Vacated council houses in Tipperary left in poor condition

€38,000 had to be spent on a council house left vacant before it could be occupied again.

Cllr Andy Moloney asked officials of Tipperary/Cahir/Cashel/ Municipal District about the figure.

He asked if the council had any way of getting the tenant who vacated the house to pay towards the cost of putting the house in a condition for re-letting.

“€38,000 seems to be a crazy amount of money to pay to repair a house. Have we anything in place to get any of that money if the tenant leaves the house in a state and it costs this kind of money to get the house ready to occupy again,” asked Cllr Moloney.

RESPONSIBILITY

Sinead Carr, Director of Services, said there was an expectation that the tenant would have some responsibility.

She said if the house was left in a poor condition that would go on the file of the tenant. It would then be in the system if that person sought another tenancy and they would be required to make a payment.