Housing
Functions of Thurles Town Council
- To provide housing for persons unable to provide adequate accommodation from their own resources.
- Implement the provisions of the Housing Strategy adopted by the Council under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 - 2002
- Prepare and implement an on-going programme for advance land acquisition to meet existing and future needs.
- Management and maintenance of housing stock.
- To prioritise social inclusion by promoting resident participation in the management of social housing schemes.
- Implement the 4 year plan for Traveller Accommodation 2005 - 2008.
- Enforcement of the Private Accommodation Legislation/Regulations, in partnership with the Private Residential Tenancies Board.
- Upgrade the housing stock by the provision of central heating, window/doors and other measures consistent with funding available both nationally and locally.
- Promote home ownership through the Tenant Purchase Scheme.
- Provide assistance to persons improving houses through Improvement Works in Lieu of Local Authority housing.
Tenants
Tenant Purchase Scheme
Any tenant who hold a tenancy from the council for a period of excess of one year is entitled to purchase his/her house under the Tenant Purchase Scheme provided the house is not excluded from the scheme. The main features of the scheme are :
- The house is sold at market value i.e. the amount which, the dwelling, if sold on the open market in its existing state of repair and condition might be expected to realise, reduced by the portion, if any, of such value that in the opinion of the Housing Authority is attributable to improvements to the dwelling effected by the tenant.
- A discount is allowed of 3% of the market value of the dwelling for each year of the reckonable period of tenancy subject to a maximum discount of 30%.
- A special discount of €3,810 is also allowed.
- Dwellings provided for and occupied by elderly persons are excluded from the Tenant Purchase Scheme as are flats and houses which in the opinion of the housing authority ought not to be sold for reasons of good estate management or on account of their structural condition.
Tenant Participation/Estate Management
In 1999 Thurles Town Council initiated a pro active approach on estate management through the development of tenant participation in the management of estates and addressing anti social behaviour. The Residents Association was allocated a house in 2002 for use as a community facility in Monakeeba, College Green, Beechwood Lawns and Beechwood Grove now more commonly known as The Four Estates. Various initiatives have been and continue to be undertaken from the house such as after schools projects, art classes and recreational/cultural initiatives. The house is open to the community for 20 hours per week. Brian Dowling was appointed Tenant Liaison Officer/Investigations Officer in 2004 and he focused on establishing Residents Associations in all Local Authority estates in Thurles Town and ensuring the conditions of the tenancy agreement are being complied with. Regular meetings are held with the Residents Associations and the Council provides grant assistance to them in respect of environmental, educational, artistic, sporting and cultural initiatives which are inclusive of all sectors of the community. The overall housing management initiative project has been hugely successful and the Council recognise the invaluable contribution of the Residents Associations and members of the Community who continue to work tirelessly on estate issues in partnership with the Council.
Assistance/advice in getting involved in Tenant Participation/Estate Management can be obtained by contacting Brian 0504 91074.
Private Rented Sector
In accordance with the provisions of the Private Residential Tenancies Act 2004, the responsibility on landlords to register details of tenancies was transferred to the Private Residential Tenancies Board, with effect from 1st of September, 2004. Local Authorities continue to have responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations under the Housing Acts relating to rent books and standards of private rented accommodation.
Lettings
The Council made a total of 18 new lettings during 2006. This Authority had a total of 348 rented houses at 31st December 2006. The total amount collected in rents and house purchase annuity during 2006 was €653,425 - this represented a 92% collection rate.
Action Plan for Homelessness
A review of the three year Action Plan for Homelessness which was prepared in 2001 jointly with the Health Service Executive, and in consultation with Voluntary Bodies was completed in 2007. This revised plan sets out how all services for the Homeless are to be provided over the next three years. The Homeless Persons Centre is in operation at Friars Court, Nenagh, where a Community Welfare Officer, Resettlement Worker and Outreach Worker provide the necessary services in accordance with the Homeless Strategy. Outreach clinics are held weekly in Nenagh, Roscrea and Thurles. Work in the area of prevention of Homelessness is ongoing by early intervention with persons in arrears of Rent, Mortgage repayments.
Traveller Accommodation
Travelling Families
A census of Traveller families is conducted annually at the end of November. In North Tipperary in November 2006, there were 26 indigenous Traveller families on the roadside. A total of 7 units of accommodation were allocated in the county-at-large area during the year, 6 standard houses and 1 halting site bay. The Traveller Accommodation Programme for the period 2005 - 2008 was adopted by the Council in April 2005 and its implementation is continuing.
House Construction Programme
North Tipperary Local Authorities have prepared an Action Plan for Social and Affordable Housing for the period 2004 - 2008, which sets out the house construction targets on an annual basis.
Thurles Town Council provides housing for persons who are unable to provide appropriate housing from their own resources. The Council is currently working on the multi annual housing construction programme 2004 - 2008. The following option are availed of in the provision of social housing :
- Construction of social houses directly by the Council
- Acquisition of house in private developments under part 5 of the Planning Acts 2000-2002
- Purchase of new houses
- Purchase of previously occupied or second hand houses
Plans are being prepared for a 40 social housing scheme at Mill Road, Thurles. All new housing projects will be socially, economically and environmentally sustainable in accordance with Best Practise Guidelines issued by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in May 2007 on “Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities”.
Six houses have been purchased this year for social housing under Part V of the Planning & Development Acts 2000 to 2002. Land is purchased on an on-going basis in order to provide for current and future needs. Further details with regard to the Housing Construction Programme can be obtained from the Housing Section at 0504 21433.
Traveller Accommodation Programme 2005 - 2008 - PDF Document 
(221KB)
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It is envisaged that this programme will endeavour to meet existing accommodation needs as well as providing for projected need that may arise during the duration of the Plan.
Affordable Housing
Thurles Town Council acquire affordable homes from Developers in accordance with Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2002. An eligible person for affordable housing means a person who is in need of accommodation and whose income would not be adequate to meet the payments of a mortgage for the purchase of a house to meet his/her accommodation needs because the payments calculated over the course of a year would exceed 35% of that person’s annual net income. The houses are allocated in accordance with a Scheme of Priorities adopted by the Council. The Council has sold 7 affordable homes to date this year. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and houses are offered to successful applicants as they become available to the Council. You can contact Thurles Town Council at 0504 21433 for details of houses currently available under this Scheme.
Application Forms can be downloaded from the forms page
Further details of this scheme can be obtained from:
Thurles Town Council at 0504 21433
Click here to view Your Affordable Home Handbook - PDF Document 
(487KB)
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Improvements to Council Houses
EXTENSIONS
The Council undertakes extensions to existing housing stock in cases of overcrowding or to address a tenant’s special need because of a disability etc. Contractors have been appointed to commence work on 7 extensions this year.
WINDOWS/DOORS REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME
The Council carried out an extensive survey of all windows and doors in the housing stock in 2001. To date PVC windows and doors have been provided in 135 houses at a cost of €413,000.00.
CENTRAL HEATING PROGRAMME
The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government announced a programme in July 2004 to assist housing authorities in providing central heating facilities in rented housing stock. The work included energy efficiency measures such as attic insulation and the provision of integrated smoke alarms in houses. To date central heating has been installed in 123 houses at a cost of €595,000.00 approx.
Housing Forms
The following forms can be downloaded and used as required:
Affordable Housing
Affordable housing scheme application form - Word Version
(65KB)Your Affordable Home Handbook - Word Version
(105KB)Your Affordable Home Handbook - PDF Document
(485KB)
