Council housing - fitting out

scotzgeeza · 30-01-2013 8:25pm #1

How much would you need roughly to kit it out? like for carpets bed rooms fitted kitchen ect? Was thinking of moving out my parents house but cant afford private renting.

D3PO · 30-01-2013 10:04pm

and what makes you think you will get council housing ?

scotzgeeza · 30-01-2013 11:33pm

Is it not just as simple as putting your name down on the list and waiting?

Kristopherus · 30-01-2013 11:36pm

scotzgeeza wrote: »

Is it not just as simple as putting your name down on the list and waiting?

No. You have to be renting privately for at least 6 months. Also if you are single you will be very low priority. Income also is an eligibility condition.

scotzgeeza · 30-01-2013 11:41pm

ah ok cheers.

olcod · 30-01-2013 11:47pm

I've been waiting nearly 6 years, im a single father of two, working a CE Scheme so very low income. Last I heard i've been moved even further down the list due to the amount of people becoming homeless since the crash, i've all but given up hope of ever getting a council house, id say by the time im offered one my kids will be 18 and leaving home and i'll no longer be eligible. Chances of a single lad getting one.....ZERO !!!!..... sorry to put a downer on your plans but just stating the facts.

fussyonion · 31-01-2013 12:23am

I was waiting ten years before I was given my current home and there's two of us, so yes, without meaning to put a dampener on things, you'll be waiting a long time if you're a single guy.
Wouldn't worry about trying to work out prices for kitting out a home just yet.

kissthesky · 31-01-2013 12:35am

my girlfriend and i were on the waiting list for just over a year and got an offer of a house last week.nice small estate and very quiet in our preferred area. just wondering have we just been very lucky?

olcod · 31-01-2013 12:40am

kissthesky wrote: »

my girlfriend and i were on the waiting list for just over a year and got an offer of a house last week.nice small estate and very quiet in our preferred area. just wondering have we just been very lucky?

How did you manage that ????? thought about the ol brown envelope myself at times

fussyonion · 31-01-2013 12:44am

kissthesky wrote: »

my girlfriend and i were on the waiting list for just over a year and got an offer of a house last week.nice small estate and very quiet in our preferred area. just wondering have we just been very lucky?

Depends.

My OH and I were particularly fussy about what areas we would live in and we only selected two possible areas.
We were told countless times by the council that if we widened our preference area, we'd be housed quicker, but we knew where we wanted to live and we didn't mind waiting.
If you choose ALL AREAS on the application form, you will most likely be housed quicker.

PS Did you get a one-bed?

kissthesky · 31-01-2013 12:58am

fussyonion wrote: »

Depends.

My OH and I were particularly fussy about what areas we would live in and we only selected two possible areas.
We were told countless times by the council that if we widened our preference area, we'd be housed quicker, but we knew where we wanted to live and we didn't mind waiting.
If you choose ALL AREAS on the application form, you will most likely be housed quicker.

PS Did you get a one-bed?

We got a two bedroom end house in an 8 house estate.huge front and back garden. have never been through this process before as have always rented previously. have had mixed reaction from people, some saying we were very lucky, others being sniffy about a council house.

D3PO · 31-01-2013 1:09am

scotzgeeza wrote: »

Is it not just as simple as putting your name down on the list and waiting?

if it was that simple dont you think thats what everybody would do :cool:

kissthesky · 31-01-2013 1:34am

olcod wrote: »

How did you manage that ????? thought about the ol brown envelope myself at times

my laptop is playing up so sorry for not replying sooner. Ya it seems to be a bit odd as I was settling in for a long wait and next thing we get offered a house

olcod · 31-01-2013 1:43am

It's always nice to hear of people getting a break, best of luck in your new home.:)

the great purveyor of mediocrity · 31-01-2013 1:50am

kissthesky wrote: »

We got a two bedroom end house in an 8 house estate.huge front and back garden. have never been through this process before as have always rented previously. have had mixed reaction from people, some saying we were very lucky, others being sniffy about a council house.

Fair play to you. So what's the deal? Is it like a free house? What way does it work, just generally speaking, not all the ins and outs of it.....you put your name down with the council for a house as long you meet some criteria, after a period of time they then give you a house for free. Is that the way it works? Like do you own the house?

Jmccoy1 · 31-01-2013 1:55am

the great purveyor of mediocrity wrote: »

Fair play to you. So what's the deal? Is it like a free house? What way does it work, just generally speaking, not all the ins and outs of it.....you put your name down with the council for a house as long you meet some criteria, after a period of time they then give you a house for free. Is that the way it works? Like do you own the house?

You pay rent based on your means. Your rent will be based on the household income and can be increased or decreased as it changes.

kissthesky · 31-01-2013 1:58am

olcod wrote: »

It's always nice to hear of people getting a break, best of luck in your new home.:)

Thanks for that. Been thru a bit of a rough one over the last few years so thanking my stars for a bit of luck now.

fussyonion · 31-01-2013 2:02am

kissthesky wrote: »

Thanks for that. Been thru a bit of a rough one over the last few years so thanking my stars for a bit of luck now.

Ah same here-delighted for you.
I was over the moon to be given my current home; I'd waited so long for it and I felt really settled when we moved in.

It's just a bit strange you got it so quick; if you look at the State Benefit/Accommodation forum now and again, you'll see people wondering how long they'll be waiting for their council property, as it is usually a really long wait.

OP, what part of the country are you in, if you don't mind me asking?
I'm in Dublin.

the great purveyor of mediocrity · 31-01-2013 2:02am

That seems pretty fair, assuming of course that they don't take a huge chunk of the household income. So the Government/the State/Us still own the house and rent it out. Christ, that must mean that the State owns literally tens of thousands of houses throughout the country.

