Problems with finding rented accommodation

jdoonan1

I am currently looking to rent an apartment but seem to be finding it hard.
I am on social welfare, I have tried going to the council but the waiting list
is 15 years long .
I also tried private rental but every time I apply for a accommodation
I let the landlord know I am on social welfare and that in order to get rent allowance I need proof of ownership from the landlord but I seem to get nowhere .

is there a list of landlords that accept rent allowance and are willing to prove their ownership

I am looking to rent in dublin

athtrasna

In short, you're up against it. Rent allowance is nowhere near market rent at the moment and causes all sorts of hassle for landlords. Given the demand in Dublin at the moment, the number of landlords accepting rent allowance has dramatically dwindled.

jdoonan1

athtrasna wrote: »

In short, you're up against it. Rent allowance is nowhere near market rent at the moment and causes all sorts of hassle for landlords. Given the demand in Dublin at the moment, the number of landlords accepting rent allowance has dramatically dwindled.

I have tried everything but nothing's working . I'm currently staying with my dad and his two friends the owner of the house and myself don't get on and she wants me gone asap . I have a feeling if I don't get anywhere soon I could be made homeless

Eric Cartman

Do you absolutely need to be in dublin ? If so , why ?. Move away from dublin for better luck

jdoonan1

As a qualified Graphic Designer I would have a better opportunity to secure employment
in Dublin

I was born and raised in dublin

Eric Cartman

jdoonan1 wrote: »

As a qualified Graphic Designer I would have a better opportunity to secure employment
in Dublin

I was born and raised in dublin

Look for somewhere with good transport links but outside of dublin , try ashbourne, kilcock, maynooth etc... bus or train should suffice. Most actively working people who need to be in dublin cant even afford to rent there anymore, looking for RA inside the m50 will be almost impossible, time to look further out

jdoonan1

I have looked online at daft.ie rent.ie myhome.ie I have no problem finding accommodation just outside the city centre
but being on social welfare holds me back I have been in contact with the rent unit and was told before I get accepted for rent allowance I would need proof of ownership from the landlord but when I ask I get no reply

Stheno

jdoonan1 wrote: »

I have looked online at daft.ie rent.ie myhome.ie I have no problem finding accommodation just outside the city centre
but being on social welfare holds me back I have been in contact with the rent unit and was told before I get accepted for rent allowance I would need proof of ownership from the landlord but when I ask I get no reply

What's your budget for renting:?

Spanish Eyes

Would renting a room be any use to you? I don't know if Rent allowance covers this though.

Might be a start anyway if you are on your own at the minute.

I'm sure someone will let us know.

jdoonan1

currently staying with my dad and his two friends I don't get on with the landy of the house trying to find somewhere asap and a landlord that is willing to provide proof of ownership

Hollister11

Your not going to get anywhere with rent allowance.

It won't cover the current time rents in Dublin,and most landlords wouldn't take it if it did.

pilly

My advice OP would be to stop getting hung up in the proof of ownership thing. If your first question to a LL is can you provide proof of ownership then they're immediately put off. If they accept RA then they own the place.

Your battle will be finding someone in Dublin who accepts RA so start at that point. There are some LL's out there who do but they would be picky so you need to present yourself in the right way. Tell them you're single, no kids, no pets, have a deposit ready to go, references etc. etc. Put your best foot forward in other words.

Tombo2001

There is a huge problem with the HAP support, an absolutely massive problem; and I don't know why its not part of the discussion on housing.

HAP offers huge subsidies to the Tenant.

But it makes life very difficult for the Landlord.

How
(I) Through added bureaucracy - the premises has to be inspected twice a year; you have to fill out a bunch of forms.
(II) It complicates the LL Tenant relationship.....it is saying.....we the State will pay the rent; but the tenant is who you have the contract with....the tenant is paying us, not you (for a small part of the rent).....if the tenant stops paying us, then we the State will stop paying you the LL..... but you wont chase it up with us, you will chase it up with the tenant.....

For the Landlord, that is just beyond messy.

(III) as mentioned, they want the LL to go to the bank and get authorization to be a LL - sorry, but no. Why not? A huge amount of Landlords are people who bought a house in 2003, they moved out because they wanted to be in a bigger place or whatever; but they cant sell because they have negative equity. They already have a bad relationship with the bank because of negative equity, and the last thing they want is to be giving the bank another stick to beat them with.

As such, the HAP is dreadfully designed because (I) it pushes up rent by huge subsidies and (ii) it restricts supply by making it very unattractive for a large number of landlords.

