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Long Term Leasing

This scheme is broadly similar to the Rental Accommodation Scheme in that it allows the council to lease properties from the private sector which can be used to accommodate households from our housing waiting lists however households do not have to have been in receipt of Rent Supplement in order to be eligible for consideration.


Under the scheme, we negotiate availability contracts with landlords for the use of their properties for medium to long term use whereby the Council to provide accommodation.

Similar to the RAS scheme this offers advantages for the Council, the Landlord and the Tenant –see details within RAS Scheme.

Properties must be of good quality and can be new or previously occupied. Each local authority and approved housing body will also assess the suitability of properties proposed with reference to the housing needs that have been identified for that area.

In return, the local authority or approved housing body will enter into a legal arrangement with the owner for the use of the property for an agreed term and guarantee rent payments for the term of the lease.

If you are already a tenant in a private property, have been approved onto our housing waiting list or think you may be eligible for approval onto the housing list you should discuss this scheme with your landlord who if interested should contact us –see further information below.

 

Properties sourced and leased under the lease scheme will be allocated to applicants from the Housing waiting list in accordance with the existing 2011 Housing Allocation Scheme  .  

 

Further information for landlords and property owners:

Local authorities and approved housing bodies are available to discuss proposals with owners of all types of properties who are interested in making properties available. The Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency (Housing Agency) is also available as a central contact point for enquires.

If you have a residential property and would be interested in leasing it for *10 years or more, you can:

  • Get guaranteed rent paid quarterly in advance.
  • Avoid losing rent during vacant periods.
  • Enjoy more free time without having to manage a tenant and maintain your property.
  • Escape the hassle of collecting rent and finding a new tenant.
  • Avoid advertising and maintenance costs.

*Shorter term ‘availability agreements’ are an option for property owners who want to enter into an agreement to make their property exclusively available to the local authority for an agreed period. With this agreement, the property owner becomes the landlord to the tenant allocated by the local authority and is responsible for all management and maintenance issues except rent collection.  Brochure RAS & Leasing for property owners 2012 

Next steps:

  1. Call us to discuss your property.  We will advise if we have a need in the area where your property is located.
  2. Fill in the proposal form and send it to us, we will arrange to inspect your property.
  3. You will have to provide some documentation to us e.g. BER Certificate, Tax clearance certificate
  4. Once approved, we will enter into a lease with you for the use of the property for an agreed term.

Document Downloads

Expressions of interest can be made and should provide the following information:-

  • Location and address of the properties.
  • Type (House/Duplex/Apartments etc).
  • Size of property.
  • Number of rooms.
  • Indicative market rents.

Interested parties should provide this information on the submission template RAS & Leasing expression of interest form for landlords   .

Following receipt of initial submissions the relevant local authority will consider the properties submitted against their requirements for housing within the proposed areas.  Further details will be requested for properties that are considered suitable after this initial submission and will include:-

  • A plan outlining the exact location of the properties submitted.
  • A full specification of each property proposed. 
  • Proof of ownership (evidence of title i.e. freehold/leasehold) of the submitted properties or details of the company to which the properties are owned will be required.
  • A Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) will be required for the payment of rent.  An updated TCC certificate will be required on an annual basis.
  • Proposed discounted rented price.
  • Parking arrangements
  • Description of development

The Lease/Rent

  • The properties will be provided unfurnished and on ‘repair and insure’ basis where the Local Authority will be responsible for the insurance, maintenance and general repair of the properties.
  • A lease agreement will be subject to rent reviews, which may be revised on an upward and downward basis dependent on market conditions. 
  • The local authority will make regular payments to the property owner in accordance with the agreed lease.
  • The agreed rent will be an ‘inclusive’ rent to include all rates, charges and taxes that might apply to that property.
  • The proposed rent will need to reflect the strength of the rent and void guarantee, lease duration, the transfer of maintenance and management responsibilities and special terms and conditions of the lease arrangement.  Rent free period / break options and rent reviews may form part of the lease negotiations.
  • If properties are held under a mortgage it will be necessary to provide the mortgage lenders consent.

The Property

  • Properties will need to be in compliance with planning and all relevant technical standards, supporting certificates of compliance documentation will be required before agreements will be signed;
  • Structural guarantees will be required for the duration of the lease; structural guarantees e.g. Home Bond/Premier Guarantee, must be submitted with your proposal. Throughout the term of the lease the owner will retain responsibility for any structural defects. 
  • BER rating certificates will be required with all properties submitted to the initiative.
  • An initial inspection/condition report will be required of each property before the initial agreements are made.

