Just 185 out of 3,500 vacant homes converted into social housing

Latest figures show that just 185 properties have been brought back into stock through the repair and lease scheme since 2017, which provides property owners with grants to renovate houses and then rent them to local authorities.

A scheme set up to provide 3,500 vacant homes for social housing is to be overhauled after just 185 properties have been brought back into use.

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien is to change the repair and lease scheme which has fallen significantly short of the target set.

The latest figures show that just 185 properties have been brought back into stock through the repair and lease scheme since 2017, which provides property owners with grants to renovate houses and then rent them to local authorities.

“The minister believes there are aspects of the two schemes which work well and have good potential; however, he is looking at ways in which they can be improved such as raising the limit on the repair and lease scheme to €60,000," said a spokesperson.

"The minister is very aware of the need to get vacant housing back into use and already this year he has allocated over €40m for the refurbishment of vacant social housing stock. 

"Submissions were received from each local authority and approximately 2,500 units will be refurbished and allocated to individuals and families struggling with homelessness or on the social housing list by the end of this year."

However, Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said the scheme, which was changed by former housing minister Eoghan Murphy in 2018 due to low uptake, will only work if more funding is provided to local authorities and a vacant property tax is introduced.

"The problem is that the Government never gave local authorities sufficient staff to proactively go after these properties," said Mr Ó Broin.

"Unless you have the staff to go out and identify the properties and proactively engage with owners, all you are doing is putting it up on your website and people aren't necessarily going to looking at a council's website."

Mr Ó Broin said there is no incentive for owners who are "sitting on properties" to rent houses out or sell them on.

"Leaving a property vacant for no good reason during a housing crisis is like hoarding food during a famine. It shouldn't be allowed. 

"While special consideration absolutely needs to be given to a Fair Deal property or property stuck in legal disputes such as probate, if a bank or a fund or a private citizen is sitting on a vacant property for no good reason, then there should be a cost."