Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has discussed or authorised the imposition of interest on rent arrears by local authorities. [30469/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The Housing (Interest on Moneys Owed to Housing Authorities) Regulations 2010 do not apply to existing local authority rent schemes. However, these Regulations will apply to new rent schemes, which housing authorities will be required to put in place in 2011 under the Housing Act, 2009, and represent a reasonable provision that where a tenant of a housing authority has not paid the appropriate rent to the authority interest can be applied to the amount outstanding.

Notwithstanding this, there are explicit powers in the 2009 Act to allow housing authorities to take other actions where a household genuinely experiences financial hardship. Housing authorities, under these provisions, can develop reasonable repayment agreements including, if appropriate, an adjustment to rent due to assist households in such circumstances.