Housing & Building:
Housing Functions;
The overall aim of housing policy is to enable every household to have available an affordable dwelling of good quality, suited to its needs, in a good environment, and as far as possible at a tenure of its choice.
The general strategy for realising the overall policy aim is that those who can afford to do so should provide housing for themselves, and those unable to do so from their own resources should have access to social housing or income support to rent private housing.
Cobh Town Council’s function as a housing authority is:-
Provider/manager of rented local authority housing for those unable to provide housing from their own resources.
Promoter of home ownership through tenant purchase schemes for those who fulfill certain criteria.
Facilitator for approved voluntary or non profit housing organisations in provision of rented accommodation and facilities.
Principal Legislation
Housing Act 1966 – Acquisition of Land, provision of housing, Tenant Purchase Schemes, Unfit Houses, Overcrowding, Scheme of Letting Priorities, Compulsory Purchase, Rent Schemes.
Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1979 - Loans, grants and subsidies.
Housing Act 1988 - Homeless Persons Act.
Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992 – Voluntary Housing Schemes, Statements of policy on management of local authority dwellings and counteraction of social segregation.
Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997 - gave local authority powers on anti-social behaviour/estate management.
Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998.
Planning and Development Act, 2000 – Housing Strategy, Compulsory Purchase.
Housing Administration
This covers housing applications/allocations, rent calculation/collection, housing loans, shared ownership scheme, registration of private rented dwellings etc.
The Director of Services has overall responsibility for Housing Administration with the Town Clerk and Administrative Staff providing a range of housing services.
Cobh Town Council have overall responsibility for the building and maintenance of local authority houses. The Senior Executive Architect and staff provide the plans for new houses and the Town Engineer looks after maintenance.
Housing Services
The following range of housing services is provided by Cobh Town Council:-
•Provision and management of rented Local authority housing.
•Building and repair of houses.
•Extensions to local authority houses in lieu of rehousing.
Extensions/alterations to local authority houses for needs of disabled persons
•Remedial schemes.
•Bathroom schemes.
•Assessment of housing needs; Housing and Transfer Applications;
Housing Allocations.
•Operation of Housing Rent System; Rent and Tenant Purchase Annuity collection.
•Liaison with Tenant/Resident groups.
•Assistance to persons providing housing for themselves.
•Improvements in lieu of rehousing.
•Tenant Purchase Scheme administration.
•Voluntary Housing.
•Control of Private Rented Dwellings.
Provision and Maintenance of Rented Local Authority
1.1.1 Building/Acquisition of Housy Houseses
Cobh Town Council has approx. 260 rented properties in its ownership. Each year a number of new houses are built while a number of houses will be sold to existing tenants under Tenant Purchase Schemes.
An “Assessment of Housing Needs” is carried out by the Local Authority every three years to establish housing requirements in the area. This assessment was last carried out in 2002 and forms the basis for allocation of housing starts by the Department of the Environment and Local Government.
The Department of the Environment & Local Government notifies each Housing Authority of its housing starts allocation, which is the number of houses which can be purchased or constructed. Multi-annual programmes over four year periods have been introduced to facilitate forward planning. These houses, along with casual vacancies which arise are then available for letting.
Extensions to Local Authority Houses in lieu of rehousing
Where a housing applicant is an existing tenant of the Local Authority, but existing accommodation is overcrowded, an extension to existing accommodation may be provided in lieu of rehousing.
Extension/Alteration of Local Authority House for Disabled Person
In cases where a disabled member of a household being resident in a Local Authority house requires extra accommodation or alteration of existing accommodation to meet his/her needs, the Council may carry out such work, or may offer alternative accommodation more suited to the persons needs.
Remedial Works Schemes
The remedial works scheme allows the Local Authority to completely renovate an estate or scheme of Local Authority houses, providing up to date facilities in previously substandard accommodation.
Bathroom schemes
Under this scheme, the Local Authority can provide bathroom facilities for Local Authority houses without such facilities.
1.1.2 Housing Maintenance
Policy in relation to maintenance of rented local authority is set out in “Statement of Policy on Housing Management”.
For new tenancies all necessary repairs are carried out by the Council. The tenants’ responsibility to maintain the property in good condition is included in the “Letting Agreement” which is signed at commencement of a tenancy. The details of the respective responsibilities of both the Council and the tenant are included in the Letting Agreement.
Where the requirement for repairs arises from neglect or abuse of the property by the tenants, the tenant is responsible. The Council may carry out such repairs as are required and charge the tenant as an additional to the weekly rent, or recoup the expenditure incurred by any other appropriate methods of payment.
As a matter of policy extra attention is given to houses occupied by special category tenants i.e. pensioners, persons with mental/physical handicap etc.
