Important

You DO NOT NEED to go to the Council Offices

You can do the following:

  1. Download an application form for a Rent Assessment from:  https://monaghan.ie/housing/application-forms-and-guides/  and return the completed form to Monaghan County Council, Housing Section, Glen Road, Monaghan.

 

2. Phone the office on the following numbers to request an application form to be sent out to you

 

Area Telephone Number
If you are living in a local authority property In the Ballybay/Clones Municipal District 047 30581
If you are living in a local authority property In the Castleblayney/Carrickmacross Municipal District 047 30529

 
If you are living in a local authority property In the Monaghan Municipal District 047 73799
If you are living in a rented property supported by Housing Assistance Payment All of County Monaghan 047 30552

 
If you are living in a property supported by Rental Accommodation Scheme payment All of County Monaghan 047 30528

 

 

If your income changes following submission of these details you are required to notify us immediately otherwise you may be liable for additional rent backdated payments.

 

How is rent calculated?

Rent is calculated in accordance to a differential rents scheme, as adopted by each individual Council. Rent is calculated on the total household income and the makeup of the household. It is charged weekly.  Rent Scheme 2022

A proportion of the principal earner’s income is taken, together with a contribution from all subsidiary earners in the household.

What is a principal earner?

The principal earner is the joint tenant or tenants partner who is in receipt of the highest assessable income in the household.

What is a subsidiary earner?

A subsidiary earner is a member of the household other than the principal earner who has an income.

Is there a deduction allowed for children?

Yes, in respect of dependent children. Dependent children are defined as children under 18 years of age not in receipt of any income, or being under 23, are attending a full time course of education and are wholly or mainly maintained by the principal earner.

Under-declaration of Household Income:

Where household income is under-declared, arrears of rent will be applied to the rent account. It is the responsibility of the tenant to declare any changes in household income or changes in persons residing in the property to Monaghan County Council.

What income is assessed for rent purposes?

Income from employment including overtime, bonuses and commissions;

  • Overtime payments, commissions and bonuses will be assessable as follows:
    • Overtime – generally restricted to a maximum of 10% of basic income, but regular overtime may be fully taken into account;
    • Bonus – restricted to a maximum of 10% of basic income;
    • Commission – restricted to a maximum of 30% of basic income, where applicable;

Income from self-employment;

Maintenance payments received, on a periodic basis

Income from rental properties, dividends, capital investments and other similar sources of income;

Occupational and social welfare pensions, from whatever source, including from abroad, and

With the exception of the specific payments listed below as being disregarded, all income from social insurance and social assistance payments, allowances and benefits, including Family Income Supplement, is assessable.

What income is disregarded for Rent Assessment Purposes?

Income from the following sources shall, in all cases, be disregarded for the purposes of assessing income:

  • Children’s Allowances, Orphans Allowances, Orphans pensions’ payable under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 1981 and any other social welfare allowances payable to children under 18;
  • Exceptional or urgent needs payments;
  • Carer’s allowance; where income is derived from this source rent will be assessed on the income that would be payable from the department of welfare if the Carers allowance had not been awarded
  • Scholarships or higher education grants;
  • Foster care payments;
  • Domiciliary care allowances;
  • Allowances/assistance from charities;
  • Fuel allowance;
  • Mobility allowance;
  • Living alone allowance;
  • Extra allowances for persons aged 80 or over payable under certain categories of social welfare income
  • Rent or mortgage interest supplements
  • Dietary and mobility allowances paid; and

What happens with Back to Work Allowance Schemes and my rent?

Where the income of a tenant is increased as a result of his/her participation in the Back to Work Scheme, the rent of that tenant will be assessed at the appropriate rate of Social Welfare benefit. This provision shall only apply where the combined gross income from the BWAS and employment/self employment does not exceed €350 per week and will be for a period not exceeding 3 years payments under TUS schemes;

I am making maintenance payments; Are they taken into account?

Where a person provides documentary evidence i.e. legally binding documentation/written agreement/deed/court order, that he or she is paying a periodic sum of money to another person as a separated spouse or partner the local authority will deduct this sum off the income of the person being assessed for rent
Where a person is in receipt of a periodic sum of payment, which is being paid to him or her as a separated spouse or partner of another person, then the Local Authority will take that sum into account as part of that person’s income for the purposes of rent assessment

What happens if I do not return my rent income details?

Tenants are asked periodically to confirm household residents and income. Tenants who do not return this information,  within a certain timeframe may incur a penalty rent amount as their income will have to be assumed in the absence of other information. It is the tenants’ responsibility to return the necessary information as soon as possible.

We are receiving Separate Social Welfare payments; how will our rent be calculated?

Where income is derived from Social Welfare payments and the recipients have opted for separate payment, rent will be assessed on the joint incomes

How do I pay my rent?

Rent can be paid a number of different ways:

• By household budget (deduction at source from social welfare payments made in the post office)
• Bank Standing Order which can be set up at the bank
• Bill pay at the post office, using a rent card supplied by the local authority
• At the cash desk in the local authority offices

Where individuals do not adhere to the conditions of the tenancy agreement in respect of rent contributions the authority will require the tenant to enter into a payment method by household budget or standing order