Applying for rent allowance.

ParamoreBaby

Hi, I was down in the revenue office just this morning picking up a from to get rent allowance. I am currently claiming social welfare and have been for just under a year. I have been told to go to the County Council to get a letter from the Housing Authority stating I have been assessed as having a housing need. I went straight to the County Council to get this letter and was told to fill out another form: "Application for Housing Support".

I am already renting private accommodation and have been for the past 6 months. Do I really need to fill out a form for Housing Support? I noticed on the form I got from the Revenue Office that there is an OR, and I can give evidence of rent paid for six out of the previous twelve months but I wasn't told I could do this.

I am completely new to all this and was hoping someone could help me out as to what I can do.
Surely if I am already renting I don't have to be assessed for Housing Support or am I being a bit stupid?

ALSO! Anyone know how long is takes to receive rent allowance?
Thanks in advance for any help.

snubbleste

If you have a copy of a lease proving you are renting for 6 out of the previous 12 months, then you are eligible..no matter what they say.
However in the long term, you will need to assessed for social housing.

Just fill in the complex rent supplement form

The Countess

Hey, I just found this thread, I'm literally just back from the office where I applied for rent allowance, I told her I was renting previously for 2years and I gave her an old rent book, she told me someone will be at the house tomorrow and I'll know by the end of the week. Does anyone know what they do at the house? do they just want to look around or what?! hah
Thanks

foggy_lad

The Countess wrote: »

Hey, I just found this thread, I'm literally just back from the office where I applied for rent allowance, I told her I was renting previously for 2years and I gave her an old rent book, she told me someone will be at the house tomorrow and I'll know by the end of the week. Does anyone know what they do at the house? do they just want to look around or what?! hah
Thanks

They usually go through the forms again with you and check your id again and glance around for evidence that you are actually living there.

riclad

YOU want rent allowance, you need to get on the housing list, so you go to housing department, fill in a form. THEY look around, the flat, maybe talk to you for 5 mins, establish you are living there. It's not a big deal, they visit you once, after 9am, before 5pm. Yes, you need to be on the housing list, whether you think you need it, or not is not important.

I think its to stop people claiming RA, from places where they do not live in. Its part of the process.
talk to your welfare officer, ask how long does it take to be processed. Rent allowance is supposed to be a temporary process, i.e. at some point in theory, you'll be offered a council flat.

OR BE at a point where you can afford your own place, when your income rises. They don't inspect the building, its to establish you live there really. They are not trying to catch you out. I think the council gives you a letter stating you are now on the housing list and this goes in with your rent allowance application form.

Gatling

All you have to do is convince your landlord to accept it

riclad

I think theres ,one page, or part of the application for ra,
TO be filled in by the landlord;
his name,phone no, etc

The Countess

My landlord has filled all that out. I brought everything in today and she said to me "there are three ways to qualify, No.1 you've been renting a flat and paying rent for 6months or more" And I said I have and gave her my old rent book and then she just said, "thats fine then, someone will come up to your house tomorrow and you'll know by the end of the week."
This is the first time someone has said I only need to be renting 6months previous, even though it is an option whenyou apply and read about it, they always want you on the council housing list.
I can ask them tomorrow when they come over just to be sure anyway and I'll apply for one if I have to, but she made it seem ok that I didnt

The Countess

I know a friend of mine who went to apply for council housing for rent allowance but they wouldn't put her on the list and she got rent allowance anyway. OH well I'll find out tomorrow anyway I guess.

riclad

Last time i looked at the form ,it said ,

are you on the council housing list,?
they may make exceptions in emergency situations.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/rent_supplement.html

Have been assessed by a local authority as being eligible for and in need of social housing in the last 12 months. If you don't have a housing need assessment, you must go to the local authority to have your housing need assessed. The local authority must be in the area that you intend to live and claim Rent Supplement. Only when you are assessed as eligible for and in need of housing can you apply for Rent Supplement. Rent Supplement is not payable while the local authority is carrying out a housing needs assessment.

go to housing dept, wood quay,
ground floor,
fill in a form, its not that complicated.

i dont think a single person can get ,ra,
unless you have applied to be on the housing list.

your rent has be under ra limits,
to get rent allowance,
1 euro over you get nothing.
each area has different limits,
dublin,
dublin west etc
limits for shared,or non shared housing.
are different too.

riclad

Dublin - Fingal €300 shared
Dublin - other local authorities 350euro
shared accomodation limit.

