7 social housing apartments at empty for 17 months at €2k pm paid to private landlord

Sheep Shagger

Whilst SF and co want more taxes to help fix the housing crisis, how about we sort out wastage like this first?

HSE is classic example that throwing money at something doesn't necessarily mean better output received.

https://www.businesspost.ie/houses/seven-dundrum-apartments-leased-for-social-housing-have-been-empty-for-17-months-5cb77c5d

Seven luxury apartments, costing more than €2,000 a month, that are being leased for social housing in Dundrum have been left empty for 17 months.

In November 2019, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council agreed a deal to lease 87 apartments in the new luxury Herbert Hill apartment complex developed in Dundrum.

Based on figures released by the Department of Housing, an average rent of €2,000 a month is being spent on each apartment.

Atlantic Dawn

Someone needs to be in jail.

suicide_circus

The buck stops with no one

Sheep Shagger

Asked a Councillor on Facebook who is normally active on it what the details were etc......nothing.

For what its worth don't know other parts of the media havnt picked up this story....although with journalism in this country it will blow over in a few days....

Muahahaha

The best part is the landlord was given a 25 year lease, so at 2k a month the rent roll for each apartment is going to be 600,000. And at the end of the 25 year lease the State wont even own it and will just sign into another 25 year lease, its madness.

salmocab

They are lovely apartments there, I know a couple of people that have them and they are really nice in a great location, whilst I don’t begrudge the people I know in them or indeed anyone there it’s an awful way to home people. The costs are ridiculous and basically unending for the local authority.

malinheader

Only the tip of a massive iceberg I would say. How much of this is going on that is not reported.

EddieN75

This will be a reoccurring theme as more and more people struggle with lack of housing affordability. Taxes and charges will have to be raised to cover the ever growing expense sheet.

A new class of landlord is emerging. Social housing landlord. Investment protected by the state

Sheep Shagger

salmocab wrote: »

They are lovely apartments there, I know a couple of people that have them and they are really nice in a great location, whilst I don’t begrudge the people I know in them or indeed anyone there it’s an awful way to home people. The costs are ridiculous and basically unending for the local authority.

Seemingly with means testing there are people paying €300 a month for an apartment opposite Dundrum town centre and beside a Luas line. It's like winning the lottery if you got one.

Makes you wonder why anyone would be stupid enough to get a mortgage themselves...

salmocab

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Seemingly with means testing there are people paying €300 a month for an apartment opposite Dundrum town centre and beside a Luas line. It's like winning the lottery if you got one.

Makes you wonder why anyone would be stupid enough to get a mortgage themselves...

Yeah I get it, the people I know both work full time but wouldn’t be able to get a mortgage or even rent. Ones a single mother who works 40 hours and the other was on the list 14 years and whilst he works full time he’s crippled financially as he has kids that he has to pay for leaving him with sodd all. He moved in straight from his mothers and is in his mid 40s. Like I said I don’t begrudge them and they know full well how lucky they are but financially from the councils end it’s a joke.

gary550

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Seemingly with means testing there are people paying €300 a month for an apartment opposite Dundrum town centre and beside a Luas line. It's like winning the lottery if you got one.

Makes you wonder why anyone would be stupid enough to get a mortgage themselves...

Because the idea of saving 30k for a deposit, busting your b*llox paying a thousand quid every month for 30 years only to pay the bank their six figures in interest and have to maintain, upgrade & insure the place off your own back is somehow regarded as a privilege :rolleyes: I'm sure the kiddos will appreciate the inheritance though

In all seriousness though there is a massive problem with affordable and social housing but in my humble opinion leasing luxury apartments usually only reserved for those on a higher income with the intention of giving them to social tenants only to leave them empty is criminal. Whomever is responsible deserves to get the boot

Shebean

They must think we're made of money. I wonder how many people could have done with that money for a deposit.

Viscount Aggro

Luxury is now standard. Thats the message we are getting.
I agree - why would anyone bust their chops in a job,
with all the cost, stress and personal sacrifices, to afford their own place?

Social housing should follow the NZ model.
They get a basic housing set up, akin to a garage.
I know its a fairly right wing country, but I agree with this approach.
We are not in the business of rewarding people.

ThunbergsAreGo

Tax payers get such an awful return on their money here. So much stupid wastes of money

Grab All Association

Disgusting story here, a council prioritised a convicted rapist and an arsonist for two properties that were vacant despite a intellectually disabled person longest on the list (undergoing cancer treatment too)

He eventually was housed by a voluntary housing body in an unfurnished apartment. Rapist and the arsonist both got exceptional needs payment. WG was referred to the Saint Vincent DePaul for furniture.

salmocab

Viscount Aggro wrote: »

Luxury is now standard. Thats the message we are getting.
I agree - why would anyone bust their chops in a job,
with all the cost, stress and personal sacrifices, to afford their own place?

Social housing should follow the NZ model.
They get a basic housing set up, akin to a garage.
I know its a fairly right wing country, but I agree with this approach.
We are not in the business of rewarding people.

Not really sure what’s meant by luxury, to be fair they are nice apartments but nothing special beyond the location. I think the word luxury is really just thrown in to make this seem worse.

Sheep Shagger

salmocab wrote: »

Not really sure what’s meant by luxury, to be fair they are nice apartments but nothing special beyond the location. I think the word luxury is really just thrown in to make this seem worse.

They are not what most of the world would call your typical social housing standard (well above) Joe Soap working cant afford to buy that standard....anywhere pretty much.

While I don't agree with how social housing works I realise there a need, I just don't think it should be prime real estate.