Four homes available under HAP in Dundalk Simon report shows

There were just four homes available to rent in Dundalk, within either the standard or the discretionary rate of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme, over the three dates surveyed in March for the latest Simon Communities of Ireland’s quarterly Locked Out of the Market report.

The report found 1,119 properties were available to rent at any price within the 16 areas surveyed in Ireland over the three dates surveyed, including 17 in Dundalk, a drop of six compared to the last report. .

The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a social housing support for people who have a long-term housing need and is provided by the local authority.

One of the HAP properties available to rent in Dundalk during the three days of the survey was a property for a couple/one parent household with two children through a standard HAP rate. 

There were three properties available under a discretionary HAP rate for Couple/One Parent + 2 Children households, a facility available to local authorities to pay an uplift of 35% on HAP rates.

An average of 16 properties were available to rent in Dundalk each day during the study period. Monthly rents ranged from €1,000-€1,395 for onebedrooms, €1,300-€2,500 for two bedrooms, and €1,400-€2,300 for three bedrooms. According to Daft.ie’s Rental Price Report, the average rent in Louth has increased by 5.3% since last year and now sits at €1,791.

Nationally, the report found just 41 properties available within standard or discretionary HAP limits across the 16 study areas.

31 (76%) of the 41 properties available through HAP were in Dublin. In Dublin, the discretionary rate allows up to an additional 50% on the standard rate; this is limited to 35% elsewhere in the country.

In 10 out of the 16 study areas there were no properties available to rent through HAP in any household category. These include Athlone, Cork City Centre, Cork City Suburbs, Galway City Centre, Co. Leitrim, Limerick City Suburbs, Limerick City Centre, Sligo Town, Portlaoise, and Waterford City Centre.

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Ber Grogan, Executive Director at the Simon Communities of Ireland, said:

“The findings from the latest Locked Out of the Market report continue to highlight the deepening crisis in Ireland’s private rental sector, particularly for people on low incomes who rely on HAP supports.

“With most of the properties concentrated in Dublin, the vast majority of the country remains effectively locked out of the rental market. In 10 of the 16 areas surveyed, there were no properties available within HAP limits at all. That is not a housing system that’s working for those most in need.

“Outside of Dublin, HAP tenants face an uphill struggle with little to no access to suitable or affordable homes, with discretionary limits proving insufficient to meet current rental prices. This leaves families and individuals with impossible choices: remain in emergency accommodation, face prolonged experiences of homelessness, or take on unaffordable rents in an unstable private rental market.

“We urgently need increased supply of affordable and secure housing. Targeted action is required now, to prevent further homelessness and ensure people can access and sustain a home. It beggars belief to think that Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) could be scrapped at the end of this year. We’re asking the Minister to extend this legislation for at least one year to give people some certainty while alternatives are being discussed.”