Improvement Works in Lieu of Local Authority Housing

This scheme enables local authorities to improve or extend privately owned houses occupied or intended to be occupied by an approved applicant for housing as an alternative to the provision of local authority housing.

Do I Qualify?

If you are:

• A person whose application for local authority housing has been approved by the local authority, or
• A local authority tenant or tenant purchaser who wishes to move to a privately owned house and to return your present house to the local authority, or
• A tenant for more than one year of a house provided by a voluntary housing body under the Rental Subsidy Scheme who wishes to move to a privately owned house and to return your present house to the body.

You may apply to Sligo County Council under this scheme.

What Houses Qualify?

The local authority may carry out improvement works under this scheme to privately owned houses which are:

• Owned by the applicant, where the house is defective or overcrowded for the needs of the applicant, or
• Owned by a relative of the applicant, where the house is defective or would be overcrowded when the applicant moves into the house.

Private rented housing is not eligible under this scheme.

What Works Qualify?

The local authority may carry out any works to eliminate defects in the house or to provide additional accommodation where this is necessary to eliminate overcrowding or to accommodate a person not residing in the house who is approved for local authority housing.

How does the Local Authority choose what Houses to Improve?

The local authority will take into account the urgency of individual housing needs when choosing houses to improve or extend under the scheme. It will also have regard to the cost effectiveness of the proposal.

Why should I consider the Scheme?

The scheme has the advantages that persons in housing need can remain in their existing homes and neighbourhoods and, at the same time, enjoy decent housing conditions sooner than they otherwise might.

What Payments are Involved?

The local authority will pay the full cost of the works carried out to the house. You will pay a reasonable weekly or monthly charge in respect of the local authority’s costs for a maximum of 15 years. If, within the 15 year period, the total of your payments equals the cost to the local authority, the weekly or montly charge will then cease.

The charge will be calculated in much the same way as differential rents for local authority tenants, on the basis of your income and the cost of the works carried out in accordance with the following formula:

Weekly differential rent multiply by the cost of works divided by €125,000

As an example, if the cost of works to the house was €31,250, you would pay 25% of the amount you would pay under the authority’s differential rents scheme. The charge will vary during the 15 year period to take account of changes in your circumstances and changes in the authority’s rent scheme. The payments are, therefore, related to your ability to pay.

Can I Sell the House?

You can sell the house at any time. However, if the house is sold before the total of your repayments equals the cost of the works or within 15 years of the works being carried out, whichever is the sooner, you must make a repayment to the authority. The amount of that repayment will be 1/15th of the cost of the work for each year between the date of the sale and the expiry of 15 years from completion of the work.

Any queries on this scheme should be directed to the Housing Office, Sligo County Council, Riverside, Sligo, Tel: (071) 9111303.