60 Laois renters facing eviction turn to council for help

The end of the Government's eviction ban has brought a slew of eviction notices to private renters in Laois.

Within three weeks of the ban being lifted on April 1, Laois County Council received 60 requests from tenants asking them to buy the houses that they are being evicted from, because they are being put up for sale.

They have been notified of 65 notices to quit given to tenants since April 1.

The council is inviting anyone who got a notice to quit, to contact the council's housing department and they will give advice, help if notices are not legal, help them to find alternative accommodation, or possibly buy out their rental homes.

Director of Services for Housing Angela McEvoy has urged any one in Laois facing eviction to contact them. 

"Anybody who got a notice and isn't on our housing list, please present to ourselves to validate their notices to quit with Threshold. There is a scheme only kicking off that will be used for these people. We will provide what advice we can. 

The local authority like all others have been given five tips by Government on how to help people "ease the impact of the end of the eviction ban".

People are to be assessed to see if they qualify as at risk of homelessness.

If so, they will be referred to Threshold to help prevent their eviction, or helped to find another home with the HAP placefinder service, or put on the social housing list.

If the tenant wants to buy the house, they will be advised on schemes like local authority home loans. 

Once a tenant meets the social housing income limit and is at risk of homelessness, the council might buy up their house under the Tenant in Situ scheme.

However even if they earn too much to qualify for social housing or HAP support, there is a last port of call, the new Cost Rental Tenant in Situ scheme, where the Housing Agency can buy the house and keep renting it to the tenant.

Cllr Aidan Mullins has asked why can't the Government do the same for Irish people as it is doing with the Ukrainian rapid build housing estate going up in Rathdowney.

"It's very worrying that today you report that there were 65 notices to quit and it's generally expected to increase. At the end of March, 16 people and families are homeless, that could be 20 or 30 in homeless accommodation. That's a disgrace.

"You are going to deliver 43 homes in Rathdowney and I have no issue, however the rapid response we can deliver for Ukraine, why could a scheme like that not be used for Irish people. I'm not pitting one against another," he said.

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He was reminded that many non-Irish people are also on the social housing list, by The Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council Cllr Thomasina Connell.

"I mean people who are not refugees," Cllr Mullins added.