Soon to be homeless with a small inheritance - impact on my social housing application?

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dakawak

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My landlady has informed me that she is selling up within the next 6-9 months, I have lived here for the past 9 years.
- Single parent, Currently receiving HAP, caring for my daughter of 19yrs who is in her last year of college (i'm receiving carers allowance, but not sure if that will continue once she graduates?), I am attending part time 2 year college course, not currently working.
- landlady has not yet provided formal notice, I'm waiting for that day to come, and have been avoiding her now like the plague.

After the recent passing of my father, I will be inheriting a commercial property worth roughly 90k, with annual rental income of about 12k (before tax).
- Pairing this rental income with a part time job, or later a full time job, I will still be relying on HAP to make up rent.
- I have been told by the council that I am far down the social housing list, and all they can offer is emergency accommodation once I have been evicted.

With this expected inheritance, will I be pushed out of the income limits for social housing (and HAP) and carer's allowance / any other welfare?

I am panicking as I type this... I'm not sure where I will be this time next year.
There is little availability of 2 bed properties in Galway city and county. Those that are available are between 1800 and 3000 per month. From what I hear it is also near impossible to get a landlord willing to accept HAP?

Appreciate any advice.
 
You will have a deposit for a house once you get your inheritance. Put the results of your course into employment. Put the money that you will be spending on rent towards a mortgage and you will no longer dependent on the vagaries of the housing market.
 
tallpaul said:
You will have a deposit for a house once you get your inheritance. Put the results of your course into employment. Put the money that you will be spending on rent towards a mortgage and you will no longer dependent on the vagaries of the housing market.
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Thanks for the response. One further point to add, I’m soon to turn 60. I don’t think I would qualify for any type of mortgage.
 
Galway County Council has Senior rental accommodation schemes could you explore this ? My father in law did it in Dublin he bought in for a percentage of his lump sum ( his was €40k on lump sum of €230K) and his rent is €44 a week which includes heating for life. They are fantastic complexes for senior citizens, I'm sure your daughter with qualify to live with you if you are her carer. Explore it with a local councillor.
 
OGC222 said:
Galway County Council has Senior rental accommodation schemes could you explore this ? My father in law did it in Dublin he bought in for a percentage of his lump sum ( his was €40k on lump sum of €230K) and his rent is €44 a week which includes heating for life. They are fantastic complexes for senior citizens, I'm sure your daughter with qualify to live with you if you are her carer. Explore it with a local councillor.
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@OGC222

Im interested to know more about this, but cant find any information online from the county or city council. Would you have a link that i can reference?
 
dakawak said:
- landlady has not yet provided formal notice, I'm waiting for that day to come, and have been avoiding her now like the plague.
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Bear in mind that your landlord is obliged to give you six months notice in writing and it must be accompanied by a statutory declaration. Many landlords don't get the paperwork right. If she doesn't give it to you in the proper format and with a statutory declaration the notice of termination it is completely invalid. You don't have to advise her of its invalidity this until the day before you are due to move out. Then she would have to start the whole process again. I don't think this will keep you in the house forever but it will buy you time.

It's a difficult situation for you and daughter. And it's absolutely not your job to remind your landlord of their legal obligations.


dakawak said:
One further point to add, I’m soon to turn 60. I don’t think I would qualify for any type of mortgage.
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You could qualify for a small mortgage if you had work income. Is it possible that at age 63 you and daughter would both be in full-time employment? Combined with sale of commercial property it might be possible to get a joint mortgage to buy a small property that would house both of you - some lenders will go to 70 especially if you have pension income.
 
I'm no expert on property prices, but I would have thought a 12k per annum rental yield, would value the property at approx, 140k.
Could you not sell the property, take the 140k , and rent an alternative property for a few years , with this money. You would not be entitled to any means tested payments, whilst you used this money to pay rent, living expenses, etc, but you would be secure. It would give you time to retrain, work for a few years, then take retirement.
 
Dr Strangelove said:
Bear in mind that your landlord is obliged to give you six months notice in writing and it must be accompanied by a statutory declaration. Many landlords don't get the paperwork right. If she doesn't give it to you in the proper format and with a statutory declaration the notice of termination it is completely invalid. You don't have to advise her of its invalidity this until the day before you are due to move out. Then she would have to start the whole process again. I don't think this will keep you in the house forever but it will buy you time.

It's a difficult situation for you and daughter. And it's absolutely not your job to remind your landlord of their legal obligations.



You could qualify for a small mortgage if you had work income. Is it possible that at age 63 you and daughter would both be in full-time employment? Combined with sale of commercial property it might be possible to get a joint mortgage to buy a small property that would house both of you - some lenders will go to 70 especially if you have pension income.
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Notices of Termination | Residential Tenancies Board

RTB operates Ireland's National Tenancy Register and resolving disputes between Landlords, tenants and third parties. Governed by residential Tenancies Act 2004. View more information on landlords and tenancies.
www.rtb.ie www.rtb.ie

Since 2022, if a tenant wishes to dispute validity of a notice of termination, there is a time limit for doing so. Lying in the long grass is no longer a safe strategy

Although I am a lawyer, I avoid RTB work- so I won't say that I am 100% sure that i am right. It may be that validity of notices is still being raised ( and entertained) at hearings without having been raised within time limits. I cannot say for sure.
 
MOB said:
Since 2022, if a tenant wishes to dispute validity of a notice of termination, there is a time limit for doing so. Lying in the long grass is no longer a safe strategy
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This is indeed correct, mea culpa.

OP has 90 days to challenge validity and can use the full 90 days tactically.
 
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