SDCC is pleased to offer the first local authority funded standalone cost rental development in Ireland. The project, named Innovation Square and comprising 133 new homes, is in a new urban district of Tallaght known as Innovation Quarter and represents the largest single-tenure cost rental project by a local authority in Ireland to date. The innovative design for modern living provides studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments in two podium blocks of up to eight stories along with interconnecting three-bedroom homes, and also features a managed community facility, a beautifully landscaped shared courtyard and ample bicycle parking.
The application portal will go live on Monday 3rd November at 12pm and will close on Wednesday 12th November at 12pm.
- The Application Process
- What documents do I need to apply for a home?
- How is Net Household Income calculated?
- How does the lottery work?
- Are Cost Rental, Affordable Homes furnished?
- Are pets allowed?
- How long is the tenancy?
- What is the rent?
- If I’m successful, when can I move in?
- Is there parking at the property?
The Application Process
Step 1.
Apply through the application portal
Step 2
If successful, you will receive a further email letting you know that you have progressed to the next screening and verification stage.
Step 3
- If required, you may be asked to submit further information or documentation to support your application.
- Once your application has been fully reviewed, you will receive a notification to let you know whether your application has progressed to the next stage.
Step 4
- You will then be invited to view your allocated apartment, select a move in date and start the process of making deposit payment, first rental payment and executing your new lease agreement.
- Once approved, typically you can expect to move into your new home within 4/5/6 weeks.
And remember…
- Applicants will be required to submit supporting documentation to evidence affordability. Only one application per household is permitted. Anyone or any household applying multiple times will be disqualified from the allocation process.
- You must include all members of your household when completing your online application. If you do not include all members of your household, you will be deemed ineligible.
- And finally, being drawn from the lottery/process is not an offer of accommodation; you must submit all documentation within the required timeframe, you must meet all criteria before being assessed and considered and no contract will be in place until a lease is executed in full.
What documents do I need to apply for a home?
On the Application Form, applicants must declare:
- Number of applicants
- Number of applicants aged 18+
- Number of applicants in employment
Having registered your interest in applying for a Cost Rental, Affordable Home, you will be expected to provide all of these documents within 72 hours, so you should have them ready to go before you apply.
It is important to note, that the invitation to participate in the selection process is simply the next stage in the process and is not an offer letter.
Cover letter
- Cover letter clearly outlining how you have calculated your Net Household Income.
Proof of identity
- Proof of Identity for each household member, including children, is required:
Valid forms of identification include are:
- Current Valid Signed Passport
- Current Valid Passport Card
- Current Valid Travel Document
- Current Valid EU/EEA Driving Licence – documents must contain photograph (Irish Provisional accepted)
- Current EU National Identity Card
Birth Certificates, Irish Residence Permits (IRP) and Public Services Cards are not valid forms of identification.
Proof of your current address
The following can be provided as proof of current address.
- Tenancy agreement
- Utility bill (dated within last 3 months)
- Correspondence or Statement (dated within last 3 months) 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 (dated within last 3 months)
Proof of Irish residency
For citizens of Ireland, the United Kingdom (UK), the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and/or Switzerland, your passport or Birth Certificate are required as proof of Irish residency rights.
For all other citizens, an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) and Employer permit letter (if applicable) are required.
Proof of income
Proof of income for all members of the household aged 18 and over:
If employed:
- Last three months’ payslips (i.e. 3 payslips if paid monthly, 6 payslips if fortnightly etc.)
- Employment Details Summary (formerly P60) for the most recently completed tax year
- Statement of Liability (P21)
If self-employed:
- 1 year’s accounts, along with up-to-date tax balancing statement and preliminary tax receipt
- Most recent year OR accountant’s letter if most recent year not yet available
If unemployed:
- Job/pension details from Revenue (proving no current employment)
- Proof of Benefits/Welfare Payments
Employer reference
- Employer Reference for all employed members of your household aged 18 and over.
- Stating job title, start date, salary. Contact details should be provided for verification purposes.
