Rent supplement and rural Ireland

MariMel

I currently get rent supplement but am not able to continue living in the house I do, so i have to look for somewhere else.
With the new reductions in the rent supplement limits, I need to find somewhere to live under the new rate of €390 per month. (louth)
I dont live in an urban area where there would possibly be more choice, my family, my son and my support network are in and around the village I live in. I cant house share as my son stays with me at weekends and during the holidays.
Where I live is a very touristy place and there are lots of houses used for holiday lettings, but this place is busy all year round, not just in the summer months so owners are unwilling to let long term when money can be made by holiday lets.

Now.....tell me this.....how do i go about finding somewhere to live that falls within the new rent supplement limits, when the average rental price for my area is over €600 a month?
Its one thing to negotiate a €50 reduction in the rent....its a whole other ball games looking for a €150 - €210 reduction.

There is not one house/apt in my area on daft or in the local papers remotely close to the new limits.

Bear in mind that some on other threads have said....declare the rent to be the limit.....and make up the rest yourself.....thats what i have been doing and can no longer sustain paying the rent I do, so I find myself faced with homelessness in the next 5 weeks.

not even wrong

There are plenty of Irish people who are being forced by the current economy not just to move house but to emigrate. With that in mind I don't have a lot of sympathy to spare for people who don't want to move to the next town over because the State can't afford to rent them a house in a tourist beauty spot.

Jehuty42

MariMel wrote: »

Now.....tell me this.....how do i go about finding somewhere to live that falls within the new rent supplement limits, when the average rental price for my area is over €600 a month?

You don't. You move to a different area with lower average rents.

MariMel

with regards to the suggestion i move i probably should furnish you with a little more information as to why i wont move the 24km to the next town.

In 2009 i suffered a breakdown and i decided i wasnt being a good enough mother to my child......so i decided it would be in his best interest to live with my parents while I recovered. This gave him the stability that was lacking while I battled severe depression, it also gave me the time and space to focus on fully recovering.
My child is thriving in the country school and is growing up into a confident child.
Last year I moved to the village i grew up in.....where my family are from to be closer to him. He stays with me at weekends and visits during the week.
I am healthier, clearer and more stable than I have ever been while living where I am.
I am close to my support network which anyone who lives with depression knows....having that support network is vital to prevent relapses.
The goal is to have my child back living with me again permanently.

Should I disrupt him.....create more upheaval in his young life.....move away from my support network, potentially with unpleasant effects.......move away from his support network of good friends, my parents and his cousins??

I welcome response from those who think my desire to stay living where I am is because I dont want to move from a tourist beauty spot.

Also....in response to moving to an area with cheaper rents.....only 9 on daft this morning, none in local newspaper, in entire county which fall under that limit and of those 6 are student accommodation sharing.....the others one bed apt which I would never get my son back living me if i moved to any of those.

irishguy

MariMel wrote: »

with regards to the suggestion i move i probably should furnish you with a little more information as to why i wont move the 24km to the next town.

In 2009 i suffered a breakdown and i decided i wasnt being a good enough mother to my child......so i decided it would be in his best interest to live with my parents while I recovered. This gave him the stability that was lacking while I battled severe depression, it also gave me the time and space to focus on fully recovering.
My child is thriving in the country school and is growing up into a confident child.
Last year I moved to the village i grew up in.....where my family are from to be closer to him. He stays with me at weekends and visits during the week.
I am healthier, clearer and more stable than I have ever been while living where I am.
I am close to my support network which anyone who lives with depression knows....having that support network is vital to prevent relapses.
The goal is to have my child back living with me again permanently.

Should I disrupt him.....create more upheaval in his young life.....move away from my support network, potentially with unpleasant effects.......move away from his support network of good friends, my parents and his cousins??

I welcome response from those who think my desire to stay living where I am is because I dont want to move from a tourist beauty spot.

Also....in response to moving to an area with cheaper rents.....only 9 on daft this morning, none in local newspaper, in entire county which fall under that limit and of those 6 are student accommodation sharing.....the others one bed apt which I would never get my son back living me if i moved to any of those.

Your situation is tough and I am sure its hard, but the country is in a very poor financial state. This is going to get worse before it gets better as we will need to cut more in the next few budgets.

The state cannot afford to pay so much for housing and people will have to move to cheaper areas/accommodation. You should look into moving to other parts of the country and getting a job. Failing that you will have to look abroad.

