Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS)
What is the Rental Accommodation Scheme?
The Rental Accommodation Scheme is run by local authorities, such as Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. It was introduced to provide homes for people who have been assessed by the local authority to have a long-term housing need. This scheme is available to people who have been in receipt of a Rent Supplement for a long period, normally for more than 18 months.
How does RAS work?
We find accommodation for eligible applicants (the tenant) and make an agreement with the landlord to provide a home for a period-of-time. Together with the landlord and tenant, we sign a Residential Tenancy Agreement.
This three-way agreement works as follows:
- We pay rent directly to the landlord each month.
- The tenant pays us a weekly rent. The value of the rent is calculated based on the tenant’s household income, under our Differential Rent Scheme.
- The tenant and the landlord must maintain a relationship throughout the tenancy, as they would with a private rented tenancy.
All RAS tenancies fall under The Residential Tenancies Act. This offers tenants long-term housing security and protection of their tenure from the Residential Tenancy Board.
Contact us: Call 01 2047008 or
Email: ras@dlrcoco.ie
FAQ
The Residential Tenancies Act, 2021, states that rent increases in an RPZ cannot exceed general inflation as recorded by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Price (HICP).
RAS landlords are strongly advised to use the RTB Rent Pressure Zone Calculator to calculate any rent increase due and to ensure that the maximum rent increase allowed is not exceeded. RAS landlords are still required to give 90 days’ notice for a rent review in a RAS property.
RAS landlords are required to give 90 days’ notice for a rent review of a RAS property. Landlords can complete the Notice of Rent Review form available on the RTB website http://www.rtb.ie/images/uploads/Comms%20and%20Research/Schedule_1_Notice_of_New_Rent_RTB_Final_July_2021.pdf and submit it to the RAS section at ras@dlrcoco.ie .
In the event of Notice to Quit being served the guidelines are on the RTB website https://www.rtb.ie . They must be issued in writing and according to the time outlined according to length of tenancy. This applies to Landlords and Tenants.
The accommodation must be in accordance with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019.
If you have a maintenance issue in your property, you must contact your landlord in the first instance. It is the responsibility of the landlord as owner of the property to carry out any repairs to the property. It is the responsibility of the Tenant to maintain the property in a responsible manner and the Landlord should be notified of any issues that may require attention.
