Written answers
Tuesday, 28 November 2023
Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
Housing Schemes
Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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323. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he is aware that landlords who enter a HAP agreement are having their HAP payments suspended if the tenant fails to pay their portion to HAP (details supplied); if he will amend the system that all HAP payments will continue to be made whilst the tenant remains in the house; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52111/23]
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Tenants in the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme are required to sign a rent contribution agreement to pay a weekly rental contribution to the relevant local authority, in line with the local authority’s differential rent scheme. As set out in the rent contribution agreement, this weekly rental contribution must be paid by them so that they remain eligible for the HAP scheme.
As one of the mitigation measures on the lifting of the winter eviction ban, the HAP Landlord Payment Guarantee was introduced on 1 May 2023. From that date, should a HAP tenant default on their differential rent payment to the local authority, they will be offered the option of a payment plan to assist them in maintaining their tenancy and allow the HAP payment to the landlord to continue.
If the tenant defaults on payment of differential rent or the payment plan, under the Landlord Payment Guarantee, the HAP payment to the landlord will be guaranteed for a 12 month period or earlier if the tenancy ends. The Landlord Guarantee is only applicable to tenancies reaching suspension stage of the debt management process from the 1 May 2023.
The implementation of this measure should encourage landlords to remain in the private rental market and make properties available for HAP tenants.
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