Survey finds no HAP properties available within rent limits in Athlone area last month

Athlone was found to have just 14 properties to rent at any prices last month, none of which were available through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme within either standard or discretionary rates.

Under the HAP scheme, the local authority pays the landlord each month and tenants pay a weekly rent contribution to the local authority. The tenancy must be within set HAP rent limits (the standard rate). Local authorities have flexibility on a case-by-case basis to go up to 35% above the rent limits.

Tenants can pay an additional payment directly to the landlord in cases where the rent is more than the HAP limits, but it must be approved by the local authority.

The latest statistics contained in the quarterly 'Locked Out of the Market” report compiled by the Simon Communities of Ireland also show that Athlone was one of ten areas across the country to have no properties available within the standard or discretionary rent limits through HAP in any household category.

Nationally, 16 locations were examined over a three day period last month for the latest housing snapshot, with the study finding only 38 properties available to rent within HAP limits across all 16 areas. Three of the properties were within standard HAP limits, and were located in Dublin City North and South and Kildare, while the remaining 35 were available under discretionary HAP. The 38 properties is an increase of five (15%) from the 33 HAP properties available last December.

Some 32 of the 38 properties available through HAP, or 84%, were all located in Dublin, where the discretionary rate allows up to an additional 50% of the standard rate, compared to the rest of the country where the rate is limited to a 35% top up.

The report found that just 1,180 properties were available to rent any any price within the 16 areas, representing a 3% increase from the 1,149 properties available in the December 2023 report, but a sizeable increase of 76% (508) from the 672 properties available during the same period last year.

Despite the fact that single person households received an increased HAP rate to match that available to couples in June 2022, the latest 'Locked Out of the Market' report found just three properties available for single person/couple households within standard HAP limits.

Wayne Stanley, executive director at the Simon Communities of Ireland, said: “The latest Locked Out Of The Market report highlights the need for “ more progress on delivery of affordable housing in Ireland.

“The recognition of the need for greater ambition on housing by Taoiseach Simon Harris is very welcome but we now need his Government to outline how this new ambition will be delivered," he said.

Mr Stanley said a critical element of any successful plan that will help to address homelessness should include the delivery of "at least 15,000 social housing homes for rent each year."

In the short term, the Simon Communities of Ireland have called for an increase in HAP rates, while noting that this "is not a long-term sustainable solution. The answer is more social and affordable housing.”