Dublin City Council considers changing rent arrears policy

Dublin City Council is considering relaxing the policy that prevents tenants who are in rent arrears with it from being considered for a housing transfer.

The council is owed more than €23 million in arrears, by more than 14,000 households, according to figures to be presented at the council’s housing committee. The majority of the arrears, however, are not due to tenants’ refusal to pay rent, but “the failure of tenants to inform” the council “of changes in their personal circumstances in a timely manner”.

The council is therefore considering relaxing its policy on barring tenants in arrears from being considered for a housing transfer, following concerns that some tenants in dire need of transfer are being prevented because of “historic arrears”.

Failure to inform

Figures obtained by Sinn Féin Councillor Daithí Doolan indicate that the council was owed almost €23 million as of December 8th, 2014. This has now increased to more than €23 million. Some 14,191 households are in arrears, according to the December 8th figures.

In a report for Mr Doolan, administrative officer for the council’s rent section Kayanne O’Mahony says: “It is worth noting that the principal cause of arrears is not the nonpayment of rent but the failure of tenants to inform the housing and residential services department of changes in their personal circumstances in a timely manner.

“This has resulted in retrospective debits being applied once the change in circumstances has been identified.”

When a household’s income increases or decreases their differential rent should increase or fall, and it is up to the tenant to inform the council of changed circumstances. If they fail to do so and, following an audit by the council, are found to have a higher income than they had, retrospective arrears are applied. Arrears block a tenant from being allowed to apply for a housing transfer.

A number of councillors are concerned this policy is putting tenant welfare at risk. They say that where a tenant has entered into a repayment plan, they should be eligible for transfer.