Bank statements
Bank Statements for all members of your household aged 18 and over.
- Must be dated in for the last 3 months
- Clearly showing proof of income and rental payments (please highlight)
Landlord reference
A landlord reference for all members of your household aged 18 and over to include:
- Most recent tenancy
- Contact details should be provided for verification purposes.
OR
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.
Note
It is advisable that you gather all required documentation as soon as possible in order to make sure you can submit and complete the application process with the required timeframes as set out by South Dublin County Council. Documents are required for all applicants aged 18 and over, regardless of employment status. All documents must be dated within the times outlined in the eligibility criteria. Documents will be checked and verified with invalid documentation resulting in applications being rejected.
How is Net Household Income calculated?
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, Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI), Universal Social Charge (USC) and superannuation are deducted from the relevant gross assessable income.
The following income sources may be taken into account when assessing eligibility for Cost Rental, Affordable Housing:
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
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 any source, including from abroad,
All income from social insurance and social assistance payments, allowances, and benefits, including Family Income Supplement.
Income from the following sources is NOT taken into account and for the purposes of assessing income are excluded:
- 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;
- Payments under FÁS schemes; and
- Redundancy due to lose of a job because the employer is closing the business or reducing the number of staff.
How does the lottery work?
The unit allocation process is conducted once the advertising of the properties has ceased. This is operated by a third party with a full audit trail for transparency. The lottery will create, at random, a list of all applicants and applicants are contacted from the top of the list and invited to submit their documents within 72 hours.
Are Cost Rental, Affordable Homes furnished?
Individual properties are unfurnished to allow residents to furnish them according to their own taste and to provide below market rents.
Are pets allowed?
There are no pets allowed in Innovation Square.
This does not apply to Guide Dogs, Assistance Dogs provided by an organisation who is a member of the International Guide Dog Federation or Assistance Dogs International or the relevant National Governing Body.
How long is the tenancy?
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. Innovation Square Cost Rental is a long-term rental option that offers security of tenure.
What is the rent?
Property Type | No. of Apartments | Cost Rent | Accessible Units |
Studio Apartment | 3 | €950 | 0 |
1 Bedroom Apartment | 64 | €1,275 | 1 |
2 Bedroom Apartment | 63 | €1,455 | 1 |
3 Bedroom Apartment | 3 | €1,546 | 0 |
Additional charges
- Refuse: €25 per month
- Service Charge: Included in rent
Optional additional charges
- Parking: €100 per month
Additional charges to consider
- Utility bills are the responsibility of the tenant.
- Broadband, telephone and television services can be contracted by the tenant directly, if desired.
- Note: no natural gas contract is required.
If I’m successful, when can I move in?
Should you be approved for a cost rental property, the letting agent will notify you of the move-in date, which is typically no more than 4-6 weeks following approval.
Is there parking at the property?
There is limited parking available which will be allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis. A parking space is an additional €100 per month. In the interest of fairness, a maximum of one parking space can be assigned per apartment during the initial lease-up.
What type of Cost Rental, Affordable Home can I apply for?
If you are interested in Innovation Square Cost Rental and believe you are eligible, you can apply for a home that is appropriate to your circumstances. Applications cannot be considered if they will result in over-occupation of a property (see below). The following are considered the correct occupation levels by home size:
- Studio units will be suitable for a single adult.
- One-Bed units will be suitable for one adult or a cohabiting couple.
- Two-Bed units will be suitable for two adults, a cohabiting couple, a cohabiting couple and one adult, or a cohabiting couple/lone parent with 1 or 2 children.
- Three-Bed units will be suitable for three adults, a cohabiting couple and one adult, a cohabiting couple with 1 or more children or a lone parent with 2 to 3 children.
Note: Applications that will lead to over-occupation of a property will not be considered. Over occupation is where more than two children are occupying one bedroom per household, or where two children, one of whom is aged 10 or more, of opposite sex are sharing a room. Only one application per unit type, per household is permitted. Anyone or any household applying multiple times for a single unit type will be disqualified from the process.