Repair requests should be made to the Town Council Offices, Town Hall, Cobh.
1.1.3 Application for Rented Local Authority Houses
To apply for this accommodation it is necessary to complete an application form which can be obtained, along with full details, at the Town Hall or on the website. Transfer applications from existing tenants will be also considered.
Your application will be assessed under the “Scheme of Letting Priorities”.
In considering your application various reports may be sought and taken into consideration e.g.
Medical Report.
Health Board Social Worker Reports.
Environmental Health Officers Report.
Housing Social Worker Report.
Report from other Local Authority if previously a tenant.
Allocation of Vacant Houses
As vacancies arise, they will be allocated in accordance with the “Scheme of Letting Priorities” and the Council’s “Statement of Policy on Housing Management”.
The “Letting Agreement” sets out the conditions applying to the tenancy and must be signed by each tenant.
Estate Management
Cobh Town Council welcomes tenant participation in the management of its housing estates.
1.1.5 Rent on Local Authority Dwellings
Rents on all allocated houses are based on the “Differential Rents Scheme” as updated.
This scheme sets minimum and maximum rents for Local Authority Houses with rents charged on the basis of the household income.
Fixed rents still apply in the cases of some very long-standing tenancies. It is the policy to issue each new tenant with a Rent Book in accordance with the Housing (Rent Book) Regulations of 1993.
Housing Rent/Tenant Purchase Annuity Collection
Cobh Town Council gives the following options in relation to method of paying rent or tenant purchase annuities.
•Payment at the Town Hall, during opening hours.
•Payment through An Post Household Budget Scheme for tenants in receipt of certain Social Welfare payments.
For further details, please check with The Council Office.
Non Payment of housing rent may lead to legal action for recovery of the amount due and/or the house.
1.2 Local Authority Loans for Home Purchase and Improvement.
Improvement Works in lieu of Local Authority Housing.
This scheme allows a local authority to improve or extend privately owned accommodation for an approved applicant as an alternative to providing local authority housing. Persons benefiting under this scheme are required to pay a weekly or monthly charge related to their means and the cost of the works carried out on the house.
Tenant Purchase Scheme
Tenants of a local authority house for at least one year, may apply to purchase the house which they have rented, either outright or by way of shared ownership. The price of the house will be the market value as determined by the Local Authority, less discount for years of tenancy. The purchaser must fund the purchase by mortgage loan from a local authority or lending agency or from other resources. The valuation of the property may be contested, by the purchaser on production of a certificate from a certified valuer.
Housing Act 1966 – Acquisition of Land, provision of housing, Tenant Purchase Schemes, Unfit Houses, Overcrowding, Scheme of Letting Priorities, Compulsory Purchase, Rent Schemes.
Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1979 - Loans, grants and subsidies.
Housing Act 1988 - Homeless Persons Act.
Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992 – Voluntary Housing Schemes, Statements of policy on management of local authority dwellings and counteraction of social segregation.
Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997 - gave local authority powers on anti-social behaviour/estate management.
Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998.
Planning and Development Act, 2000 – Housing Strategy, Compulsory Purchase.
This covers housing applications/allocations, rent calculation/collection, housing loans, shared ownership scheme, registration of private rented dwellings etc.
The Director of Services has overall responsibility for Housing Administration with the Town Clerk and Administrative Staff providing a range of housing services.
Cobh Town Council have overall responsibility for the building and maintenance of local authority houses. The Town Architect and staff provide the plans for new houses and the Town Engineer looks after maintenance.
The following range of housing services is provided by Cobh Town Council:-
•Provision and management of rented Local authority housing.
•Building and repair of houses.
•Extensions to local authority houses in lieu of rehousing.
Extensions/alterations to local authority houses for needs of disabled persons
•Remedial schemes.
•Bathroom schemes.
•Assessment of housing needs; Housing and Transfer Applications;
Housing Allocations.
•Operation of Housing Rent System; Rent and Tenant Purchase Annuity collection.
•Liaison with Tenant/Resident groups.
•Assistance to persons providing housing for themselves.
•Improvements in lieu of rehousing.
•Tenant Purchase Scheme administration.
•Voluntary Housing.
1.1.1 Building/Acquisition of Houses
Cobh Town Council has approx. 300 rented properties in its ownership. Each year a number of new houses are built while a number of houses will be sold to existing tenants under Tenant Purchase Schemes.
An “Assessment of Housing Needs” is carried out by the Local Authority every three years to establish housing requirements in the area. This assessment was last carried out in 2008 and forms the basis for allocation of housing starts by the Department of the Environment and Local Government.
The Department of the Environment & Local Government notifies each Housing Authority of its housing starts allocation, which is the number of houses which can be purchased or constructed. These houses, along with casual vacancies which arise are then available for letting.
