Tenant Purchase Scheme

The Tenant Purchase Scheme is a new scheme to let local authority tenants buy their homes. Under this scheme, you can apply to Longford County Council to to buy your local authority house. If approved, you must continue to live in the house for as long as you own it. You will get a discount on the price of the house based on your income.

Your local authority will also place a charge on your house called an ‘incremental purchase charge’. This charge will be equal to the discount you get on the price of the house. The charge will remain in place for 20, 25 or 30 years (depending on the discount given). Each year, the local authority will reduce the charge by 2%. At the end of the 20, 25 or 30 years, the charge will be zero as long as you obey the terms and conditions of the scheme.

You will be able to resell your house at any time if your local authority agrees. However, if you sell before the end of the 20, 25 or 30 years, you will have to pay back the value of the outstanding charge on your house to your local authority. 

Any application submitted from 1st February 2022 should be assessed according to the revised eligibility requirements set out in the 2021 Regulations which include:

  • Minimum income requirements: The minimum income required for an appliccant to be eligible to apply under the scheme has been revised downward from €15,000p.a. to €12,500 p.a. This change will ensure that persons whose primary source of income is a pension are now eligible for the scheme. The change only applies to pensions – other social welfare payments may only be regarded as secondary income. 
  • In the case of joint tenancies, both tenants must be in receipt of social housing support for at least 10 years before being eligible to apply.
  • The period of time tenants will be required to be in receipt of social housing support to be considered eligible under the scheme has been changed from one to 10 years. In the case of joint tenancies, both tenants must be in receipt of social housing support for at least 10 years before being eligible to apply.
  • Reckonable income must come mainly from regular employment and not solely from social welfare.
  • Applicants must not be disqualified from purchasing as a result of having purchased before.
  • Applicants must have a satisfactory rent record, and all charges up to date [i.e. Water charges, etc.]
  • Houses must be available for sale and not restricted as in past schemes [i.e. not houses specifically reserved for elderly, transitional accommodation, traveller accommodation, in interests of estate management, etc.]

For income between €15,000 and €20,000 tenant purchase discount will be 60% of Purchase price and an Incremental Purchase Charge of 60% will apply to house and be reduced by 2% per annum over 30 years. For income between €20,001 and €29,999 tenant purchase discount will be 50% of Purchase price and an Incremental Purchase Charge of 50% will apply to house and be reduced by 2% per annum over 25 years. For income over €30,000 tenant purchase discount will be 40% of Purchase price and an Incremental Purchase Charge will apply to house and be reduced by 2% per annum over 20 years.

Further information below:

Tenant Purchase Scheme Booklet and Application Form