we would do it for him as he loves living there and it would be great if he could stay there but unfortunately we dont have this option.

ellie1

I would advice you to get your uncle to stay put at the moment and continue to pay rent. Get him to write a letter to the council and explain the situation. He can also allow his grandson to move in (ensure the grandson wont be bringing any gangs around not saying he will). If there is a local community group , get in touch with them. I really dont think they will put him out on the street.
Having worked in various feilds, men who end up in bedsits because of maritial breakdown or men in general are often waiting on council lists for a very long time because they dont have children. Its very sad situation. Its unfortunate that people deem council housing or flats as leeching of the state. We are all born into different backgrounds and for many people there is no other choice. Your uncle did a very great thing for his sister and his ex wife by leaving the family home.

I hope it all works out for your uncle and your family.