14/04/2016

FG Calls For Terms Of Incremental Purchase Scheme To Be Extended

The terms of the new Incremental Purchase Scheme, which allows social housing tenants to buy their first home, should be extended to include those living in houses acquired by councils.

Making the call, Fine Gael TD for Wicklow, Andrew Doyle, said: "The Incremental Purchase Scheme will allow social housing tenants to purchase their homes from Wicklow County Council at a discount of 60%, 50% or 40% and an incremental charge on the house equivalent to the discount. Social housing applicants/tenants who are in employment and earning a minimum income of €15,000 per annum are eligible to apply for the Scheme. This is an extremely positive scheme that will help people in social housing to get on the property ladder and purchase their homes.

"The new Incremental Purchase Scheme does not however include people who are in houses acquired by the council as part of the Part V social and affordable scheme and this is an anomaly that I believe should be addressed.

"As it stands people who are living in homes acquired by the council, but which are not technically social housing are not included in this scheme. If these tenants have the finance in place and are in a position to purchase, I believe that they too should have the opportunity to buy their home.

"This is an issue that I intend to raise with the Department of the Environment and Wicklow County Council."

(MH)

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