Concerns raised over €3m rent arrears owed to Louth County Council

Cllr Maeve Yore voiced her concerns at the Louth County Council July meeting regarding the €3,046,957 in rent arrears owed by tenants of the local authority, saying that a third of tenants are in arrears.

According to Louth County Council's Management Report for July, there are a total of 1,181 accounts in arrears. 

Of this, 182 have rent arrears between four and six weeks old, owing a total of €70,879. 59 have rent arrears between seven and 12 weeks old, owing a total of €121,337. 840 are in arrears greater than 12 weeks, owing a total of €2,854,741.

Cllr Yore enquired at the meeting, what was the reason was for the level of arrears and what was being done to reduce them.

In repsonse, Chief Executive Joan Martin said that it is an issue that she keeps “a very close eye on” and that the Council has a strong process in place.

Ms Martin added that it was a very difficult problem once people fall into arrears, because of the incomes of many people in social housing, and it may be difficult for them to catch up on payments.

The Chief Executive told the meeting that the Council has made considerable inroads on arrears.

Director of Services, Bernie Woods added that a lot of tenants pay through An Post and that it can cause a timing delay, where payments made on the last week of the month, may not appear until in accounts until the following month.

Cllr Edel Corrigan queried if there are ongoing arrears then was is an affordability issue, and was a new approach needed.

Ms Martin replied to say that a lot were on minimum rents, and that there are people who won't pay, but she added that she would “take it away and have a think about it.”