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Advice about council house please

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  • 07-05-2011 12:50pm
    #1
    loki777
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭


    i've been offered a council house and if i accept i plan to stay there for a long time, but know nothing about how the council will operate the lease.could anyone please tell me if i can make some changes like- put in an electric shower, tile around the bath,light for shaving.i would be doing these things over a period of time and at my own expense.thanks.


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    #2
    mari2222
    Registered Users Posts: 568 ✭✭✭mari2222


    shouldnt be a problem - just keep the council informed


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    #3
    Milk & Honey
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,950 ✭✭✭Milk & Honey


    Check your lease carefully. There is no problem if you eventually buy the house from the Council, but there can be trouble if you surrender the house. I remember people having to undo all of their work when surrendering the house back to the Council.


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    #4
    snoopy12
    Registered Users Posts: 187 ✭✭snoopy12


    generally minor alterations are permitted but i would get a permission form from the housing office and get it approved in writing before you do any works. they should also cover this in the pre-tenancy course if they are providing one. also make sure and read the tenants handbook carefully. finally beware that the repair responsibilities vary between local authorities so be sure and know what u are responsible for - with finances stretched a good deal of repairs fall onto tenants shoulders.
    maybe you should talk to your housing officer about any concerns before accepting.
    best of luck with you move!


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    #5
    loki777
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭loki777


    thanks very much for all replies and advice.very informative.


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    #6
    donalg1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,513 ✭✭✭donalg1


    You should be given a pre-tenancy course as previously mentioned, and at this they will tell you exactly what is expected of you as a tenant, you can ask then what you can or cant do, the Area Housing Officer will be able to tell you exactly what repairs you can undertake as a tenant. Plus if you were to refuse a Council House now because you can't change a few things in it, this would be seen as an unreasonable refusal which would mean it would more than likely be a long time before you are offered another. If you have two unreasonable refusals you will be removed from the Housing List altogether. Since the April 1st this year new guidelines have been introduced making it much harder to get your name on the list in the first place, the aim is to reduce the numbers on the list, some of those currently on the list may even be removed as they are now deemed ineligible under the new guidelines, this however would ony happen in extreme cases but can be done all the same, its really just aimed at not increasing numbers any further.

    My advice to you is to discuss with the AHO the terms of the lease, read the tenancy agreement and accept the offer, it could be a long time before you are offered another.


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