Window of opportunity for Longford tenants
Councillor Kevin Hussey has called on Longford County Council to examine the feasibility of introducing a tenant-led improvement scheme for social housing .
Under the proposal, tenants would be allowed to carry out approved upgrades to their homes, such as improvements to windows and doors, at their own expense, and subject to prior approval from the local authority.
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The costs incurred would then be recouped through an agreed rent offset arrangement over a defined period, effectively allowing tenants to invest in improvements while gradually offsetting the expense against their rent.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Hussey said, “ Many houses are waiting years for upgrade works to windows and doors. The retrofit programme is important but at its current pace it’s going to take 20 years or more to have every home in Longford reach the standards people deserve. Poor windows and doors are not just an appearance issue, they lead to cold homes, damp, mould, higher heating bills and health problems.”
He added, “This scheme would allow tenants with council approval and proper standards in place to carry out upgrades themselves and recover the costs over time. This means better living conditions for tenants, warmer healthier homes, less mould and damp, and lower long term maintenance issues.”
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Cllr Martin Monaghan commended the motion, pointing out that in his 7 years on the council, he had noticed that half way through each year “we run out of budget for windows and doors.”
In response, Director of Services, Samantha Healy, said there was “no national scheme for offsetting works through rent and bringing it in through the rent scheme,” adding that the complications associated with the different rent payment methods of individuals was something that would need to be taken into consideration.
She added that there was “an assessment of risk in terms of the recovery of costs”, but confirmed that the housing department planned to introduce a maintenance programme focused on upgrading windows and doors, with councillors invited to contribute proposals.
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