Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
SOME PENSIONERS LIVING in South Dublin council houses are to be hit with an increase in their rent of more than €600.
Councillors from South Dublin County Council voted in favour of a rent increase of €3 per week for all council tenant households in 2020.
In addition, the rent discount of €10 for those in receipt of the state pension in households has been modified.
While the council has continued its €10 weekly rent discount for households solely comprised of older persons, other old age pensioners will forfeit the discount.
“Multi-person households” that include pensioners will not receive the discount.
This means if another person, who is not of pensionable age, lives in the home, the discount cannot apply.
The issue of raising rents for those in social housing in SDCC was raised in the Dáil this week by Rise TD Paul Murphy.
“This is a cruel increase of €3 a week across the board regardless of income,” he said, referring to SDCC’s decision to increase the rents.
“It is a heartless attack on some of the most vulnerable people on low incomes,” he said, stating that he is particularly concerned about the changes to the €10 discount for pensioners, which he said will now be removed for a substantial number of older people.
If someone is hit with a €13 rent hike per week, that amounts to over €600 per year to an old age pensioner, he said.
A statement to TheJournal.ie from SDCC confirmed that rent changes were voted in recently:
“The council’s differential rent charges are currently the lowest both in Dublin and nationally. The basis for calculation of our rent charges has not changed in over 20 years despite significantly increased spending on our housing stock in planned and response maintenance, re-let repairs and other areas in that period.”
A spokesperson said the rent increase of €3 per week is being implemented in 2020 to “reflect increased provision for these costs and other housing services in the council’s Budget”.
“Separately, we have continued our €10 weekly rent discount for households solely comprised of older persons. Other multi-person households that include older persons will not receive the discount,” added the statement.
They said the discount was originally introduced in the late 2000s as a temporary support measure, stating that the council’s rents scheme includes a clause to address hardship cases both sensitively appropriately.
Murphy said there is “shock” and “outrage” at the rent rise as it was not flagged with tenants.
Questions have been raised about whether other councils around the country, including Dublin City Council will follow in the footsteps of SDCC when it comes to deciding on next year’s Budget.
A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said it “is always conscious of the limited circumstances that many older people/pensioners in Dublin find themselves”.
They added that Dublin City Council has an Age Friendly Policy when it comes to policy formulation.
The council meeting is due to meet on Monday to decide it’s annual Budget. A meeting took place of Dublin City councillors and officials last Monday evening to agree a budget for 2020 for the city, however, no decisions were reached.
When asked about the issues of rising council rents, Tánaiste Simon Coveney said this week that it is an issue for the local authorities on how they deal with their tenants.
“I do not have the detailed rationale on why a decision may be made on modest increases in rent but I believe people have a right to ask the question,” he said.
“I can understand the frustrations and anger over the housing crisis,” Coveney said.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
If they had bought houses then they’d probably be mortgage free, instead they get super cheap rent for life, can’t complain about €3 per week hike.
@Paddy Cullen: absolutely. Plus, pensioners have it too good in Ireland.
As an example, I paid more tax than my father did this November despite earning less than him – we’re both self-employed, plus he has a pension. I rent, he owns his house, I have young kids, his are long emancipated.
Why is this so? It’s because he’s over 65 and can avail of a raft of measures that I cannot.
It’s the elderly that have amassed the wealth in this country, and although I don’t begrudge it, nor do I give a shit if granny and grandad have to pay a measly 3 quid extra a week. My heart doesn’t bleed these days.
@Paddy Cullen: What a shameful comment. Most pensioners live on 248€ a week.
@Paddy Cullen: there’s always one who is destroyed inside with self loathing
@Perlum Sprite: this is true. They are statistically the richest cohort of the population, with young families the poorest. I don’t begrudge them either but it is not like our generation are going to be that well off in old age, particularly when so many rent privately.
@Bernard Kavanagh: I’ve lived on far less.
@Bernard Kavanagh: can you link me to the facts for this?
@Bernard Kavanagh: perhaps but the majority are mortgage free, get fuel allowance, ESB allowance, phone allowance, travel passes and other perks too. The ordinary working Joe gets fleeced and is under constant financial pressure week in week out so you can understand why they aren’t overly concerned about a €3 per week rise in rent.
@Perlum Sprite: you seem to have a great relationship with pops lol.
@Perlum Sprite: maybe the elderly have amassed the wealth in this country through a lifetime of hard graft? Try it u moaning gît
@Perlum Sprite: Yes the elderly living in social housing have amassed all the wealth Paddy, all those Ferrari’s and Bugati’s in their driveways are a dead giveaway. Prat
@Paddy Cullen: Unfortunately some people were not in a position to get mortgages. A pensioner back in the day may not have been eligible to a mortgage. You seem to have no problem with an increase that to some pensioners may push them to braking point. Perhaps the Billions of taxpayers money spent on repaying for the gangsterism of the banks and developers facilitated by politicians is a factor concerning the increase. You fail to mention the banks who will pay no tax on their profits for the next 20years with the blessing of this government.
