Tipperary council to continue to buy some homes from landlords leaving private rental market

Tipperary County Council is continuing this year to purchase some privately owned rental homes put up for sale to prevent occupants in receipt of social housing assistance from losing the roof over their heads.   

Last year the council purchased 24 homes where occupants in receipt of the Housing Assistance Payment were issued with notices to quit because their homes were put up for sale   and they were having difficulty finding alternative accommodation. 

Director of Housing Sinead Carr told the council’s monthly meeting the local authority will continue to purchase HAP rental properties up for sale if it feels there is value for money. She  said the council engaged with 300 cases of notices to quit received by people in the HAP and RAS housing support schemes  last year, which  was a “huge number” for this county. 

She was responding to Cllr Richie Molloy, who urged  the council to seek an extension of the Government ban on evicting people. The ban is to expire in March.