Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

2162. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that landlords and letting agencies are discriminating against persons in receipt of the housing assistance payment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26815/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate housing support that is now available to all eligible households throughout the State. There are currently more than 22,000 households in receipt of HAP, including 7,000 households that were previously supported by Rent Supplement. In excess of 17,000 separate agents and landlords are providing accommodation to HAP supported households.

To date in 2017, an average of 329 additional households a week are having their housing need met by finding private rental accommodation and landlords willing to enter into a tenancy agreement on the basis of HAP support. In order to provide access to information on the scheme to interested parties, a new HAP website, , was recently launched and provides prospective HAP tenants and landlords with the information that they need to understand how the HAP scheme works. Local authorities are also promoting the scheme locally, and engaging with letting agents and landlords who might be interested in entering into a HAP tenancy. HAP provides landlords with many advantages including that the landlord does not have to collect the rent; payments are made electronically directly to the landlord on the tenant's behalf; landlords who rent to tenants in receipt of HAP may avail of increased tax relief; and changes in a tenant's employment circumstances do not affect the rental payments made to the landlord.

A landlord or an agent acting on behalf of a landlord is not legally obliged to enter into a tenancy agreement with a HAP recipient. However, since 1 January 2016, a person cannot be discriminated against when renting because they are in receipt of certain payments, including HAP, so landlords can no longer state when advertising accommodation that HAP is not accepted. If a person feels that they have been discriminated against by a landlord or their agent, they can make a complaint under the Equal Status Acts to the Workplace Relations Commission. Further information is available on the Commission's website, .

My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review. In general, I am satisfied with the operation of HAP and I consider it to be a key vehicle for meeting housing need and fulfilling the ambitious programme outlined under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness.