Council house rent levels set to rise in Laois
Rents are going to rise for hundreds of the Laois families renting council houses.
Landlord Laois County Council is raising the rent for over 300 of its 2,300 tenants who are on higher incomes.
Details were announced at the annual budget meeting last Monday, November 7, by Director of Services for housing, Angela McEvoy.
"The increase relates to about 300 people on the list that can afford to pay. Their rent will be rising from €93 to €105. It can be no more than 22% of your income," she explained.
Laois County Council CEO John Mulholland said that it is the first rent rise since 2010.
"It is based on your affordability, to a maximum of 22% of your income. Each of these 313 are assessed on an individual basis. Compared to the rents of neighbouring counties like Carlow, Kildare and Offaly, we're really much lower.
"I cannot understand how Laois County Council can be expected to provide the level of service in retrofitting and maintanance to the same standard (as other counties) if we are going to charge lower rents.
"If for example someone in a council house wins a family dividend or a lottery, they would be expected to pay a little bit more towards rent. We have to collect it to put it back into the maintenance of houses," Mr Mulholland said.
"If you won the Euro millions next week, you still have a council house and you'll be charged the maximum rent, that's all," Cllr Willie Aird said.
Cllr Aird had queried the rise and requested details.
"One question not answered in public, a proposed increase of people paying rent. I want you to make a statement that it only affects a small number on a higher income," he said.
Cllr Paddy Bracken from Mountmellick Municipal District disagrees with the increase.
"It's very unfair putting this on 300 people to carry that burden of €12 more a week. We can see the cost of living crisis. Here we are today putting that increase onto ordinary tenants of ours.
"We didn't increase the Local Property Tax, or commercial rates, but now we've focused on 300 families under pressure," he said.
The Cathaoirleach Cllr Thomasina Connell said "Laois County Council made the decision not councillors".
Laois County Council estimates that it will collect €497,000 more in rental income in 2023.
This year they had expected to collect €7.043 million but took in €7.214 million. Next year it will be up to €7.540 million.
The income is partly rising because the council is adding hundreds more houses to its stock. This year is expects to give homes to 338 families, and next year to another 461 families or individuals.
Next year the council plans to spent almost €2 million maintaining its housing stock. Another €1.36 million will be spent refurbishing vacated houses before they are re-let.
The council will also spend more than double its budget to retrofit houses for energy efficiency next year, from €125,000 up to €285,000.
Its total expenditure on housing, including maintenance, homeless administration, loa charges, insurance and housing staff wages, is expected to reach €8.874 million in 2023, up half a million from this year.