SERVICES
Changes to the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme 2016
The Minister for Housing has announced further changes to the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme 2016 as outlined below. These changes come into effect on 29th January 2024.
Changes effective from 29th January 2024 include:
- Minimum reckonable income required for an applicant to qualify under the scheme is being revised downwards to €11,000 per annum.
- The requirement for joint tenants to have been in receipt of social housing support for 10 years each is amended to one tenant only fulfilling the 10-year requirement.
- Amendment to Primary Income – the following income will now be considered as primary sources of income.
- The Widow’s, Widowers, Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory and Non-Contributory) Pension
- Blind Pension
- Invalidity Pension and
- Disability Allowance
- Amendment to secondary income – the following payments will now be considered as a secondary source of income:
– Working Family Payment,
– Age 80 (Pension) increase, and
– Rural Social Scheme.
- Amendment to income disregards – the following payments will specifically not be considered when assessing reckonable income:
– Constant Attendance Allowance,
– Household Benefits Package (including Electricity and Gas Allowance),
– Telephone Allowance,
– Increase for living on a Specified Island,
– Payments under Medical Care Scheme,
– Disablement Benefit,
– Training Support Grant,
– Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance,
– Humanitarian Assistance Scheme,
– Funeral Grant,
– Community Service Programme,
– Work Placement Experience Programme,
– Payments in respect of education or training courses,
– Mobility Allowance, and
– Income earned by children.
In summary, From 29th January 2024, to be eligible for inclusion in the scheme some of the main criteria include:
- To be in receipt of Social Housing Support for at least 10 years – at least one tenant must meet the 10 year requirement (this can include HAP/RAS)
- Have a minimum gross annual income of €11,000 – the primary source of which cannot be a Department of Social Protection payment – with the exception of the State Contributory or Non-Contributory pension, Widow’s, Widower’s, Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory and Non-Contributory) pensions, Blind Pension; Invalidity Pension and Disability Allowance which are now deemed to be a primary sources of income. Tenants whose only income might be the aforementioned pensions or allowances listed are eligible to buy their homes if they have the financial means to do so
- Have not been engaged in anti-social behaviour – tenant(s) or any household member
- Have not been in arrears of rent or local authority charges for an accumulated period of 12 weeks or more in the 3 years prior to application, or, where there have been such arrears, have entered into and are complying with a payment arrangement with the local authority
- Have not previously purchased a house under a tenant purchase scheme
- Be dwelling in a property which is available for sale under the scheme
Properties not included in the scheme are:
- apartments, flats, maisonettes and duplexes
- houses specially designed for older people
- houses provided for people with disabilities to help them leave institutional care and live in the community
- houses that are part of a group housing scheme for Travellers
- caravans, mobile homes or other homes that can be moved
- houses in a private development transferred to the local authority by the developer
- houses reserved by the local authority for a particular reason
- Part V Tenancies
- Other properties the council do not wish to include in the scheme in interest of good estate management
Tenant Information Handbook Final Version
Reckonable Income + Supporting Documentation Oct 2022
Application Form TPS 2016 Final Version Oct 2022
StepbyStep Application Process Tenant Purchase Oct 2022
Tenant Information Handbook Irish Version GAE
Tenant Purchase Application Form Irish Version GAE
Data Protection