Housing Rents

How are Housing Rents Calculated?

Council Housing rents are based on a system called 'differential rents'. This means that the amount of rent you pay depends on the amount of your total household income. If your income increases so does your rent, and if your income decreases, the weekly rent decreases accordingly.

Rent is calculated based on the current Differential Rent Scheme, as follows:

Assessable household income is determined.
Weekly rent is calculated as 17% of assessable household income.
A €5 deduction is applied for each dependent child and old-age pensioner in the household.
A €5 deduction is applied for a person on disability allowance.

Download Galway City Council's Differential Rent Scheme

What is Assessable Income?

Assessable Income includes income from the following sources:

(a) Income from employment including self-employment,

(b) Income from social insurance and social assistance payments, allowances and training allowances,

(d) Rental and other income from land or property,

(e) Maintenance payments, whether under a formal of an informal arrangement or whether procedure by way of Court Order or otherwise.

Income not included in Assessable Income:

(a) Payments by the Department of Social Protection in respect of-

(i) Child benefit
(ii) Guardian's payment
(iii) Exceptional needs payments
(iv) Domiciliary care allowance
(v) Dietary allowance
(vi) Rent and mortgage interest supplements
(vii) Fuel scheme payments
(viii) Living alone allowance
(ix) Over 80's allowance
(x) Household benefits package
(xi) Back to school clothing and footwear allowance

(b) That amount in excess of the reference rate (basic social welfare rate) of payments made by the Department of Social Protection in respect of-

(i) Carer's allowance
(ii) National internship scheme
(iii) TUS scheme
(iv) Rural social scheme
(v) Community employment scheme
(vi) Youth reach training allowance
(vii) Gateway local authority labour activation scheme
(viii) Back to education allowance
(ix) Vocational & educational training schemes provided by State

(i) Foster care allowance
(ii) Blind welfare allowance
(iii) Mobility allowance
(iv) Home care package
(v) Boarding-out payments
(vi) Personalised Funding grant aided under an Individualised Service Arrangement

(d) Payments by the Department of Education and Skills or under schemes funded by that Department in respect of:

(i) Student grants,
(ii) Home tuition scheme

(e) The following miscellaneous payments-

(i) payments by charitable organisations, being bodies the activities of which are carried on otherwise than for profit (but excluding any public or local authority} and one of the functions of which is to assist persons in need by making grants of money to them,
(ii) payments made in another EU Member State that correspond to child benefit
(iii) payments received as a training allowance while undergoing a course of rehabilitation training by an organisation approved by the Minister for Health, and
(iv) scholarships in respect of attending approved courses provided by approved institutions, within the meaning of sections 8 and 7 of the Student Support Act 2011, as amended
(v) Where a tenant is paying maintenance on foot of a court order or legally binding agreement and produces proof of such payment on an annual basis, or as requested, that element of net income will be disregarded.

Please note that where income declared is less than the social welfare rate applicable to the family composition, rent will be assessed based on the social welfare rate.

What is the minimum housing rent payable?

The minimum rent payable is €32.00 euro per week.

What is the maximum housing rent payable?

There is no maximum rent.

There is a new occupant at my property; do I need to notify Galway City Council?

Yes. If your household circumstances change, you must notify the Housing Section with appropriate documentation so adjustments can be made to your rent.

If you wish to include a new person on the rent of your dwelling, you must apply for permission to do so. Failure to do so is a breach of your tenancy agreement and could lead to enforcement action.

To do this you must complete:

Income Return Form including the Income Details of the new person
Permission to Reside Form

Both forms should be returned to:

Housing Section,
Galway City Council,
City Hall,
College Road,
Galway

My income has changed, do I need to notify Galway City Council?

Yes. If your household income changes, you must notify the Housing Section with appropriate documentation so adjustments can be made to your rent.

Failure to do so may result in arrears being applied to your account and could lead to tenancy warning.

How do I pay my rent?

When paying your rent or if you have a query on your rent, please ensure that you have your customer id to enable us to handle your query more efficiently.

Payment Options

Pay Online

If you already have a PIN and wish to pay your housing rent online, click here.

Housing customers can pay their Housing Rent online using a dedicated PIN and their Housing Rents Account Number click here.. If you are paying your rent online for the first time, you must request a PIN. Please provide your Name and Customer Number by email to: accountsreceivable@galwaycity.ie A PIN will be sent to you by post within 2 working days.

Note that the minimum amount payable online is €10.

Forgotten PIN : If you have forgotten your PIN for online payments, please contact the Finance department on 091-536437 quoting your Customer Account Number and Address.

Household Budget Scheme

The Household Budget Scheme is a scheme that helps those in receipt of certain social welfare payments in Ireland to spread the cost of some household bills (including your local authority rent payments) over the year. Under this scheme, a fixed amount is deducted from your social welfare payment each week. The maximum amount that can be deducted is 25% of your total weekly social protection payment

View further details and forms on the Household Budget Scheme.

Standing Order

You can arrange a standing order through your bank account.

Download a Standing Order Request Form

An Post

Galway City Council can issue you with a BillPay Card that can be used to pay your rent at any post office or postpoint outlet.

Cash Office

You can pay your rent in the Cash Office in City Hall, College Road. Opening Hours are 9.00am - 4.00pm, Monday to Friday.

I am in arrears/having difficulty paying my rent, what should I do?

If you are experiencing difficulties in paying your rent or if your account has fallen into arrears contact the Accounts Manager in the Finance Department of Galway City Council as soon as possible on 091 536 400

The Accounts Manager will work with you to agree an arrangement to help you pay your rent arrears.

Where there is failure to agree a payment plan with the Accounts Manager the City Council has recourse to legal action. A Notice to Quit can be issued which demands possession of the property. This can then be followed by the granting of a decree for possession of the property in the District Court. (WARNING: IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP YOUR REPAYMENTS YOU MAY LOSE YOUR HOME)

Money Advice and Budgeting Service

The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) is a free, confidential service for people with debt and money management problems in Ireland.

Anyone from any background can experience debt and money problems and MABS staff are fully trained to help. The MABS service is available through the 52 MABS offices located throughout the country.

The following MABS services are available in Co. Galway.

Galway MABS South

3rd Floor, The Halls
Quay Street
Galway
Tel: 0761 07 2570
Email: galway@mabs.ie
Web: www.mabs.ie
Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday, 9.30am-1pm and 2pm-5.30pm / Friday, 9.30am-1pm and 2pm-5pm

What services are restricted if a rent account is in arrears.

If your rent account is in arrears you risk losing your home. You will not be accepted on any local authority housing list if you are evicted for rent arrears.

Tenants who keep a clear rent account can make requests for routine maintenance to be carried out in the home. Where an account is in arrears, only emergency maintenance will be carried out.

Applications for transfers from tenants will not qualify if there are arrears on the account. Where an application for transfer has already been accepted and arrears accrue, no offer of housing will be made until such time as the arrears are cleared.