The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is a local authority-provided social housing support that works for landlords, agents and tenants alike.
HAP provides housing assistance for households that qualify for social housing support, and many long-term Rent Supplement recipients.
Approximately 18,000 different landlords and agents are already participating in the scheme, including hundreds of letting agents.
The benefits for landlords and agents include:
HAP is particularly attractive for low income households, as they can work full time and pay the local authority a weekly rent contribution based on their ability to pay.
Local authorities can suspend or eventually stop payments for non-payment of rent by the tenant. However, the risk of non-payment occurring is low. The HAP team work very closely with tenants to make sure that they pay their rent on time.
With a single point of contact for all payment queries, no HAP rent collection responsibilities and consistent rental payments made by local authorities, HAP is an easy and efficient scheme to participate in.
Find out more about becoming a HAP landlord by contacting your local authority.
Dublin
The Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE) is operating a specific HAP scheme in the Dublin region for homeless households. Deposit and two months’ rent upfront are available for homeless households only.
Specific and competitive rents are paid to secure properties for households who need them. These rates are available from the DRHE website.
If you wish to make property available for homeless tenants contact DRHE directly at 01 222 6955 or homelesshaplandlord@dublincity.ie
Cork
Cork City Council is operating a similar support for homeless households. This Homeless HAP scheme provides additional financial and related supports to tenants and landlords, along with all of the benefits of the national HAP scheme.
For information on how to make a property available for homeless tenants you can contact Cork City Council's HAP information desk on 021 4924000 or see Cork City Councils website
HAP tenants must find their own accommodation in the private rented market. This is the same as the current Rent Supplement scheme. As part of the HAP tenant’s application process, you, the landlord of the property, must send certain information to the local authority. You can return Part B of the HAP application form with the relevant information directly to the local authority.
This information will include:
If a new tenancy is being provided in a rent pressure zone, you are required to provide the tenant with a written statement explaining how the rent set under the tenancy of the dwelling has been calculated in relation to the rent pressure zone formula. The local authority will seek a copy of this statement where applicable. Please see www.rtb.ie for further information.
For more information, see the HAP Landlord Information Booklet or contact your local authority.
When the application is approved, the local authority will start making HAP payments on the last Wednesday of each month directly into your bank account subject to the scheme’s conditions. This covers the period of occupation of the property by the HAP tenant for that calendar month.
The earliest date from which a local authority will make HAP payments to you is the date they receive a complete and valid HAP application form from the applicant and you as landlord. If an applicant moves into a property before this date, they will be liable for any rent due. You are advised to return a completed Section B of the HAP application form to the local authority as soon as possible after agreeing a tenancy.
All local authorities use the services of the HAP Shared Services Centre, which is based in Limerick, to make HAP rental payments to landlords. The HAP Shared Services Centre also collects all rent contributions from HAP tenants. For this reason, HAP payments will be made to your account in the name of HAP Shared Services Centre or Limerick City and County Council.
There are limits regarding the maximum payment for different households in different areas, similar to the Rent Supplement scheme.
Where the monthly rent agreed with your HAP tenant exceeds the maximum rent limit payable by the local authority on their behalf, your HAP tenant must pay the difference directly to you.
You do not have a contract with the local authority. The local authority makes payments on behalf of the HAP tenant.
HAP payments will stop when either you or your tenant end the tenancy for any of the normal reasons provided for by the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as amended).
Local authorities can also suspend or stop payments for other reasons. However, these are in very limited circumstances and the risk of them occurring is low.
For more information, see the HAP Landlord Information Booklet or contact your local authority.
The ‘landlord and tenant’ relationship is between you and the HAP tenant. The tenancy will be governed by the terms of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as amended). This means that the HAP tenant is your tenant and is not a tenant of the local authority.
HAP properties, like other rental properties, must comply with rental accommodation standards. Your local authority can give you information about these standards, or, visit the Housing Section of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage website.
As part of a HAP tenant’s application, you, as landlord, must self-certify that the property meets the required standards. The local authority will inspect the property to make sure it meets the standards. They will arrange this within eight months of the first HAP payment made to you.
For more information, see the HAP Landlord Information Booklet or contact your local authority.
You can find further information about your rights and responsibilities as a landlord on the RTB website