Landlords – Know Your Obligations As Well As Benefits When Providing Accommodation For Social Housing
Provision of accommodation for social housing is high on the Department of Housing agenda currently, with the roll out of schemes like the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) and Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme. Both programmes seek to provide good quality accommodation for eligible people assessed by the housing authority, as having a long term housing need.
As a landlord, there are many benefits in part-taking in these schemes like receiving direct payments
from your local authority for the duration of the HAP or RAS contract, rather than having to collect rent or make requests for payment from your tenants.
Payment from these schemes is subject to terms and conditions including rent limits, and in the case of HAP, that the HAP tenant pays a rent contribution to the local authority.
Landlords who rent to tenants in receipt of social housing supports may avail of increased tax relief. To qualify for this tax relief, landlords must make the accommodation available to qualifying tenants for at least three years, and are required to register the undertaking, with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB).
It is also important to be aware of your obligations when part-taking in these schemes. You are required to keep the property in a sound state, inside and out. Roofs, roofing tiles, slates, windows, floors, ceilings, walls, stairs, doors, skirting boards, fascias, tiles on any floor, ceiling and wall, gutters, down pipes, fittings, furnishings, gardens and common areas must be maintained in good condition and repair. They must not be defective due to dampness or otherwise. The landlord must ensure that electricity or gas supplies are safe and in good repair, and that every room has adequate ventilation and both natural and artificial lighting.
A further requirement is buildings insurance. However, many landlord insurance policies do not provide building cover for houses used for social housing schemes.
So while your landlord’s responsibilities include keeping the water pipes, for example, in good repair, your landlords’ insurance policy does not normally cover you for any damage to your possessions caused by burst pipes.
As a landlord, it is important to ensure your landlords insurance covers these type of everyday risks, based on what is relevant to your rental property.
S.A. Faughnan are one of the few insurance providers who provide buildings, landlord’s contents, loss of rent and property owners’ liability cover combined insurance policies for landlords/property owners with houses(single or multi unit), apartment and other types of accommodation used as part of the HAP and RAS schemes. As a landlord, talk to S.A. Faughnan to ensure you have the landlord insurance cover you need, for the specific requirements of your rental propertiesand of the local authority / county council. S.A. Faughnan Brokers can provide a landlord’s combined policy which will extend to indemnify the Local Authority where required. Before you renew your existing policy, ask your insurer if they cover local authority lets and if they will indemnify the county council on your policy. We also cover student, social welfare and Air BnB risks.
S.A. Faughnan provide specialist landlord insurance policies for accommodation provided as part of social housing schemes such as the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) and Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme. Talk to us now.
