Cost Rental FAQ’s
The information you are providing in your application is for the purposes of verifying your eligibility for Cost Rental housing as deemed under the Affordable Housing Act 2021.
To proceed with an application, you must confirm that:
- You have read and understood the privacy policy
- You understand the eligibility requirements and application procedure
By completing an application, you acknowledge that all the information provided by you in an application (or any other accompanying or required documents) is correct, accurate and complete.
You also understand that falsifications, misrepresentation or omission of any facts in said documents either by omission or commission will be the cause for refusal of your application (including revoking any offers made under this process) regardless of the timing or circumstances of discovery.
If you are selected under the Cost Rental lottery for the property or development for which you have applied and once we have confirmed your application meets the eligibility criteria, we will invite you to a short screening session and you will be able to view the property type being offered.
You acknowledge that the Cost Rental home will be provided as advertised, and that changes or adaptations to the unit cannot be made as part of this process. Please note that images are for illustrative purposes only and may not be representative of finished homes.
Cost Rental is not-for-profit housing where the rent you pay covers the cost of the construction, management, and maintenance of your new home. Cost Rental offers you a long-term, secure tenancy that is more affordable.
At Tuath, we have delivered over 1,000 Cost Rental homes to date with rents starting at 25% below the average local area rent.
For more information on Cost Rental please visit:
S.I. No. 425/2021 – Affordable Housing Act 2021 (Cost Rental Designation) Regulations 2021
There is no one set rental rate – all Cost Rental rents are set at a minimum of 25% below the market rents in the area where the scheme is located for an equivalent property.
Each Cost Rental Scheme listing/advertisement will outline the monthly rent.
A deposit is required up front to secure tenancy. A deposit is one month’s rent less €50. For example, if the monthly rent for a property is €1,250, a deposit of €1,200 is required.
When you register your interest in a Cost Rental development, you’re providing your contact details so we can notify you when applications open for that specific scheme.
Once applications are open and you apply, your eligibility will be assessed. If you meet the criteria, you’ll be entered into a random lottery for the opportunity to be selected for a Cost Rental home.
Information about upcoming Cost Rental developments, including timelines and availability is shared on the Tuath Housing website and occasionally on our social media channels.
For many developments, you’ll have the option to register your interest, which means you’ll be notified directly when applications open.
If a small number of Cost Rental homes become available within an existing development, these will also be advertised on our website and social media platforms.
The closing date for new developments is advertised seven days before applications close. For re-lets, applications typically open for 7days.
Cost Rental homes are a long-term rental option that offer security of tenure.
After six consecutive months in occupation under the tenancy and without a valid notice of termination being served, your tenancy will become a tenancy of unlimited duration. This applies where there are no issues with breach of your tenancy obligations or rent arrears.
These properties will not be available to purchase.
Your net household income is calculated by adding together the net income for each household member aged 18 years and over. Your net income excludes income tax, universal social charge, pension related deductions and PRSI which are deducted from the relevant gross assessable income.
The Tuath team will carry out an affordability test to ensure that your rent charge does not come to more than 35% of your net household income. If the charge is higher than this but not exceeding 40%, we will provide you the option to evidence that based on your current income you have paid the same rent (or higher) for the preceding two years without defaulting.
Applications can only be made via an advertisement on the Tuath website. By clicking the link to apply, you will be taken to our application portal. Applications cannot be made by post or over the phone.
Each household can only submit one application per development and they must meet the required household size.
If a household submits more than one application, they will be disqualified from the lottery process.
You can make one application at the same time in different developments.
If successful, applicants will be assigned a home based on the below allocation criteria:
One-bed property – suitable for a single person, or cohabiting couple.
Two-bed property – suitable for two adults or cohabiting couple or a lone parent with one or more children.
Three-bed property – suitable for three adults, or a lone parent with two or more children.
Four-bed property – suitable for four adults, cohabiting couple, or lone parent with three or more children.
At Tuath, we want to make sure that Cost Rental homes are allocated in the fairest and most transparent way possible. This involves a lottery system. When applications close, every application for each unit type is entered into a lottery for random selection.
When you apply for a Cost Rental home, you must submit the required documentation. If your name is chosen from the lottery, the Tuath lettings team will contact you to verify your eligibility. If you qualify for a Cost Rental home, an interview will take place, either online or in person. We will also send a link to have a virtual viewing of the property.
An infographic on how the application process works, and timelines, is available on the Tuath Cost Rental webpage.
