A rent review of all Cork City Council local authority housing is set to proceed despite a number of protests from sections of the local community.
A full rent review of all Cork City Council properties has not been carried out since 2008 following the onset of the economic crisis and austerity measures. The homes of almost 6000 tenants will be included in the rent review. To facilitate the rent review Cork City Council issued 5,790 letters to local authority tenants requesting details of those living in the council-owned houses, their incomes, PPS numbers, employment details, recent payslips, accounts from the self-employed and details of social welfare payments where applicable. Up to 2008 an annual rent review was common place.
Cork City Council has come under fire for threatening those who do not provide full and accurate information with a €25-a-week rent increase regardless of their financial and employment situation. The Council's Head of Housing says the requirements of the review are standard practice and 75% of forms have already been returned. Despite protests outside Cork City Hall by local tenants’ rights associations, Cork City Council has defended their decision to conduct the review.
Tenants’ rights associations say they are seeking legal clarification on the forms issued to tenants and are concerned about the necessity to disclose PPS numbers and information about income. Head of Housing and Community at Cork City Council, Valerie O'Sullivan defended the rent review on the basis that it "was good housekeeping" and Cork City Council need to have up-to-date income records so they can assess if a tenant’s rent should be increased or decreased.
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