@Perlum Sprite: How resentful – when you are your Dad’s age I hope you will have contributed as much to the economy as he has
@Paddy Cullen:Yes they can. Our parents worked in this country long before health and safety and good conditions applied to workers .My father worked as a wood machinist in the building sector all his life . Health and safety was almost non existent at the time . He was never supplied with googles or ear muffs and came home after a very long days work covered in sawdust . He could relate stories of rats running around the place and the freezing conditions of his employment place . No one in this day and age would be expected to work under these conditions.
I think it’s appalling that those who come after them can are a nation of begrudgers because no one who works today endure these conditions . These people deserve every consideration we can give them .and that means no rent increases
@Perlum Sprite: note to fg troll farm. Please try harder next time. This was a little bit too obvious
@D’oh: Me too.
@Nathan Mawhinney: yes I do have a great relationship with him, which is why we know exact details of each other’s finances, and personal lives.
He agrees with me btw. How could he not when he out-earned me by 30k but paid less tax?
@Nathan Mawhinney: I think he has been ” emancipated” he seems to have been doing a bit of research on all this stuff?
@Perlum Sprite: old people love telling you how tough it was in their day and then they tell you how they got their first house from the council and then got the chance to buy that house for half nothing and used the money to buy a house for twice their then combined salary of six jelly beans and a shilling (which is now worth 800K). You look at the multiple of salaries that houses are going for now and wonder was it really that tough back in the day. Really?
@Perlum Sprite: do not attack our elderly, many who have worked honestly and paid taxes. It should be means tested, for some of them their only source of income is the pension, if they have means to over a certain amount fine, but leave the most vulnerable in peace
@Perlum Sprite: You sound like a man who spent a lot of time on the bog as a nipper…
@Perlum Sprite: Maybe you don6 understand the tax system ‘ does your wife work
@Perlum Sprite: Cop on to yourself, your father is obviously on a lower rate of tax than yourself and possible your wife/partner is working. Give us all a break – does something magically happen to people over 65!
I bet you clean up on the Childrens allowance!
@Derek Lyster: Having worked all my life, paid taxes, paid over and above every time the government of the day forced the ordinary worker to pay for the collapse of some private company, the pay freezes and austerity imposed since the banks and developers facilitated by politicians brought this country to it’s knees. Seems people today direct their anger at pensioners, social welfare recipients, Yet fail to vent their anger at the forces that deserves their anger.. The Banks, Politicians, and a government that puts the welfare of big business before the welfare of it’s citizens.
@Paddy Cullen: Your comment is extremely narrow minded and uninformed. If you knew any thing about Irish society and how poor some people are and have been throughout their lives you would not have said that. A suggestion, maybe if past and present governments made better policies on housing for instances stop giving tax payer money to private landlords. Another suggestion please read The Sins of Our Fathers by Conor McCabe educated your self before you and those of you who liked your comment pass another one.
@Bernard Kavanagh: thats a hell of a lot of money if your rent is only €30 or €40 a week (in some local authority areas even less). Much more disposable income than a worker with a family to support.
@Sean: @Paddy sorry how old are ye? Did you boys live through the 70,80 and 90′s,it seems you may have or your a twinkle in your grandma’s eye. If so not every1 got their house from the council to sell on. Or here is a hint,some1 l knew 1 who got lucky,sold her house,to help her kids,to give them money b4 she kicked the bucket and b4 the government tax got them. Once they drain mommy,they didn’t give a F,about her,and she ended up in special housing unit. I am carer for my two with special needs,l am not entitled to a mortgage or a council mortgage.
@Perlum Sprite: Do f##k off you FG w@nker.
@Paddy Cullen: You really do not have a clue do you. What a dumb thing to say and mean
@Perlum Sprite: You are an idiot and a bitter one at that. Your farther is one of the very very lucky ones. Must be embarrassing to be the little brat still at your age trying to catch up with your pensioner farther.
The seed must have fallen far from the tree if he is still doing better than you.
So dont blame your failings on other people. They all paid tax over their lifetimes and did not have a rich daddy to set them up like you have
@Donal Desmond: The government & the Banksters us to be arguing amougst each other because it keeps us devioded &keeps the eye off them
So reading it, it is stating there is an increase for households where a non-pensioner lives, for example, a working adult, who is earning and living there.
I think the rule that an adult who is on on the rent book of a council house, where the main named renter dies, than automatically gets the council house needs to stop. Yes in circumstances where there are young children or young adult children it should be a allowed for a set period of time. I know many grown adults “named on the rent book” in order to get the house.
A council house is not an asset to a person but an asset of the state. You want an asset to give your kids then get a mortgage
@Bleurgh: You are 100% correct. This is completely abused by freeloaders who want to jump the housing queue. So they alive with a parent who has a council house and wait for them to pass on…
Perfect timing. At a time when we are in a rental price crises, the Government introduces what is effectively another rental increase for the most vulnerable. No rental price freeze though for the richest in the loo landlord class though. FF and FG have no shame.
@DaMoons: FF and FG control the council in this area.
