Housing : Open to Public: 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Correspondence: Senior Staff Officer, Housing Capital Section,, Room 49, Fire Station, Anglesea Street, Cork Telephone: (021) 4924244 Fax: (021) 4962311 www.corkcity.ie
Services Provided
- Housing loans for house purchases and improvements.
- Shared ownership scheme.
- Tenant purchase scheme.
- Voluntary housing.
- Disabled persons grant.
Housing
loans for house purchases and improvements
A person wishing to purchase a house, new or second-hand or
build a house or improve an existing house, who cannot get a
loan from a building society or bank, etc. may be eligible for a
Local Authority loan.
In order to qualify, the applicant must meet an income
eligibility test which takes into account the income of the
principal and secondary earner in the household. The maximum
loan amount which can be approved and eligibility criteria are
set by the Department of the Environment and Local Government
from time to time by regulation. The same limits will apply in
all local authorities.
An application form, available from the above address, must be
completed in order to be considered for a loan.
Shared Ownership Scheme.
This scheme offers home
ownership in a number of steps to those who cannot afford full
ownership in a traditional way. Initially, ownership of the
house is shared between the Local Authority and the shared
owner.
The applicant for this scheme
purchases a set percentage of equity in the house by obtaining a
mortgage from the Local Authority or funding it from some other
source. The balance of the equity is rented from the Local
Authority and is bought out by the shared owner over the period
agreed under the scheme. Subsidy towards the rent is available
for shared owners on low income.
Tenant Purchase Scheme
Tenants of a local authority house for at least one year may
apply to purchase a house which they have rented either outright
or by way of shared ownership. The price of the house will be
the market value as determined by the Local Authority less
discount for the years of tenancy up to a maximum of 30% and
less first time buyer’s grant of £3000 (if applicable). The
purchaser must fund the purchase by way of mortgage loan through
a Local Authority or lending agency or from other resources. The
valuation of the property is the open market value.
Voluntary Housing.
In addition to the provision of local authority housing, Cork County Borough Council has a major role in supporting the provision of housing and other facilities by approved housing associations through the following schemes.
Rental Subsidy Schemes.
Under this scheme, the approved body must first of all make a submission to the local authority in relation to the scheme which it proposes to undertake. Certain conditions may attach to this approval which is then submitted to the Minister for the Environment and Local Government for sanction. The Local Authority, when the scheme is approved by the Minister, advances a loan to the voluntary body for the building of the houses. The loan is partly repaid from the rents paid by tenants (less an agreed maintenance charge) and the balance of the repayment is subsidized by the Department of the Environment & Local Government.
It should be noted that at present, the Tenant Purchase Scheme does not apply to houses provided by voluntary housing associations.
Capital Assistance Scheme.
Under this scheme, an approved body can provide accommodation to meet special needs housing, i.e. elderly, disabled or homeless. A minimum of three-quarters of the houses built under this scheme must be reserved for approved housing applicants of the local authority. The local authority advances the loan to the voluntary bodies providing the accommodation and services. The loan is fully subsidized by the Department of the Environment and Local Government.
Disabled Persons Grant.
A grant is available for the provision of additional
accommodation or the carrying out of structural alterations to
make a privately owned house more suitable to the needs of a
disabled member of the household. The maximum grant cannot
exceed two thirds of the approved cost of the works subject to a
current maximum of £8,000.
Classes of Records Held
- Housing Loan Applications,
- Income details supporting the application,
- Technical reports on the property,
- Reports from the Health Board, Housing Welfare Officers and Chief Medical Officer,
- Mortgage documents,
- Individual account records for housing loans, shared ownership and improvements in lieu scheme,
- Legal details where action taken,
- Financial information on assistance to persons providing housing for themselves and improving houses,
- Applications from the voluntary bodies,
- Technical reports,
- Approvals from the Department of the Environment & Local Government,
- Financial details of the scheme and subsidy claims.