Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 1518: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he expects to publish guidelines for local authority differential rent schemes; and the areas on which these guidelines will focus. [33747/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Regulations and guidelines for housing authorities in relation to differential rent are currently in preparation in my Department. Once section 31 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, which provides for rent schemes and charges, has been commenced, housing authorities will have one year in which to put in place a new differential rent scheme. In that context, it is envisaged that new rent schemes should be in place in all housing authorities in early 2012.

While it is not the intention to implement a national standardised differential rent scheme, regulations later this year will more clearly set out the matters that may be included in a local rents scheme, including—

the level, type and sources of household income that may be assessed for rent purposes;

how dependents will be accounted for in calculating rent; and

procedures for rent reviews.