Where a housing applicant is an existing tenant of the Local Authority, but existing accommodation is overcrowded, an extension to existing accommodation may be provided in lieu of rehousing.
In cases where a disabled member of a household being resident in a Local Authority house requires extra accommodation or alteration of existing accommodation to meet his/her needs, the Council may carry out such work, or may offer alternative accommodation more suited to the persons needs.
The remedial works scheme allows the Local Authority to completely renovate an estate or scheme of Local Authority houses, providing up to date facilities in previously substandard accommodation.
Under this scheme, the Local Authority can provide bathroom facilities for Local Authority houses without such facilities.
Policy in relation to maintenance of rented local authority is set out in “Statement of Policy on Housing Management”.
For new tenancies all necessary repairs are carried out by the Council. The tenants’ responsibility to maintain the property in good condition is included in the “Letting Agreement” which is signed at commencement of a tenancy. The details of the respective responsibilities of both the Council and the tenant are included in the Letting Agreement.
Where the requirement for repairs arises from neglect or abuse of the property by the tenants, the tenant is responsible. The Council may carry out such repairs as are required and charge the tenant as an additional to the weekly rent, or recoup the expenditure incurred by any other appropriate methods of payment.
As a matter of policy extra attention is given to houses occupied by special category tenants i.e. pensioners, persons with mental/physical handicap etc.
Repair requests should be made to the Town Council Offices, Town Hall, Cobh.
To apply for this accommodation it is necessary to complete an application form which can be obtained, along with full details, at the Town Hall or on the website. Transfer applications from existing tenants will be also considered.
Your application will be assessed under the “Scheme of Letting Priorities”.
In considering your application various reports may be sought and taken into consideration e.g.
Medical Report.
Health Board Social Worker Reports.
Environmental Health Officers Report.
Housing Social Worker Report.
Report from other Local Authority if previously a tenant.
As vacancies arise, they will be allocated in accordance with the “Scheme of Letting Priorities” and the Council’s “Statement of Policy on Housing Management”.
The “Letting Agreement” sets out the conditions applying to the tenancy and must be signed by each tenant.
Cobh Town Council welcomes tenant participation in the management of its housing estates.
Rents on all allocated houses are based on the “Differential Rents Scheme” as updated.
This scheme sets minimum and maximum rents for Local Authority Houses with rents charged on the basis of the household income.
Fixed rents still apply in the cases of some very long-standing tenancies. It is the policy to issue each new tenant with a Rent Book in accordance with the Housing (Rent Book) Regulations of 1993.
Cobh Town Council gives the following options in relation to method of paying rent or tenant purchase annuities.
• Payment at the Town Hall, during opening hours.
• Payment by Standing Order from the tenant’s Bank
• Payment through An Post Household Budget Scheme for tenants in receipt of certain Social Welfare payments.
For further details, please check with The Council Office.
Non Payment of housing rent may lead to legal action for recovery of the amount due and/or the house.
Improvement Works in lieu of Local Authority Housing.
This scheme allows a local authority to improve or extend privately owned accommodation for an approved applicant as an alternative to providing local authority housing. Persons benefiting under this scheme are required to pay a weekly or monthly charge related to their means and the cost of the works carried out on the house.
Tenants of a local authority house for at least one year, may apply to purchase the house which they have rented, either outright or by way of shared ownership. The price of the house will be the market value as determined by the Local Authority, less discount for years of tenancy. The purchaser must fund the purchase by mortgage loan from a local authority or lending agency or from other resources. The valuation of the property may be contested, by the purchaser on production of a certificate from a certified valuer.
Under the Housing (Registration of Rented Houses)(Amendment) Regulations 2000, landlords must register houses, flats, etc. let for rent or “other valuable consideration” with the Local Authority within one month of letting it.
An annual fee of €50 per unit of accommodation is payable for this registration by the landlord, and he must complete an application giving the following details:-
The address of the house or flat.
Description of the accommodation e.g. whole house, apartment, flat, single room etc.
Name and address of landlord and of his agent if appointed.
Name of tenant.
Rent and method of payment.
The local authority must maintain a register of these properties available for public inspection, showing address and description of house and date of receipt of the application to register.A certified copy of the entry in the register is available at a fee of €6.50.An uncertified copy may be obtained free of charge.
The information obtained other than that published in the register is confidential and may not be revealed to the public.
The local authority is responsible for enforcement of the legal requirements of registration as above, and also for the Housing(Rent Books) Regulations 1993, Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Regulations 1982 and the Housing (Standards for Rented houses) Regulations, 1993.
The Local authority has the power to investigate breaches of the regulations and to prosecute offences, which carry substantial financial apenalties.
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