I just wanted to explain this so you know where Landlords are coming from.

Now OP - you want to live somewhere in Dublin, you aren't fussy you say, Crumlin would be fine or Cabra or Donaghmede. it doesn't have to be an apartment in Temple Bar.

But the thing is, even in Crumlin or Cabra, every time you are enquiring about a house, there are 100 other people enquiring about the same house. 50 of those have HAP, 50 of those don't. So bear in mind what I've said above, and what the LL is thinking when he is going through the 100 enquiries.

So you need to either (I) go to a place where a Landlord isn't getting 100 enquiries or else (ii) give the LL with 100 enquiries a real good incentive to pick you over the other 99.

Pilly's comment above articulates it a lot better than me - by asking up front for proof of ownership; you are assuming they accept HAP and that they already want to take you as a tenant.....

Your starting point should be to tell the Landlord what they want to hear; not what you want to hear.

(And final point, what a LL most definitely does not want to hear, and couldn't care less about; is that you are really desperate and that you are living with your dad and his two mates and you don't get on with the Landlord etc etc etc I know this is very relevant to you, but its not at all relevant to them).

murphaph

jdoonan1 wrote: »

As a qualified Graphic Designer I would have a better opportunity to secure employment
in Dublin

I don't think you have the luxury of this mindset. There are countless souls who are working in Dublin and still have to live well outside it and commute in.

jdoonan1 wrote: »

I was born and raised in dublin

This is irrelevant.

murphaph

The chances of finding a LL in Dublin that accepts RS, HAP or RAS is currently slim to none. If anything LLs (including myself with an RAS property) are withdrawing from such schemes because of the hoops you are expected to jump through that you don't have with a normal private tenant.

Tombo2001

Hollister11 wrote: »

Your not going to get anywhere with rent allowance.

It won't cover the current time rents in Dublin,and most landlords wouldn't take it if it did.

I would disagree with that. A lot of people on HAP are in a position to pay 1600/1700/1800 a month for rent. There are plenty of places available for that.

The subsidies are massive, and I would think they have been a huge factor in pushing up rents.

Mrs OBumble

OP if you dont currently have a job, then you don't know where you need to live.

Find a job first - and right now you have the freedom to look anywhere in the country - and then find accommodation that suits the job.

murphaph

Tombo2001 wrote: »

The subsidies are massive, and I would think they have been a huge factor in pushing up rents.

No chance. LLs don't want any part in these schemes in Dublin at any rate. More trouble than they are worth. The rent isn't even guaranteed with RS.

I know from personal experience: I have a house under RAS and as soon as the contract is up that's it...house going back to private rental market. I'm sick dealing with a third party.

Baby01032012

murphaph wrote: »

No chance. LLs don't want any part in these schemes in Dublin at any rate. More trouble than they are worth. The rent isn't even guaranteed with RS.

I know from personal experience: I have a house under RAS and as soon as the contract is up that's it...house going back to private rental market. I'm sick dealing with a third party.

There's a big difference between RAS RS and HAP. RAS is a disaster, RS is paid to tenant and so is not guaranteed and is capped at very low rates with no way for tenant to top up. HAP is a different beast, paid directly to landlord, flexible to meet market rent.

jdoonan1

my big problem is when i contacted the rent unit they told me in order to process my rent application they need proof of ownership
which is impossible to get

CruelCoin

jdoonan1 wrote: »

my big problem is when i contacted the rent unit they told me in order to process my rent application they need proof of ownership
which is impossible to get

Banks do not work quickly. Unless you own the property outright, then the bank is holding the deeds.
It is a surety that it would take time, lots of it, to get the bank to provide proof of ownership to the landlord so that he can then jump through hoops and fill out a million pages in forms to bring on a tenant.

It's a bad situation, but i hope you understand why landlords would be unwilling to go down that route?

You need to start lowering your expectations. Dublin is premium grade, and someone on SW can hardly expect to afford prime real estate....

road_high

OP I don't mean to sound harsh but if you intend to support yourself by finding a job, then why are you looking for a rental property based on welfare?
To my mind you need to focus your efforts on getting a job, then like the rest of us 10s of thousands out there, seek Accomodation based on your income- if that means moving/commuting, keeping your present arrangements or a house share based on your means (I doubt privately renting an apt on your own will be on the horizon for a while as you'll need to build up an income level), then so be it..

jdoonan1

road_high wrote: »

Well it would do based on the fact you need an income to pay for renting...gas the way some people think that not working should grant them the same things as those that earn and pay for them..