Kristopherus · 31-01-2013 2:07am

the great purveyor of mediocrity wrote: »

That seems pretty fair, assuming of course that they don't take a huge chunk of the household income. So the Government/the State/Us still own the house and rent it out. Christ, that must mean that the State owns literally tens of thousands of houses throughout the country.

Well you are half right. Long-term renters are usually offered the option to buy out the house. If they are happy in they usually do. as the terms offered are very good. The vast majority of Local authority renters take up this option.

the great purveyor of mediocrity · 31-01-2013 2:09am

Kristopherus wrote: »

Well you are half right. Long-term renters are usually offered the option to buy out the house. If they are happy in they usually do. as the terms offered are very good. The vast majority of Local authority renters take up this option.

It sounds like a really good deal, providing of course that you get to the top of the list.

kissthesky · 31-01-2013 2:13am

the great purveyor of mediocrity wrote: »

Fair play to you. So what's the deal? Is it like a free house? What way does it work, just generally speaking, not all the ins and outs of it.....you put your name down with the council for a house as long you meet some criteria, after a period of time they then give you a house for free. Is that the way it works? Like do you own the house?

Only accepted the (first) offer from the council last week so I dont know what the rent is yet but it is based on your income. I applied for rent supplement last year and as part of that I had to apply for council housing. Then I had to pay full rent for 6 months before rent supplement was then allowed to me.
I wouldnt call it a free house as I am paying rent every week aldeit at a reduced rate. If I hopefully start work again , then the rent will be increased in line with my wages.
Have been living in a quite expensive bedsit up to now costing €100pw with half that covered by rent supplement, the rest from my dole. I have been told that the house will be around €50-60 pw but I'll have to wait a few weeks before I know more.

kissthesky · 31-01-2013 2:20am

fussyonion wrote: »

Ah same here-delighted for you.
I was over the moon to be given my current home; I'd waited so long for it and I felt really settled when we moved in.

It's just a bit strange you got it so quick; if you look at the State Benefit/Accommodation forum now and again, you'll see people wondering how long they'll be waiting for their council property, as it is usually a really long wait.

OP, what part of the country are you in, if you don't mind me asking?
I'm in Dublin.

Tipperary. I'm beginning to find it a bit strange myself now. I hardly ever visit this forum and the more I read the more thankful I feel. At the same time , in other parishes that I know there are really nice houses with no one in them despite people saying there is a huge waiting list. Bit bizarre really.

Duiske · 31-01-2013 2:25am

Kristopherus wrote: »

Well you are half right. Long-term renters are usually offered the option to buy out the house. If they are happy in they usually do. as the terms offered are very good. The vast majority of Local authority renters take up this option.

That buy out scheme has been scrapped by the current Government. That's not to say it won't be reintroduced at some point, but I can't see it happening anytime soon.

scotzgeeza · 31-01-2013 7:06am

Would it not depend where you'r on the list for? Like Dublin or the big cities there would be major competition but i was thinking Longford or somewhere around that area.

riclad · 31-01-2013 2:00pm

Well in dublin , after 10 years ,most people end up buying the house from council,SO the no of council houses for rent, is being reduced all the time.
ie there,s council estates where there s only maybe 5 per cent of houses paying rent to the council.
There,s not many new council houses being built except in ballymun.
You need a certain income to be allowed to buy a council house.
IN practise single people ,under 60 wont be offered a council flat ,unless they are on disability allowance ,but you need to be on the housing list to get rent allowance.

donalg1 · 31-01-2013 2:04pm

If you are thinking of moving out of your parents house then a council house wont be an option really afaik. If you try to put your name on the list they wont let you as your current accommodation is more than sufficient, only those with an actual need for housing will be allowed on the list. You dont have a need so wont be eligible unfortunately.

olcod · 31-01-2013 3:32pm

Ya know what I find sickening is all the empty houses and ghost estates dotted around the country and still the amount of people waiting to be housed is endless. Sure a couple of years back I had a meeting with the housing officer and told him that I would be more than happy to take a house in disrepair and carry out the necessary work myself and out of my own pocket as im a tradesman myself, the response I got was " sorry thats not the way it works " , I find this totally crazy. :mad:

donalg1 · 31-01-2013 4:08pm

olcod wrote: »

Ya know what I find sickening is all the empty houses and ghost estates dotted around the country and still the amount of people waiting to be housed is endless. Sure a couple of years back I had a meeting with the housing officer and told him that I would be more than happy to take a house in disrepair and carry out the necessary work myself and out of my own pocket as im a tradesman myself, the response I got was " sorry thats not the way it works " , I find this totally crazy. :mad:

It is crazy that there are so many vacant houses around the country owned by NAMA now, but I think I read somewhere that more of these will be released to Councils for Social housing this year. Which would be a very good idea as it would have the potential to rejuvinate whole areas and create employment in terms of shops and post offices in these newly occupied developments, plus it would help maintain these properties and stop them going to ruin over the next few years, at the same as generating revenue for Local Authorities and the local economies plus solving the housing problems for many.

foxy06 · 31-01-2013 10:05pm

Afaik there are regulations for the state of council housing. In other words they are not allowed give them out until they are of a certain liveable standard. Then most of the councils just dont have the money to bring them up to scratch straight away.

With regard to the purchase of council housing that scheme has been scraped but there will be a new scheme called the incremental purchase scheme that will replace it and will also include private new builds. This is supposed to be coming in in july or august assuming they can push through the legislation.

Council housing - fitting out

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