To be eligible for consideration of a Cost Rental home, you must meet the following criteria:

1. Your net household income is €66,000 or below per annum for Cost Rental homes in Dublin €59,000 or below per annum for Cost Rental homes elsewhere.
2. You are not in receipt of any social housing supports (including Rent supplement or HAP).
3. You do not own a property.
4. Your household size matches the size of the home advertised. All members of the household must be living in Ireland at the time of applying.
5. You can afford to pay the cost rent for the home. 

In order to be considered for Cost Rental Housing, you will be required to clearly outline how you have reached the net household income calculation with supporting documentation. An affordability test will be carried out to ensure that you will have the capacity to pay the cost rent charged

An affordability test will be carried out to ensure the rent charged is in the range of  35% of your net household income. If it is higher, the cost rental provider may give you an option to provide evidence that based on your current income, you have paid the same rent or higher for the previous two years. The provider will need to see that you have not defaulted in paying this rent.

Cost Rental homes are currently provided by Approved Housing Bodies and the Land Development Agency. Local authorities will provide Cost Rental homes in the future. You should keep an eye on the websites of the current providers for information on new developments. Cost Rental schemes may also be advertised on property websites.

The current providers are:

• Clúid Housing
• Respond
• Tuath Housing
• Circle
• The Land Development Agency

Once a Cost Rental development is advertised, an opening and closing date will be confirmed. In most cases, Cost Rental providers accept applications via an online platform. There should be a direct link to the application process on their website. Unless they say otherwise, this is the only way to apply.

This will be clearly stated in the advertisement by the Cost Rental provider.  You may not need to upload your documentation at registration stage, but you should have the following documents ready when you register your interest as there may be a time limit to upload your documents. 

1. Proof of ID for each household member,
2. Proof of address,
3. Proof of residency,
4. Proof of income for all members of the household over 18,
5. Employer reference for all members of the household over 18,
6. Bank statements for all members of the household over 18,
7. Landlord reference for all members of the household over 18. If you have not rented previously, you may be required to provide additional information including a character reference and evidence of a track record of savings or contribution to household expenses.

1. 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

2. Proof of address

• 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.

The applicant’s name and address, consistent with the address used in the application, should be stated on the utility bill or other relevant correspondence. All relevant correspondence should be dated within the previous 3 months.

3. Proof of Residency in the Republic of Ireland.

Documents that are eligible as proof of residence are as follows (Documents should be dated within the last 12 months):

• Employment Details Summary (formerly P60)
• Statement of Payments/Benefits from Dept. of Social Protection
• Tenancy agreement if you are renting
• Bank statements for at least 3 months showing day-to-day transactions or Direct Debits for utility bills
• An employment letter from your current employer, which includes your name, address and date you commenced work
   

4. Proof of income
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.

5. Bank Statement, this should be dated within the previous 6 weeks.

6. Employer Reference, this should be dated within the previous 6 weeks.
7. Landlord Reference, this should be dated within the previous 6 weeks.

The following are examples of what size homes may be considered as suitable for various household sizes:

• One-bed property – suitable for a single person or cohabiting couple.
• Two-bed property – suitable for two adults or cohabiting couple/lone parent with 1 or more children.
• Three-bed property – suitable for three adults or cohabiting couple/ lone parent with 2 or more children.
• Four-bed property – suitable for four adults or cohabiting couple/lone parent with 3 or more children

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, pension related deductions and PRSI are deducted from the relevant gross assessable income. You may be asked to provide the following documents to support your calculation of your new household income:

If employed:

• Employment Details Summary (formerly P60) for the most recently completed tax year.
• Last three months' payslips.
• Statement of Liability (formerly 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.

Income from the following sources may, 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.

You should include a letter outlining how you have reached your net household income calculation with supporting documentation. Income for all members of the household over 18 should be included.

Proof of income documents required:
• 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.

The cost rent is based on the cost of providing , managing and maintaining the Cost Rental home only. Cost rents are set at a level below the market rents in the area where the development is located. In most cases, the cost rents will be 25% below market rents in the area. 

The deposit is one month's rent less €50.

No.  Each Cost Rental development is advertised separately. You can apply once a development is advertised and you can only make one application per Cost Rental scheme.

No, only one application per household per development is permitted. However, if you have been unsuccessful, you can apply to the next Cost Rental development advertised. If your household applies multiple times for one development, you may be disqualified from entering into the lottery phase.

No, you do not have to live local to where the Cost Rental scheme is. 

To make sure that Cost Rental homes are let in the fairest and most transparent manner possible, they are let through a lottery system. The lottery will create a random list of all applicants. Once the advertisement period of the scheme has closed, a date to run the lottery will be set. The lottery is monitored by a third-party and a full audit trail is kept of each draw. 

If you are successful and your name is chosen from the lottery, you should be contacted within 10 days from the date of the draw. The Cost Rental provider will also contact you if you are unsuccessful.

As these are long term rental homes, the apartments or houses are unfurnished. This allows residents to furnish their homes according to their own style. However, the following items may be included;

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

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

Cost rental homes are a long-term secure rental option unless there are issues with a breach of your tenancy obligations or rent arrears. After six consecutive months in occupation, your tenancy will become a tenancy of unlimited duration. You will have a tenancy as long as you wish to continue living in your home provided that you  comply with your tenancy obligations and the home 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.

No, Cost Rental homes are currently not available to purchase.

This will be at the discretion of the Cost Rental provider who is letting the Cost Rental home. In some developments, it may not be feasible to allow pets.

Your circumstances are assessed at point of entry.  Should your net household income increase above €66,000 (in Dublin) or €59,000 (outside of Dublin) after you have signed your tenancy agreement and have moved into your home, you will still be entitled to continue renting the property.  If there is any other change in your circumstances, you should speak immediately to your Cost Rental provider.