Once advertising for a Cost Rental development has ended, a random lottery is carried out by an independent agency. This process includes a full audit trail to ensure fairness and transparency.
The lottery generates a randomly ordered list of all eligible applicants. Tuath then contacts applicants starting from the top of the list and continues down until all available homes have been allocated.
When making an application for Cost Rental you will need to submit the following documentation:
- Proof of ID for each household member
- Proof of address
- Proof of residency
- Proof of income for all members of the household aged over 18
- Employer reference
- Landlord reference
- Bank statements
These documents will be required at initial application stage and without them you will not be able to proceed.
Please note that only one of each category is required for each household member over the age of 18, unless stated otherwise.
Proof of ID for all members of the household over the age of 18 and including a photograph and date of birth
- Current valid signed passport
- Current valid passport card
- Current valid travel document, e.g.
- Current valid EU/EEA driving licence: this must contain a photograph, and an Irish provisional permit is accepted
- Current EU national identity card
Proof of address from all members of the household over the age of 18 and dated within the last six months
- Utility bill e.g. telephone, mobile, gas, electricity, heating, oil, waste collection.
- Please note that where a utility bill is a first bill, a second form of address verification is required.
- Correspondence from a Regulated Financial Institution operating in the Republic of Ireland (e.g. an insurance/assurance company, bank, building society, credit union, credit card company)
- Correspondence from a government department or body
Proof of residency in the Republic of Ireland from all household members over the age of 18
- Employment details summary (P60)
- Statement of payments/benefits from the Department of Social Protection
- Tenancy agreement
- Bank statements for at least three months showing day-to-day transactions or direct debits for utility bills
- An employment letter from your current employer (including name, address and date you commenced work)
Non-EU national applicants must provide proof of residency (i.e. permission to reside in Ireland). Examples include:
- Valid IRP card (Stamp)
- Please note that as a Stamp 2 is a temporary visa, this will not be accepted. A stamp 3 visa can be accepted in certain circumstances, for example where a non-EEA/EU/Swiss spouse/civil partner or family member is in Ireland based on a work permit.
Proof of income
If employed
- Employment details summary (P60)
- Last three months of payslips
- End of year statement (P21)
If self-employed
- Minimum 1-year accounts and up-to-date tax balancing statement
- Preliminary tax receipt
Social welfare income
- Documentary evidence of all social insurance and social assistance payments, allowances and pensions being received by members of the household, including household members over the age of 18
Please note that we cannot accept password protected payslips.
Employer reference
- Dated within the previous six weeks for all main applicants
Landlord reference
- Dated within the previous six weeks which mentions the two main tenants on the application. If living with family, a character reference from a family friend or colleague can be submitted.
Bank statements
- For the previous six months from all members of the household over 18 years of age
If your name is chosen from the lottery, you will hear from us within five working days after the closing date.
Yes, we will notify all applicants regardless of application outcome.
If your name is chosen from the lottery system, you will hear from us within five working days after the closing date. If you are unsuccessful, you will be contacted within ten working days of the closing date.
No, we do not hold a waiting list for Cost Rental housing. However, there is an option to register your interest to be notified when specific developments start to welcome applications. This can be found on the Cost Rental webpage.
Can I transfer from a social home into a Cost Rental home?
No, it is not possible to apply for a Cost Rental tenancy if you are in receipt of social housing supports
Cost Rental housing is not the same as social housing. It is not possible to apply for a Cost Rental tenancy if you are in receipt of social housing supports. Cost Rental housing is intended to meet the housing needs of people whose income falls above the threshold to qualify for social housing support but who may not otherwise find a home through the private rental market.
You can apply for a Cost Rental home if you live anywhere in Ireland. However, you must be a permanent resident of Ireland and provide proof of residency.
Applications are assessed at point of entry. If, for example, your household income increases above the application limit after you have been allocated a property, you would still be entitled to continue renting the property.
Cost Rental homes are unfurnished. However, the following items are included:
- White goods (fridge-freezer, dishwasher, oven and hob, microwave, washer-dryer)
- Blinds on windows
- Flooring, except bathrooms
All utilities (electricity, internet, telephone, etc) will need to be set up by the resident
If you wish to end a Cost Rental tenancy with Tuath, you can provide written notice of this to your landlord (Tuath Housing). The notice period required for this is set out by the RTB and is determined by how long you have lived in the home that you are providing your notice for.
Your Housing Services Coordinator or a member of the Tuath Lettings team can advise if pets are allowed in the development where your Cost Rental home is. Restricted dog breeds are strictly prohibited across all Tuath homes.