Leasing house to the Council for 10 years/Housing for all/Long term leasing scheme/RAS Scheme

samp2595

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Inquiry Regarding Leasing a Townhouse Maisonette Property to the Council, in a commuter town in the west of Ireland

I am seeking some guidance and insights regarding the possibility of leasing my Townhouse maisonette property to the council, specifically under the Long Term Leasing Scheme. I have done some research, but there are still some aspects that I find a bit confusing, and I'm hoping some of you might have experience or information to share.



**Property Description:**

My property is a Townhouse maisonette comprising a ground floor 1-bedroom apartment and a first-floor 3-bedroom apartment. Currently, there is no mortgage on the property. (But if I secured a 10 year lease I might seek a loan to renovate another property that I own to live in, also no mortgage on this dwelling either)



**Long Term Leasing Scheme (LTLS):**

From what I understand, the Long Term Leasing Scheme offers the advantage, such as guaranteed rental payments, the potential for 80% of the market rate, rent reviews every couple of years, and market rate determination based on similar properties listed on Daft in the area at the beginning of the lease and during reviews.



**RAS Scheme vs. LTLS:**

One of the key distinctions I'm trying to grasp is the difference between the RAS Scheme and the Long Term Leasing Scheme. I've heard concerns about the RAS Scheme allowing rental payments to fall into arrears, potentially leaving landlords to address the issue with tenants. With LTLS, it seems rental payment agreements are guaranteed. Can anyone shed more light on this?



**Property Maintenance and Condition:**

I also understand that under LTLS, the council accepts responsibility for internal repairs during the 10-year lease period. However, there seems to be some ambiguity regarding property condition when returned after 10 years. Has anyone encountered situations where the property had more than wear and tear damages? (Also I feel when it is your own property you still have to be realistic and keep an eye on the condition of the building yourself over the years so things don't get really out of hand)



**Returning the Property After 10 Years:**

I've heard that reclaiming your property after the 10-year LTLS agreement might not be straightforward. Can anyone provide insights or share experiences related to this process?



**BER Rating Upgrade:**

I understand that the BER (Building Energy Rating) of a property can be a factor in certain leasing or rental schemes, including the Long Term Leasing Scheme (LTLS). Although my property is well-maintained, I'm concerned that its current BER rating might not meet the necessary requirements. Has anyone here had to upgrade their property's BER rating to comply with such schemes? If so, could you share your experiences, including any challenges or costs involved?



**Difficulty in Attaining Building Insurance:**

I've also heard about potential challenges related to obtaining building insurance for properties involved in leasing schemes, like LTLS. How did you navigate this issue?

Finally, Thank you all in advance for reading & if you have any pointers good or bad thank you for that too.
 
Depends on the area. Have you spoken to them? They can be oversubscribed in certain areas. I thought they were getting rid of this scheme also? I spoke with one of the councils about a year ago and they said they were winding this scheme up?

Might be worth a phonecall as website updates might lag behind.
 
I have introduced myself & have arranged a call next week @imalwayshappy & there seems to be some ambiguity regarding the termination of the LTLS, it appears it may not be phased out until 2025.

I'm in the west of Ireland some I can't say if they are over subscribed, have you had experience with this scheme? Thanks for the reply.
 
My cousin did a council LTL. The house was built in the 90's and cousin had it completely refurbished inside and out, new doors windows, floors, kitchen, bathroom, fitted wardrobes, window blinds. The builders were there for months. The council inspected to see if the house was suitable then sent a list for the fit-out, everything new basically, drapes on all windows, light fittings, electric, gas and ber reports. The house was inspected again and the snag list included a special type of lock for the new front and patio doors, electric fittings for kitchen sink and hot press, bannisters replaced, new attic tank, external bathroom extractor, wired alarms for fire and CM. A final inspection had some minor snags and the legal paperwork took months. Then before the council tenant was due to move in, the council wanted the new sofas, FF, dining table, chairs, beds and some other furniture removed as the tenant had their own. She found the whole thing very stressful, huge cost and says she wouldn't do it again.

Presumably the council want everything new to reduce the possibility of anything needing repairs.
 
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