Housing Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 April 2023

Tuesday, 25 April 2023

Questions (322)

Duncan Smith

Question:

322. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has any plans in place to sanction that people who are currently on the HAP/Homeless HAP scheme who have received an eviction notice and find a new property can transfer their HAP payment to the new property, rather than having to apply for HAP at the new property. [19125/23]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy Darragh O'Brien)

The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate housing support that is available to all eligible households throughout the State. Under HAP, a tenant sources their own accommodation in the private rented market. The tenancy agreement is between the tenant and the landlord and is governed by the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended. HAP supported tenancies are afforded the same protections as all private rented tenancies.

On entering the HAP scheme, tenants are required to stay in the same property for at least two years. However, they may be able to apply to their local authority for a new HAP payment for another property sooner if their circumstances change.

Limerick City and County Council provide a highly effective HAP transactional shared service on behalf of all local authorities. The HAP Shared Services Centre (HAP SSC) manages all HAP related rental transactions for the tenant, local authority and landlord. Once a HAP application has been received and confirmed as valid by the relevant local authority, it is then processed by the HAP SSC.

The HAP application form comes in two parts, Section A to be completed by the applicant tenant and Section B to be completed by the landlord or agent. An application for HAP will only be accepted by the local authority when both Section A and Section B are completed, signed and returned, along with the required supporting documentation. Any delay in tenants and landlords supplying this information will impact on the processing time of the HAP application.

A change in tenancy would require a new HAP application form to be completed and submitted.