War of words over rent arrears exceeding €1.8million

There was a disagreement between Cllr Seamus Morris and Tipperary County Council official Sean Lonergan over rent arrears at last week’s Nenagh Municipal District meeting.

Cllr Morris quoted figures given to him by the council’s housing department, which suggests €1,817,265 is owed to the council in rent as of January 2022.

This is an increase of €526, 824 on September’s figure of €1,290,441.

Most of the money owed (€1,203,444) are debts 12 weeks or older.

Cllr Morris also said people paying their rent ‘religiously’ are being ‘hit’ with notices for €4,000.

Mr Lonergan disputed the figures and said that there was ‘no way’ people who were paying rent on time were being given such notices.

He suggested that some people may find they are in arrears due to a failure to return to rent review forms.

A person who has not returned the form may have to pay the maximum amount.

“I won’t argue with councillor Morris but what I’d say is if people are paying their rent religiously, there is no way they are hit with €4,000.”

“The arrears are not at €1.8million as Cllr Seamie Morris has said,” said Mr Lonergan.

Mr Lonergan advised that anyone having an issue paying their rent should contact the council.

“We are there to help where we can,” said Mr Lonergan. He also said Tipperary County Council had one of the highest collection rates in the country at 98%.

Referencing the €1.8 million figure, Cllr Morris responded that ‘the figures don’t lie.’

Cllr Ger Darcy supported Cllr Morris in his questioning.

He told the Tipperary Star he personally knows a family who had been paying their rent by direct debit.

As far as they were concerned, they were up to date when they received a notice for €4,000, which they must now pay in addition to their rent.

Cllr Darcy believes these debts may be years old and the council is only now notifying customers.

“I think this is poor management from the council.

“Why could the council not be on top of the job,” said Cllr Darcy. He added that getting a notice of high rent arrears can “frighten the life” out of people.

Cllr Morris told the Tipperary Star that he knows of two other incidents of large rent bills in excess of €4,000.

Cllr Morris has been monitoring rent arrears since the introduction of the Differential Rent Scheme in 2018.

He said this scheme amalgamated a number of rent schemes leading to an increase in the weekly rent for tenants in North Tipperary.

He is also concerned about including the Family Income Supplement in the rent payment assessment.

“We should not be including that in assessments.

“That’s a weakness in our system,” said Cllr Morris.

Cllr Morris is also concerned about what he calls ‘deep delves’ into tenants’ income which the council may be carrying out.

“These are people doing what they should, which we should encourage.

“The council is doing deep delves into income and slapping them with rent arrears,” said Cllr Morris.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Michael O’Meara suggested that both Cllr Morris and Cllr Darcy query their concern with the housing department for clarification.

“The most important message here is if people are in trouble, come into the council,” said Cllr O’Meara.

UPDATE: Since publication, Tipperary County Council has responded to a query by the Tipperary Star. 

They say that in 2016 they carried out a rent review of 6000 accounts.

However, by January 2022, 1000 households had not returned their rent review forms. 

Failure to do this may result in tenants facing rent arrears. 

Tipperary County Council says that this has artificially inflated the figures.

They ask that tenants return their forms to allow for adjustment of their rents.

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