Well as I'm job hunting at the moment my ideal situation would have been to get a job and then rent but unfortunately where I'm living now Is not a good place to live and u am wanted out asap

Tombo2001

jdoonan1 wrote: »

my big problem is when i contacted the rent unit they told me in order to process my rent application they need proof of ownership
which is impossible to get

Well exactly - that's why I think the HAP is completely flawed.

Tombo2001

road_high wrote: »

OP I don't mean to sound harsh but if you intend to support yourself by finding a job, then why are you looking for a rental property based on welfare?
To my mind you need to focus your efforts on getting a job, then like the rest of us 10s of thousands out there, seek Accomodation based on your income- if that means moving/commuting, keeping your present arrangements or a house share based on your means (I doubt privately renting an apt on your own will be on the horizon for a while as you'll need to build up an income level), then so be it..

The HAP scheme is aimed at least partly at people on low incomes; to help them pay rent.

That's another reason I don't like it.....

Why bother getting a job for 50k a year, and pay your own rent - when you can get a job for 30k a year, and get HAP to give you 1000 a month for your rent.

macnug

Tombo2001 wrote:

But the thing is, even in Crumlin or Cabra, every time you are enquiring about a house, there are 100 other people enquiring about the same house. 50 of those have HAP, 50 of those don't. So bear in mind what I've said above, and what the LL is thinking when he is going through the 100 enquiries.

Agree, and its not just in Dublin. Even as far out as Laois people are finding it hard to find places to accept rent allowance / hap. Op if I was you I'd forget about welfare as a means of housing, just look at the homeless numbers to see that they are failing people. That is were you will end up insist on depending on them. If I was in your position I'd get any job for the time being and house share near it while you plan your next move.

Ms Doubtfire1

jdoonan1 wrote: »

road_high wrote: »

Well it would do based on the fact you need an income to pay for renting...gas the way some people think that not working should grant them the same things as those that earn and pay for them..

Well as I'm job hunting at the moment my ideal situation would have been to get a job and then rent but unfortunately where I'm living now Is not a good place to live and u am wanted out asap

OP, the very simple truth is you won't find anything in Dublin at this point in time in your circumstances.Move away from dublin into the suburbs.It's easy enough to switch social welfare office.I don't want to sound harsh but it seems to me you are making excuses. You can live anywhere in the country, you are free to go wherever you want. if you are a good GD you can work freelance and online. I would love to be in your position and ditch the office work.People accepting homelessness rather than leaving dublin just boggle my mind.Why would you do that? Move away from dublin settle yourself , make sure you have a roof over your head and than start looking for a job.

pilly

jdoonan1 wrote: »

my big problem is when i contacted the rent unit they told me in order to process my rent application they need proof of ownership
which is impossible to get

How could they need proof of ownership just to process your application? Sure you haven't got a LL yet?

Michael D Not Higgins

pilly wrote: »

How could they need proof of ownership just to process your application? Sure you haven't got a LL yet?

The process of applying for rent allowance is filling in a SWA RS1 form (likely this form is out of date). In order to apply, you must be applying for a particular place you are renting. In order for the department to process the application, part 11 must be filled by the landlord which includes proof of ownership, by registration with the RTB or by a building insurance policy.

This is standard and not impossible to get. It may be hard to get because a landlord doesn't want to have rent allowance tenants or doesn't want to drop the rent charged to within the limits.

pilly

Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »

The process of applying for rent allowance is filling in a SWA RS1 form (likely this form is out of date). In order to apply, you must be applying for a particular place you are renting. In order for the department to process the application, part 11 must be filled by the landlord which includes proof of ownership, by registration with the RTB or by a building insurance policy.

This is standard and not impossible to get. It may be hard to get because a landlord doesn't want to have rent allowance tenants or doesn't want to drop the rent charged to within the limits.

That makes sense, thanks Michael, I was just wondering why the OP was bogged down in the proof of ownership.

The real issue is whether the LL will take HAP or not and if they do then they will provide all those details anyway.

rawn

Tombo2001 wrote:

Why bother getting a job for 50k a year, and pay your own rent - when you can get a job for 30k a year, and get HAP to give you 1000 a month for your rent.

Cos at 50k a year you don't have to look for a LL to accept HAP! You have the peace of mind that LL's will prefer you to everyone else and therefore be spoiled for choice (in comparison).