@DaMoons: they’ll still vote for them.
Some despicable comments on this attack again on the most vulnerable in society by FFG to protect the status quo ..
@Willy Mc Bride: What do they want the money for, as its the Fingal CoCo who are building homes in Dunleer, Co. Louth now as Louth will get 300 economic migrants soon and over 300 more for Co. Meath. Where will they all be put and how many is Dublin getting???
@Willy Mc Bride: Blame the poor is FG’s go to tactic. The “look over there” strategy works on our dim witted electorate.
@John Henderson: Let’s not forget whom voted and passed this through.
FFG and the greens.
Anyone believing FFG are separate entities is delusional and deserves to hit 100 years with them lording over the weakest.
@Willy Mc Bride: Assume you are talking about refugees in direct.provision when you talk about the most vulnerable people in Ireland..
@TamuMassif2019: Absolutely rubbish Fingal Co. Co will only build houses in their own administrative area
@TamuMassif2019:
Utter BS. Councils cannot build houses in another county, they have no jurisdiction there. You’re just another racist troll.
Murphy’s and his parasitical followers in the Life Owes Me Brigade don’t like paying for anything – water charges, rent, bin charges – you name it.
This rent increase is necessary because more than half the council’s 24,400 tenants are behind on their rent. The council is owed more than €32.8 million by tenants, the largest sum ever owed to any local authority in unpaid rents.
@Sean: this is only the Dublin City council area that are in the arrears…what is the number and The millions owed for all the local authorities in Ireland
“the discount was originally introduced in the late 2000s as a temporary support measure“
You know what else was introduced in late 2000’s as a temporary support measure? USC
They must want to get rid of them and to sell their property to a property developer as that would be just like them? Unless they want rid of them to put economic migrants into their homes instead as that is what Merkel did when she took in the magic million a few years ago.
@TamuMassif2019: Couldn’t resist the urge to use absolutely incorrect and unfounded claims to have an auld racist dig there …
This is an absolute disgrace. As a pensioner I would recommend no votes for FG, FF and the Independent Aliance. They have absolute no shame or scruples. https://amp-independent-ie.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/tds-wages-jump-to-over-96000-after-pay-hike-heres-what-the-political-parties-have-said-about-it-so-far-38456577.html?amp_js_v=a2&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCKAE%3D#aoh=15744467302058&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.independent.ie%2Firish-news%2Fpolitics%2Ftds-wages-jump-to-over-96000-after-pay-hike-heres-what-the-political-parties-have-said-about-it-so-far-38456577.html
@Bernard Kavanagh: I am going to vote for them twice!! A great decision.
@Bernard Kavanagh: how is that link so long? You should enter it in the Guinness Book of Links!
@Bernard Kavanagh: True, I hope Age Action are looking at the implications.
Also, try this to shorten a link.
https://is.gd/
Pensioners all over the country are been hit with this lame brexit excuse by €5 a week where are FF now when they are needed the grey vote don’t forget.
@Owen Lynch: ” where are FF?”
Oh dont you worry, they are never far away,
They are waiting in the shadows for the right moment to sweep back in to power again.
” look at the mess this country is in! We can sort it out!”
There isn’t one brain between all the TD’s
Perfectly understandable that a multi-person h/hold should not receive €10 p/week discount. Let’s face reality; these houses are unlikely to revert to co co housing stock for allocation to folks on ever expanding W lists.
And €3 p/week extra shouldn’t be too much of a burden esp. considering the annual CPI uplifts to pensions. It’s all about societal fairness, effective MV of benefit delivered by State.
If county councils are ever to become sustainably funded for ongoing fair prov, & allocation of these homes, they are going to have to start charging something approaching reasonably discd mkt rents, to such multi-person households, subject to annual means test of the occupants. And allowing folks to buy out is wrong IMO. Best to retain the strong Rental income cash flow to expand stock.
FF have deserted the pensioners to the mercy of FG
@trebloc01: The same FG that gave pensioners an increase in their weekly payment. Some desertion alright. The increase is in a multi occupancy home i.e. the OAP isnt on their own. In that circumstance a minimal rise in rent can be well absorbed.
The blue shirt way starve them out
What happens if an elderly person has a family member living in as a full-time unpaid carer?
@Peter Carvill: they can claim half rate carers allowance on top of their social welfare payments or full carers allowance of €257pw if they are caring for an elderly parent.
@Vic’s Burd: not always,do your research please. They could lose the fuel allowance
@Vic’s Burd: and what are you “claiming” & who aare they. You wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for they!? +
@Dave Stewart: Vic’s Burd means the carer of the elderly person. Read their post again.
It’s quite clear to see government boy accounts all over this article! It’s quite funny to see how gov have divided the country. Imagine attacking pensioners when gov are the ones robbing you haha! Imagine the gov giving banks free will yet the banks created all this mess! Imagine the banks taking tax payers money so they can operate day to day and then when citezen wanys loans they tell the f off ir else you pay back over double and half. Yeah f pensioners maaaaan.
have your say