Rent allowance and housing lists?

[Eavan]

I have a few questions about rent allowance/ council housing. I've asked my CWO but she gives contradictory answers.

My first question is which CWO do you bring the RA forms to? For example I'm living in South Dublin but if I were to rent a place in town do I give the forms to my local CWO or the CWO for the area I want to rent in?

I know that you have to be on the council housing list to get R/A. I'm on the Dublin South list. If I move outside Dublin South do I need to go on the list where ever I'm living to get R/A?
Like if I move outside Dublin all together and go down to Wicklow say, do I have to be on the Wicklow housing list to get R/A there?

Also what happens with your place on the list if you move out of the area? If I move out of the Dublin South area will they still keep my name or list and consider me for housing? I've been on the Dublin South List for 5 years and I'm worried that if I leave then all those years will count for nothing and I'll start at the bottom of the list in any new place I move to.

Cheers

 

[gipimann]

You bring the application form for Rent Supplement to the CWO who covers the address you plan to move to.

The criteria for rent supplement require an applicant to have been renting privately for 6 of the previous 12 months or to have had a housing needs assessment carried out by the relevant local authority, which is the authority which covers the area where you propose to live.

In relation to the housing list, each local authority maintains their own individual housing lists. I'm not sure if you can continue to be on the list in one area if you're living in another - you should check that with your local authority.

 

[Eavan]

have had a housing needs assessment carried out by the relevant local authority, which is the authority which covers the area where you propose to live.

This seems very unfair to me, it basically means that I have no choice but stay in the area I'm in (an area I can't afford to live in).

I already know that I can't go on the housing list in Wicklow (or anywhere else for that matter) until I'm actually living there and have an address.

So basically I can't R/A in a particular area until I'm on the council list for that area. I can't get on the list until I'm living there, but I can't live there if I don't have R/A.

Thanks anyway.