Net household income is calculated by adding together the net income for each household member aged 18 years and over. Net income means that income tax, universal social charge, PRSI and superannuation are deducted from the relevant gross assessable income. Click here for an explanation of payslip terms.

Income that is assessable for the purposes of assessing eligibility for cost rental housing?

• income from employment including overtime, bonuses and commissions. Overtime payments, commissions and bonuses will be assessable as follows:
• income from employment including overtime, bonuses and commissions. Overtime payments, commissions and bonuses will be assessable as follows:
  • overtime – generally restricted to a maximum of 10% of basic income, but regular overtime may be taken into account;
  • bonus – restricted to a maximum of 10% of basic income;
  • commission – restricted to a maximum of 30% of basic income, where applicable;
  • public sector employee pensionable allowances.
• income from self-employment;
• maintenance payments received, subject to criteria set out in the Guidance notes on the Household Means Policy of 30 March 2011
• income from dividends, capital investments and other similar sources of income;
• occupational and social welfare pensions, from whatever source, including from abroad, and
• all income from social insurance and social assistance payments, allowances, and benefits, including Family Income Supplement is assessable, with the exception of the below.

Income from the following sources shall, in all cases, be disregarded for the purposes of assessing income:

• child benefit or guardian’s payment;
• exceptional or urgent needs payments;
• carer’s allowance;
• scholarships or higher education grants;
• foster care payments;
• domiciliary care allowance;
• allowances/assistance from charities;
• fuel allowance;
• mobility allowance;
• living alone allowance;
• rent or mortgage interest supplements; and
• payments under FÁS schemes.
• redundancy due to lose of a job because the employer is closing the business or reducing the number of staff.

To allocate the properties in the fairest way possible after meeting affordability, we use a random selection process and contact people to commence verification. We would ask you to submit the following documentation to confirm eligibility within the next 120 hours. Please be advised that this is the next step in the process and is not an offer letter.

All documents required in order to proceed with your application:

• Proof of ID for each household member, including children, documents required include Proof of ID (Current Valid Signed Passport/Current Valid Passport Card/Current Valid Travel Document/Current Valid EU/EEA Driving Licence– must contain photograph (Irish Provisional accepted)/Current EU National Identity Card).
• Proof of Address documents required include (Utility Bill e.g. telephone, mobile, gas, electricity, heating, oil, waste collection (where a utility bill is a first bill, a second form of address verification is required)/Correspondence from a Regulated Financial Institution operating in the Republic of Ireland (Insurance / Assurance Co., Bank, Building Society, Credit Union, Credit Card Company)/Correspondence from a Government Department / Body)
• Proof of Residency documents required include tenancy agreement, employer letter, P60, Statement of Payments/Benefits from Dept. of Social Protection.
• PPS Number for each household member.
• Employer Reference for all members of the household over 18, this letter should confirm your salary, address and start date and if you are an employee for each member.
• Landlord Reference for all members of the household over 18, this should contain a contact phone number and email of the Landlord. It should be dated within the previous 6 weeks It should also state the duration of the tenancy (start and end date) and the current rent paid. Copy of Lease Agreement should be provided, if you are renting.
• Bank Statements for all members of the household over 18. Please ensure that we are in receipt of THREE months bank statements from all Adult applicants. Please highlight on the bank statement where the last three month rental payments have been made.
• Income please provide the following documents;
  • Letter outlining how you reached your Household 'Net Income' calculation for all household members over 18 years.
  • If employed: Employment Details Summary (formerly P60) for the most recently completed tax year.
  • Last three months’ payslips.
  • Statement of Liability (p21).
  • If self-employed– a minimum of 1 year’s accounts, along with an up-to-date tax balancing statement and preliminary tax receipt.
  • Social Welfare Income – documentary evidence of all social insurance and social assistance payments, allowances and pensions being received by members of the household. As income of household members over 18 is also included in the assessment for qualification, evidence of payments to these household members is also needed.

Please have these documents ready when you register your interest. If your application is successful, you will have 120 hours to upload your documents and complete the application process. If you do not meet this deadline the offer will be revoked.

Please provide the following documents;

• Letter outlining how you reached your Household 'Net Income' calculation for all household members over 18 years.
• If employed: Employment Details Summary (formerly P60) for the most recently completed tax year.
• Last three months’ payslips.
• Statement of Liability (p21).
• If self-employed– a minimum of 1 year’s accounts, along with an up-to-date tax balancing statement and preliminary tax receipt.
• Social Welfare Income – documentary evidence of all social insurance and social assistance payments, allowances and pensions being received by members of the household. As income of household members over 18 is also included in the assessment for qualification, evidence of payments to these household members is also needed.

All cost rental rents are set at a level below the market rents in the area where the scheme is located.

• Two Bed Duplex – 1,455euro per calendar month
• Three Bed Duplex – 1,550euro per calendar month

The deposits for each unit type will be one months rent less 50 euro so they are:

• Deposit Two Bed Duplex – 1,405euro per calendar month
• Deposit Three Bed Duplex – 1,500euro per calendar month

The apartments are unfurnished to allow residents to furnish them according to their own taste and to provide below market rents. However, the following items are included;

• White goods (fridge-freezer, dishwasher, oven & hob, microwave, washer-dryer)

• Roller blinds, with blackout blinds in bedrooms.

• Flooring – laminate flooring throughout, except bathrooms, which are tiled.

• All utilities (electricity, internet, telephone, etc.) will need to be set up by the resident

Provided there are no issues with breach of tenancy or rent arrears, after six months in occupation you will have a tenancy of unlimited duration, subject to you complying with your tenancy obligations and the unit continues to meet the needs of you and the people living with you as it relates to the number of bedspaces and the size and make up of the occupants.

These properties are a long-term rental option that offer security of tenure.

No. These properties will not be available to purchase.

Applications are assessed at point of entry. If for example, after you’ve been allocated a property your household income increased above €66,000 per annum for Dublin and €59,000 for elsewhere in the country you would still be entitled to continue renting the property.

Affordability is based on the rent being no more than 35% of your Net Income, this is one of the core eligibility criteria for the scheme and will be used to initially stream applicants into the lottery. Applicants successful in the lottery will be asked to document their Net Income calculation as part of the information required to move to the next phase.

If we have insufficient expressions of interest from applicants who meet the affordability criteria we may open a lottery for applicants in excess of this figure. However they will be asked to provide details of their rent history for the previous two years (that they have paid a similar or higher rent) and to demonstrate they have not defaulted on rent in order to assess their ability to pay a higher percentage of Net Income as rent.

The lottery system will be run once the advertising of the properties has ceased. This is operated by an external agency with a full audit trail for transparency. The lottery will create, at random, a list of all applicants and we will approach applicants from the top of the list.

Yes, unsuccessful applicants will be informed within 20 days of the application closing date.

No, we will not be maintaining a waiting list for cost rental housing across multiple schemes. You will be able to apply again when further schemes are advertised.

The rules around pets in each Land Development Agency scheme will differ, therefore at the time the LDA appointed agent can advise if pets are allowed or not in your scheme.

The Land Development Agency do not permit restricted breeds of dogs in any of our Cost Rental schemes.

Yes, there will. Keep an eye on our website for further details.