Tipperary County Council has shed some light on two housing schemes to address the issues of vacant homes across the county.

The local authority is urging anyone who owns a vacant house which has been vacant for 12 months to contact them.

Both the Repair and Leasing Scheme and Buy and Renew Scheme are available to assist the revitalisation and reoccupation of vacant residential properties.

The Repair and Leasing Scheme is aimed at owners of vacant properties which may be suitable for social housing. It provides a loan to property owners to facilitate necessary repairs to suitable vacant properties, while also giving property owners an income stream that may, otherwise, be unavailable.

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The type of lease agreement permitted under the scheme include Rental Availability Arrangements (also known as RAAs or RAS type arrangements). As such a property owner can choose whether to enter into a direct lease arrangement or a Rental Availability Arrangement.

The Buy and Renew initiative provides a vacant property owner with an option to sell the property to the local authority.

It is designed to assist in unlocking accommodation potential that exists in vacant properties for social housing use.

As with the Repair & Leasing Scheme, the use of the Buy & Renew Scheme is subject to the suitability of the property for social housing, the condition of the property and the cost of remedial works.

Anyone interested in either scheme or who wishes to discuss further can contact Tipperary County Council's Vacant Homes Officer Tony O'Neill at 0761 065047 or by email: [email protected].