# Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Limits Query



## uncleseano (29 May 2017)

Heya lads,

This HAP program looks great. We're on the housing list and we're eligible for the HAP problem is the rent at the property we're looking at is €1800 p/m.

Yeah yeah I know, but Dublin prices for 3 bed family homes are just this price. Anywhos the HAP would pay 1270 (Couple & Two Kids) towards this,it's a total game changer for us BUT the limit that is imposed for rental properties (when stretched) it around the 1500 mark.

I get it that they have to have a mechanism in place so that people can still live on their income but we don't smoke, drink, do drugs, get fat taxis around etc, we're very frugal (READ: Boring) people so for us the idea of us not being able to pay the 500 for rent a month is laughable but the limits won't go any higher for us so we wont receive a penny.

How often to landlords pull a cheeky one and tell the state that the rent IS infact 1500 a month if I give him/her the other 300 as a top us?

Can the state(HAP) find out? Would they even care? How dodgey is it? Dublin prices just means that we cannot find anywhere to live _without_ doing this. 

What do ya think, if the HAP crowd discovered this would they turn a blind eye? Or would we stand to lose the payment.

Sorry for the long write up, too much coffee this morning


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## Palerider (29 May 2017)

HAP is indeed generous, designed to help people, HAP are not a 'crowd' as you put it, they are the taxpayer, try and work within the rules.


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## uncleseano (31 May 2017)

If we work within the rules as you put it we wont get any help at all and will be homeless in two months.

The max bracket for rent that they allow us is €1270. That's the official mark, the €1500 is under extreme circumstances (TD letter etc) that they can stretch it to. Now with that in mind can you find a family home (2-3 bed is our only cirteria for 4 people) in Dublin for that price?

Simple answer no they don't exist uness you go far over to the north


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## cremeegg (31 May 2017)

As I understand HAP, the council pays the landlord, you pay the council. 

No sensible landlord would accept a separate arrangement with you to pay something extra directly. Because if you stopped paying there would be nothing they could do.

It seems that you cannot afford to live comfortably in Dublin. There is nothing strange about that, except that it has not been the norm in recent years. 

I know a family of 16 who grew up happily in a 2 bed house in Cabra in the 1970s. I know a family in Ireland today with a one bed apartment shared by two couples and a baby, one couple and baby have the bedroom the other couple turn the kitchen/livingroom into a bedroom at night.

You can rent a nice 3/4 bed house in many rural areas for €500.

The simple reality is that you cannot afford to live in spacious family accommodation in Dublin. With rent at €1,800 neither could I. You will simply have to make some other plan. Leave Dublin, earn more, or accept less spacious accommodation.


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## Waver (31 May 2017)

You don't say what your current situation is and why you would be leaving it and looking to move to HAP.

I think there can be more flexibility in the limits depending on circumstances.


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## Zara91 (11 Dec 2021)

Hi guys, just saw this forum and was wondering if someone could help with HAP info. 

We are living in a two bedroom apartment in the city centre in Dublin. 3 adults (including me) and one child. I have a business but I’m gaining money  under the table right now as pandemic really affected us financially and struggling. I’m the only one who works atm aswell. How much should be my income be to be still eligible for hap?


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