# Considering taking a Rent Allowance tenant?



## S.L.F (3 Feb 2008)

I need information about what exactly is involved in letting to a tenant in receipt of rent allowance - all previous tenancies were private  - most info on web gives from tenants point of view not landlords.
1. how long before payments start to come through ?
2. What forms need to be signed ?
3. What comeback do you have if place trashed etc.?
4. are there inspections ?


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## gipimann (3 Feb 2008)

Q1.   Depends on how fast the tenant makes the application, when it is approved (CWO usually has to do a home visit to confirm residency), whether the tenant actually qualifies for Rent Supplement, and what frequency it's paid.   Rent Supplement is paid in arrears, so, for example, if the tenant is paid RS by the calendar month, the payment issues at the end of the month.

Q2.  There's a form (SWA3) which the tenant will give you.   You are required to complete part of the form, give it back to the tenant and s/he gives it to the CWO as part of the RS application.   If the application is successful, there will be ongoing reviews (could be 3, 6 or 12 months) and you will be asked to sign a form for the review.   Mostly to confirm continued tenancy and no change in circumstances (rent increase, extra tenants..)

Q3.  The contract for the tenancy is between you as landlord and your tenant, irrespective of whether they're claiming Rent Supplement or not.   So you have the same comeback with a RS tenant as with a non-RS tenant.   There is no contract between you and the HSE/DSFA

Q4.  The CWO visits the property to confirm residence as part of the tenant's application, and may visit from time to time during the lifetime of the claim.   Not an inspection as such - there would be no inspection of the property itself.

Just to explain my alphabet soup!   
CWO - Community Welfare Officer, HSE (where the tenant applies for Rent Supplement).
HSE - Health Service Executive - CWO's employer
DSFA - Department of Social and Family Affiairs, who set the regulations for Rent Supplement.


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## sam h (4 Feb 2008)

gipimann covered the main points very well....few other things to consider:
- Make it clear to the tenant that their dealing with the SW are nothing to do with you & you will need the rent up front (month in advance), which you are entitled to! So basically they will need to be able to pay the rent & 1st month upfront & then arrange for the SW afterwards (ideally with the chq made payable to you, but this is actually up to the tenant to nominate you as the payee). However, as their circumstances can change, they may not always be entitled to rent allowance (such as - have someone move in, start working, immigrant couple after about 3 years, extended/unapproved holidays).  Will they be able to afford the rent if this happens?
- The inspecctions are nothing really to do with the property & standard they are maintaining it to. The inspections would be to check number of rooms, is anyone else living there etc.
- As Gipimann said, if they trash the place - it has nothing to do with SW. You are in the same boat as if it were a non SW tenant. You'd take it out of the deposit and pursue them if necessary.

On saying all that, there is nothing wrong with SW tenants in general (you can always get a "bad one"). Very often is may be a single parent who is more likely to make the place a home than 3-4 singletons. I've had a few fantastic SW tenants & 1 nightmare. You know the person is fairly definately going to get 90% of the rent paid by SW (hence the reason I'd be inclined to try to get the chq payable to you).


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## gipimann (4 Feb 2008)

Payment of rent supplement may also be made to a landlord's bank account (instead of a cheque payable to them).   

Not all areas in the country pay rent supplement directly to landlords however, as it leads some landlords to assume a contract between them and the HSE/DSFA.


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## koko (5 Feb 2008)

Does anyone know if the HSE pass on information about your rental supplement income to Revenue?


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## murphaph (5 Feb 2008)

koko said:


> Does anyone know if the HSE pass on information about your rental supplement income to Revenue?


One would hope so.


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## DonKing (5 Feb 2008)

koko said:


> Does anyone know if the HSE pass on information about your rental supplement income to Revenue?



Why would this be a problem?


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## gipimann (5 Feb 2008)

koko said:


> Does anyone know if the HSE pass on information about your rental supplement income to Revenue?


 
Yes, the HSE are required to do so by law and send details each year to revenue.


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## murphaph (6 Feb 2008)

I'll be looking to rent out my PPR in the near future also and I have been considering RS tenants too but I read a thread on boards.ie about higher insrance premiums if you have a tenant in receipt of RS, can this be true?


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## Simeon (6 Feb 2008)

Rented a house to a family of five staying for about six years. Changed my insurance company a couple of years ago and neither they nor my original company asked questions in that direction.


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## murphaph (6 Feb 2008)

I found it hard to believe an insurance co. would ask what kind of tenants you have! That puts my mind at ease somewhat. I am surprised so many landlords flat out refuse to even consier RS tenants. I can't believe all these landlords have been stung and stung only by RS tenants. From surfing around (from the other side) it seems many RS tenants are in receipt of it for reasons one wouldn't even think of! 

It seems from the prospective tenants' side that getting accomodation from a landlord willing to take RS is nigh on impossible. I don't want to rule out this large market for my property based on hearsay so i'm going to allow RS candidates to view and apply to rent my place.


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## S.L.F (16 Feb 2008)

Thank you for all your replies the lady we had considered to allow into our flat changed her mind. So we got a private paying tenant instead.

We used to take the first person who said they wanted the flat but now what we do is meet everyone who wants it and pick who we want to live there as we live right beside the flat.

Thanks again!


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