Tenants refusing social houses 'should be put off list' - Laois Sinn Féin councillors

Laois Sinn Féin councillors want the council to get tougher with some people on the housing waiting list who repeatedly turn down offers of social houses.

Cllr Aidan Mullins from Portarlington and Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley from Portlaoise both suggest that Laois County Council take repeat refusers off the waiting list as a penalty.

The refusal rate is at 16% in Laois, with 63 homes out of 383 offered in 2022 being rejected by people waiting on a home.

Cllr Mullins accused some people on the list of having "a sense of entitlement".

"One in six offers was refused. That is disappointing. I accept there are genuine reasons, but I don't think 16% would be genuine.  It's not acceptable in a housing crisis. One wanted a transfer from a three bedroom house to a four bedroom because they had four kids. There seems to be a sense of entitlement in some cohorts. 

"Another wanted a big back yard. At the moment if you refuse two reasonable offers, you are left for 12 months then you are straight back in. They should either be penalised on the points scale, or not let back in for longer," he said.

Cllr Dwane Stanley said she got details of the reasons.

"One family turned down four houses and was offered a fifth. Two of those were brand new houses. Once a second house is refused, they are paused, then go back again after 12 months with the same high points. It's a revolving door. I believe someone in that position should be put off the housing list.

"I don't know if there is a house made for somebody like that. I'm very much aware of people who turned down more than two. When these people end up homeless we have to find accommodation for them. Offaly County Council sets out clearly their points system. They can remove up to 10 points if someone refuses a house. That's where we can start. Some refuse because of schools and you'd walk to the school in 20 minutes," Cllr Dwane Stanley claimed. 

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So far in 2023, 204 Laois social homes have been offered, and 21 were refused.

The council gives various reasons why people did not take the keys offered.

That included the distance from schools attended by children, poor public transport, not liking the area, no back garden or not being in a preferred location.

There are currently 1,748 applicants waiting for a social house in Laois. Almost half are receiving HAP payments from the Government for their private rent while they wait.