Incremental Purchase Scheme allows social housing tenants buy their home, but terms should be extended – Doyle

Fine Gael TD for Wicklow, Andrew Doyle, has welcomed the new Incremental Purchase Scheme which will allow social housing tenants to buy their first home. However he has called for the scheme to be extended to include those living in houses acquired by the council, as part of the Part V social and affordable scheme.

“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.”