Sir, – Given the acute shortage of private rental accommodation, all options to increase supply should be explored.
Under the Fair Deal scheme a family home can be rented out once the older person is in a nursing home. The HSE’s view is that rental income is included in the definition of “income” for the purposes of the scheme and therefore 80 per cent of any rental income would be taken to cover part of the cost of the person’s long-term residential care.
Perhaps additional rental properties could be made available if the “take” was reduced a little? It’s still a win/win and gives an incentive for the house to be rented out. It might only be a short-term solution but could free up other properties for longer term rentals. – Yours, etc,
ALICE O’DONNELL,
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Delgany, Co Wicklow.