Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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258. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the supports available to assist a person who has a house which is vacant for seven years and wishes to renovate it and bring it up to the required standard in order that they can rent it out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52332/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) has been developed to assist private property owners and local authorities or Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to harness the accommodation potential that exists in certain vacant properties across Ireland. The scheme is targeted at owners of vacant properties who cannot afford or access the funding needed to bring their properties up to the required standard for rental property. Subject to the suitability of the property for social housing, and the agreement of the property owner, the cost of the necessary repairs will be met upfront by the local authority or an Approved Housing Body (AHB). This allows for the property owner to sign-up to a lease arrangement for a length that is linked to the value of the repairs, subject to a minimum of 10 years. The value of the repairs will then be offset incrementally against the agreed rental payment over a defined period within the lease. Total funding of €140m will be made available up until 2021, providing for a total of 3,500 social houses over the lifetime of the scheme.

A property owner can either choose to arrange for a contractor to carry out the repairs themselves, or the local authority or AHB can arrange this instead. Property owners will not be required to take on landlord responsibilities and the local authority or AHB will have on-going management and maintenance responsibilities in respect of the properties.

The local authority will determine the eligibility for the scheme, having regard to the location and the suitability of the property for social housing and also taking into consideration the extent of the repairs that may be required. The maximum costs of repairs allowable under this initiative is €40,000 and the property must be vacant for a period of not less than 12 months.

The operation of the RLS pilot nationally has facilitated an appraisal of the scheme as part of my on-going review of Rebuilding Ireland, with a view to enhancing the operation of the scheme and ensuring increased take up and delivery. This review is on-going and revised initiatives will be announced as they are finalised.  

Property owners who wish to find out more about the Repair and Leasing Scheme should contact their local authority or go to .