MariMel

irishguy wrote: »

The state cannot afford to pay so much for housing and people will have to move to cheaper areas/accommodation. You should look into moving to other parts of the country and getting a job. Failing that you will have to look abroad.

I totally get that the state cant afford to pay for housing at the prices they have been. I'm one of those many people who are sick of applying for numerous jobs/internships and not even getting an acknowledgement back and getting told by the local employment services/fas that there are no courses suitable for me. Ive worked most of my adult life, trust me I'd rather be contributing rather than on jobseekers benefit.

So you think my only option is to give up on getting my son back living with me and move somewhere else in the country or move abroad?
I'm sorry but for me that is not an option.

indiewindy

I wouldnt give up on the search yet, with rent relief being cut the market will have to reflect this new reality as when leases come up for renewal the folk on rent allowance who make up nearly half the market will be in same boat as you.
Good luck in your search:)

Leo Dowling

irishguy wrote: »

Your situation is tough and I am sure its hard, but the country is in a very poor financial state. This is going to get worse before it gets better as we will need to cut more in the next few budgets.

The state cannot afford to pay so much for housing and people will have to move to cheaper areas/accommodation. You should look into moving to other parts of the country and getting a job. Failing that you will have to look abroad.

What a load of nonsensical rhetoric.

Back in reality OP, there are bound to be a few places in your area that you can move to. If I was you I'd call around to as many local estate agents and letting agents as you can find and leave your information with them. As well as that, call all the lower priced ones you've seen and ask them and try to negotiate. There are a lot of people with properties that they need to be getting €390 p/m from rather than €0 p/m.

This nonsense about moving around doesn't apply because you're getting rent supplement based on your assessment by the local housing authority.

Badhb

OP, just felt compelled to reply to your post, and thank you for your honesty.
To be honest, this forum (accom & prop), is not the best for any kind of decent response to your situation. From my long time reading and recent posts, I must say it is positively hostile towards people in receipt of rent supplement.

Anyway, just to let you know, even in urban areas we are facing the same problems. I have just moved from illness benefit to jobseekers' allowance, and although it is great to feel healthy again, it is destroying that I have to ask my landlord to reduce the rent by €50 per month. He said flat out no, of course.

Now, I have to engage in somehow figuring out how to get him to sign the forms to say he has agreed to reduction, and then figure out how to lie successfully to my CWO. Illegal? yes. Well, extreme circumstances are forcing us and many more vulnerable people into the same situation.

It is absolutely impossible for me to move out.
I cannot afford it. I don't drive, and don't have the usual support system to enable me to move out, and having suffered mental health difficulties with my chronic physical illness, there is no way I will give up living in a decent, habitable bedsit. Which are like hen's teeth no matter where you live.

It is truly horrible. I think we, people who rely on rent supplement, and the majority of us do not conform to the stereotype allowed on this forum as lazyass, dirty troublemakers may need to organise ourselves, perhaps online, to make our TD's aware of our situation.

For the record, I have a very decent, good landlord. I am not anti-landlord by any means. I have always believed in the idea of renting as a lifetime decision as opposed to getting a mortgage.
For me, a sound landlord is worth much more than location, etc. However, I can understand his position that he is not able to meet costs by such a drastic reduction in his rent. It is unfair on him.

It is unfair on me, and you, OP, and too many more of us who perhaps do not realise what is coming down the line until further on in this year when we all get the dreaded letter telling us that this is "an opportunity to negotiate with our landlord".

the_syco

Look around for "granny flats"; one bedroom houses that may no longer be used, but built on someones land - used once, but never used again.

Also look for small houses "off the beaten track" that had people living in them, but are now empty, and find out who owns them. Sometimes when people move out, the owner doesn't bother looking to fill them.

Any chance of telling us the own name?

NIMAN

Badhb wrote: »

I have to ask my landlord to reduce the rent by €50 per month.

I'm a LL who has been asked to reduce his rent by €150 each month.

Its a mad situation, but as said I would be better taking €350 instead of nothing.

susiebubbles

OP have you spoken with your cwo (or whomever sets the ras in your area?), there is lee-way and as your son is staying with you you may be able to get ras that would cover this. Are you connected with the mental health services? Do you have a social worker? This is something to discuss with them, they can negotiate for you. This does happen. Push for it yourself...appeal if you don't get it. This is an important part of your recovery and having your son live with you permanently let the cwo know this, they have a certain amount of discretion and if you could have supporting letters (from G.P, mental health workjers etc) then you have a strong case, IMO.