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Vacant affordable homes should be transferred to rent-to-buy scheme

Issued : Wednesday 10 February, 2010

The report this week that one local authority has been unable to sell its stock of affordable homes highlights the need to completely re-evaluate how social and affordable housing schemes operate.

Unfortunately the particular case is not an isolated one and I am aware of similar situations in other councils around the country.

The notion that we have thousands of vacant residential affordable home properties around the country, while many people are desperately looking for somewhere to live is an appalling situation.

I believe that many of these houses could be transferred to a new rent-to-buy scheme. This would mean that people who need a place to live, and are on the affordable housing waiting list, but are hesitant to buy in the current housing market could move in to one of these units, pay rent on it, and depending on circumstances a few years down the line, purchase it outright. I can see no reason why this cannot happen immediately.

For some reason, it is deemed preferable that houses are left vacant, depreciating in value and attracting all sorts of unwanted attention in many instances, when many people desperately need a home.

There is something seriously wrong with this, and I will be pressing Housing Minister Michael Finneran on this matter in the Dail at the earliest opportunity.