Terms of Scheme:

In accordance with the Terms of the Long Term Leasing Scheme:

  • Leasing proposals must ensure that accommodation is in a location and of a type that can appropriately meet the needs of persons on local authority housing lists.
  • Local authorities will also need to demonstrate that having regard to the concentration of other social housing in a particular development or in the general area, the leasing proposal does not conflict with the mixed income, mixed tenure dimension to the overall sustainable communities objective.

The main features of the new arrangements are as follows;

  • The housing authority will enter into a lease arrangement with a property owner for periods of between 10 – 20 years
  • The leases will be for unfurnished dwellings
  • The lease type will be full ‘repair and insure’ lease with the housing authority responsible for insurance, maintenance and general repair/ upkeep of the property
  • In cases where authorities or property owners do not want to enter into longer term lease agreements (i.e. 10 to 20 years) consideration should be given to using RAS type arrangements to secure the property for social housing purposes.  In such cases the legal structure used to secure RAS properties may be used to secure properties for non-rent supplement households using leasing monies. This will mean that the property owner will retain his/her landlord duties and responsibility for maintenance and management of the property. The level of discount negotiated for these contracts shall be similar to that negotiated under a normal RAS agreement.

The Rent:

  • A lease agreement will be subject to rent reviews, which may be revised on an upward and downward basis dependent on market conditions. 
  • The agreed rent will be an ‘inclusive’ rent to include all rates, charges and taxes that might apply to that property.
  • The proposed rent will need to reflect the strength of the rent and void guarantee, lease duration, the transfer of maintenance and management responsibilities and special terms and conditions of the lease arrangement.  Rent free period / break options and rent reviews may form part of the lease negotiations
  • The housing authority will make regular payments to the property owner in accordance with the terms of the lease

The Property:

  • If properties are held under a mortgage it will be necessary to provide the mortgage lenders consent.
  • Proof of ownership will be required
  • Properties will need to be in compliance with planning and all relevant technical standards (Building Regulations etc) - supporting certificates of compliance documentation will be required before agreements will be signed
  • Structural guarantees will be required for the duration of the lease - structural guarantees e.g. Home Bond/Premier Guarantee, must be submitted with proposals. Throughout the term of the lease the owner will retain responsibility for any structural defects. 
  • BER rating certificates will be required with all properties submitted to the initiative.
  • An initial inspection/condition report will be required of each property before the initial agreements are made.
  • The accommodation leased will be used to house persons on the local authority’s waiting list and tenants will be local authority tenants [or in some cases tenants of voluntary bodies]
  • At the end of the period of lease, the property will be returned to the owner in the same general condition as at the commencement of the lease

Project Appraisal: Formal Submission to Department

Local authorities are required to submit proposals for leased properties to the Department for project appraisal. A key criterion in the approval of any leasing project will be compliance with sustainable community requirements, including the achievement of mixed-income/mixed-tenure communities, at appropriate densities and occupancy rates, and avoiding social concentrations.

In order to assess the proposals put forward for leasing purposes there are a number of specific requirements that must be included in the proposals submitted to the Department including:

  • Details of proposed project(s) including number and types of units
  • The proposed cost of lease payments, term of the lease and relevant conditions
  • Demonstration of housing need in area including the number of rent supplement recipients
  • Description of the overall development and breakdown of the types of occupancy, i.e. Markey housing, affordable housing and social housing. Authorities will also need to include the number of unoccupied units within the development.
  • Confirmation that the properties meet appropriate standards, BER ratings, etc.
  • Value for money statement including comparable market rents in the area and level of discount achieved,
  • Any other relevant information

Allocation Policy

  • Housing authorities will allocate leased properties to persons on the local authority housing waiting list in accordance with the 2011 Housing Allocation Scheme  
  • Refusal of a leased property should, unless there are exceptional circumstances, be treated as a refusal of a local authority house
  • Once allocated a leased property, the tenant should be taken off the local authority waiting list
  • Tenants of leased property can apply for a transfer to another social housing unit in the normal manner
  • Tenants are also eligible to apply to purchase a new local authority dwelling under the Incremental Purchase Scheme.

 

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