Housing 

HOUSING

•   Home Purchase Loan:  The city council offers up to a 97% loan to persons earning under €50,000 (one earner), €75,000 (two earners). The maximum available is €185,000. You must be in continuous employment for two years, and have been refused for mortgage approval by two lending agency’s. The interest rate is 3.25%. Potential applicants must have a credible savings record.

•   Home Choice Loan provides up to 92% of the market value of a property purchased to first time buyers. The maximum loan amount is €285,000.  Home Choice Loan offers one variable interest rate of 4.20%. See www.homechoiceloan.ie for full information.

•   Debt Problems If you are having difficulty keeping up with payments it is vital that you immediately inform those you owe (utilities, banks, etc.) and seek advice.  Options include:

•  Money Advice & Budgeting Service (MABS) who advise and can negotiate with creditors (1890 283 438 or locally, Bunratty Rd 8674892)

•  Utilities offer Easypay options and even pre-payment meters in some circumstances.

•  Community Welfare Service of the HSE offer access Supported Housing Payments (see below).

•  A Mortgage Code of Practice protects you by requiring the lender:- to explore alternatives (like interest only or extending the term); not to apply penalties or force you to abandon a tracker mortgage; not to take legal action for repossession for 12 months (not counting time when you are complying with an agreement or appealing internally, or to the Financial Service Ombudsman).

•   Supported Housing Payments

      If neither partner is working over 29 hours per week, a supplement towards rent or mortgage interest is payable, if, after paying these, you are left with less than €158 (single), €277.80 (couples), plus e29.80 for each child. The supplement brings your income back up to this level. You are not eligible if either you or your spouse is working full-time (over 29 hours per week). These ceilings are to be reviewed in 2012. In the means test, Family Income Supplement, PRSI, the cost of travelling to work, and the first e75 plus 25% of the balance of other income (e.g. part-time work or on a scheme) are disregarded. The first €95.23 of maintenance payments is assessed, above that, the income disregard applies.

 •  Mortgage Interest supplement - to be eligible:

      •   the loan must have been for the purchase, repair or essential improvement of your home, and

      •   the interest is no greater than the rent ceiling for a household of similar composition.  If not, supplement is restricted to 12 months.
      •   you have completed the 12 month Resolution Process with your lending institution.

Mortgage Interest Supplement can be retained on a tapered basis over 4 years after returning to work, where gross household income (after PRSI and travel to work) doesn’t exceed €317.43.

 •  rent supplement - to be eligible:

      •   Already renting (or in homeless accommodation) for at least six months, or on the Council’s housing needs list.

      •   Otherwise you must be first assessed by the Council as in housing need (emergency cases fast tracked by DCC).

No supplement will be paid where the rent exceeds ceilings set for different family size (e.g. e1,050 per month for family with two children, in Dublin.  

People going back to full-time work (>29 hours) can only retain eligibility for supplement if the Council has deemed them eligible for the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS).

 •  Rent Accommodation Scheme

You can qualify for RAS if you are in need of housing and have been getting Rent Supplement (in general for a period of 18 months or more).  Under RAS, the City Council enters into a long-term contract with a Private Landlord,
you pay an income related Rent {of 15% of after tax income in excess of e32 (single) e64 (couple)}. If you take up work you still get a subsidized rent. If the Landlord withdraws, the council is obliged to secure another tenancy for the family (For details, Tel: 2225440).

 •  Housing Aid for pensioners

Older people or those with incapacities can get grants for home improvements from Dublin City Council. For a quicker service call 2222195.  The full grants below apply if the gross income of the owner and their spouse is less than e30,000, dropping on a graduated basis to 30% for incomes e54,000 – e65,000, but no grant over that. They are:

      •   Housing Aid For Older People - Up to 100% grant in owner-occupied homes, for persons age 60 or over, of up to €10,500 for         necessary improvements – rewiring, roof repair, central heating (where none), and replacing of existing boiler when broken beyond repair.

      •   Mobility Aids – Up to 100% grant of up to €6,000 to address mobility problems, certified by a doctor (e.g. rails, ramps, stairlifts and level access showers) in owned or private rented homes where the annual household income is under €30,000.

      •   Housing Adaptation (Disability) – Up to  95% grant of up to €30,000 to adapt a home to suit the needs of a person with an enduring disability (e.g. downstairs toilet/shower, wheelchair adaptation, extension, etc.) in owned or private rented homes. The works must be certified necessary by a doctor and may require an Occupational Therapist Report.

 •  Senior citizens who own their own house may sell it to the Council and seek Council Senior Citizens accommodation. They must give the Corporation one third of the proceeds of the sale (aged 60-70) or less if over 70.

 •  Safer Homes

      •   Locks, chain reinforcing, security lighting and “pendant” alarms are now available on a year-round basis from certain Voluntary Agencies such as Northside Homecare Services, Cromcastle Rd. (Tel: 8478410) and Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Griffith Ave. (Tel: 8053667) (with funding from Social Welfare). Friends of the Elderly offer flexible assistance with odd jobs for older people (Tel: 8731855).

      •   Age Action Ireland has a team of volunteers available to do odd jobs for pensioners. They also have a list of honest and trustworthy tradesmen. (Lo Call) 1890 369 369.

 •  WARMER HOMES:  A Home Insulation Scheme for pensioners and incapacitated people (who are on Fuel Allowance) through Energy Action (454 5464) and CHIP (467 0344). Energy Action will insulate attics, draught-proof doors and windows, fit a lagging jacket, a smoke alarm and two energy-saving light bulbs, fit a mortise lock and a spy hole. CHIP will do a full insulation package including insulation of cavity walls.

 •  GREENER HOMES: Better Energy Home Scheme:  (tel: 1850 734 734) provides grants to homeowners for: insulation of attic (Ä200), cavity wall (€250), internal wall (€1,800 (detached), €1,350 (semi), €900 (apartment)), external wall (€3,600 (detached), €2,700 (semi), €1,800 (apartment)); heater control with boiler upgrade (€560); heating controls upgrade only (€400); solar heating (€800). The solar grant is to incentivise investment in small solar systems in the average home. Among the insulation works you can get a grant of €50 for a Building Energy Rating (BER). Grants will typically cover 20-30% of the full cost. Energy savings of up to 50% can be achieved.

External wall insulation: Before installing external insulation, you should first apply to your local authority for a Declaration of Exemption form (cost: €80), as you may need planning permission.