520 single person non shared accomodation.
dublin.
rent allowance limit.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/rent_supplement.html#l23f7d

The Countess

Yeah I know all that, we are under the limit and everything is fine, I only wanted to know what they do at the house and like I said im going to ask them tomorrow when they come over if I should apply for a council house anyway, which im sure they'll probably say yes and then ill go do it, no big deal.
However it does say here[below], that it can be one OR the other, which is why I didnt think I needed to, because when the woman realized my rent book was for an old place, she said ok great, someone will come by tomorrow and you'll know by the end of the week.

Getting Rent Supplement

Rent Supplement will only be provided if the accommodation is suitable for your needs and the rent is below the maximum rent limit set for your county (see ‘Rates’ below for the current limits).

You may get Rent Supplement if you have been living for 6 months (183 days) out of the last 12 months in one, or a combination, of the following:

Accommodation for homeless people.
Private rented accommodation. You can combine time living in more than one rented accommodation to satisfy the 6 months (183 days). You must be able to show that you could afford the rent at the beginning of your tenancy and that you could have continued to pay rent but are unable to do so because of a change in your circumstances which occurred after you started renting.
An institution, for example, a hospital, care home or place of detention.

Or

Have been assessed by a local authority as being eligible for and in need of social housing in the last 12 months. If you don't have a housing need assessment, you must go to the local authority to have your housing need assessed. The local authority must be in the area that you intend to live and claim Rent Supplement. Only when you are assessed as eligible for and in need of housing can you apply for Rent Supplement. Rent Supplement is not payable while the local authority is carrying out a housing needs assessment.

riclad

Well,
you apply to be put on the housing list,
THEN the council may offer ,you a house or apartment.
i know a woman was on ra for 7 years,
got a 2 bed apartment ,in year 8.
She has 1 child.
if you have a child , i,d advise you to apply to be on the list on wednesday,
office is open til 4pm.
i presume you have a child ,
AS usually the council does,nt allocate houses to
single people.

The Countess

No, I dont have a child.
I did hear they dont offer single people housing, which is why i was quite relived when the woman accepted the rent instead and it also makes a lot of sense that they would, if single people cant get a council house and you cant get Rent allowance without it, there would be an awful lot of problems.
I also know a good friend who applied for a council house and didnt get it and still got rent allowance.

The Countess

So the man came over this morning, he was here for about 2minutes, said thats grand someone will be in touch and the money goes into the post office.. Turns out I DONT have to apply for a council house

ShaShaBear

I was forced to go on the council housing list despite having proof that I had been renting privately for two years. CWO absolutely refused to deal with me until the council approved me for the list.

Suppose it changes from person to person.

The Countess

Yeah I asked hmi and he said it was fine and now I'm just waiting on the call this week to say when my payment will be. It all seems to depend, I know the two people I'm living with had to apply for a council house and I know a lot of people who didnt! Anyway I'm just happy to be getting it sorted

riclad

MY experience is council in dublin gives flats,
council dwellings to people over 60,
people on disability ,
the chances of a single person in good health getting a council house ,
is close to zero ,
UNLESS you have a serious medical problem ,
or a disability of some kind.
it would be more accurate to say you don,t have to apply for council housing.
well the point is to be on the council housing list,
IF you are on it,over a certain age,
you may be offered a 1 bed council flat, apartment.

AND its no harm to be on the list,
form is a few pages long,
pretty easy to fill in.
simpler than the ra form.
NO chance of getting offered council accomodation
if you are not on the list.
ie have flats, or apartments,
most houses go to familys,

or single mothers,
NOT single people.

My friend was told she was very unlikely to get a house .as she had one child.
She got a 2bed apartment, new build .

20 years ago there was alot of empty flats,in dublin.
it was easy to get one.
in certain area,s .
most house are 3 bed units,
usually given to a woman with 2 children.
THERES 1000,s of people on the housing list ,
so its hard to get a council flat in any area.

SHE was given the choice of ground floor flat ,
or top floor ,
she choose top floor unit,
as its more private,
and more quiet than a ground floor unit.