Housing Frequently Asked Questions

The Housing Allocations Section deals with the provision of housing to people who have been assessed under the Council’s Allocation Scheme and are deemed eligible for social housing support. Eligible applicants are placed on the Council’s housing list in order of date of application and progress on a ‘Time on List’ basis i.e. the next applicant on the list is allocated the next available house. An Application Form for Social Housing (pdf) along with supported documentation must be submitted. 

Social Housing Support includes all of the options listed below.

• Rented Local Authority Housing
• Housing Assistance Payment
• Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS)
• Leased Unit
• Voluntary/Co-operative Housing
• A site for a Private House
• Traveller Specific Accommodation
• Transfer from existing Local Authority Accommodation
• Extension to an existing Local Authority House to meet accommodation needs

For further information please use our online enquiry form below for the area you are in:

Divisional Operations South Cork, Housing Dept, Cork County Council, Floor 4, County Hall, Cork
Tel: 021 4285501, 021 4285215, 021 4285332, 021 4285327, 021 4285265 or use our Online Enquiry Form

Divisional Operations North Cork, Housing Dept, Council Offices, Annabella, Mallow, Co. Cork.
Tel: 022 21123 or use our Online Enquiry Form

Divisional Operations West Cork, Housing Dept, Cork County Council, Kent Street, Clonakilty, Co. Cork 
Tel: 023 8833328 or use our Online Enquiry Form

You qualify for social housing if you:

• Are in genuine need of housing and are unable to provide accommodation from your own resources
• Have a legal right to remain in the State on a long-term basis
• Are 18 years of age or older
• Have a net income that is below the thresholds listed

What are the maximum income limits for County Cork?

Income is based on the income of all household members. Households must have a net annual average income for the 12 months preceding the date of application of less €35,000 net income means that income tax, USC, PRSI and Additional Superannuation Contributions (ASC) are deducted from the relevant assessable gross income. So for example, if one member of the household is working and others are on social welfare, all such income will be taken into account for the means test. The €35,000 limit can be increased by a further €1,750 per additional household member/earner up to a maximum of €3,500 and an additional €875 per dependent child subject to no maximum. See the following examples:

More information on means testing and eligibility can be found on Application Form for Social Housing (pdf) under section C9.

Divisional Operations South Cork, Housing Dept, Cork County Council, Floor 4, County Hall, Cork
Tel: 021 4285501, 021 4285215, 021 4285332, 021 4285327, 021 4285265 or use our Online Enquiry Form

Divisional Operations North Cork, Housing Dept, Council Offices, Annabella, Mallow, Co. Cork.
Tel: 022 21123 or use our Online Enquiry Form

Divisional Operations West Cork, Housing Dept, Cork County Council, Kent Street, Clonakilty, Co. Cork 
Tel: 023 8833328 or use our Online Enquiry Form

Cork County Council has introduced a process called the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP) to help support borrowers who are in difficulty with their mortgage payments.

If you are currently in arrears, or at risk of going into arrears, please contact us on Tel: 021 4285262 or 021 4285059. We have a dedicated Mortgage Arrears Team who will discuss your individual situation and explore various options with you, with a view to arranging an alternative payment option that is suitable to both you and Cork County Council.  A Borrowers Information Booklet (pdf) is available.

For us to help you, we will need to get up to date income and expenditure figures. You will need to complete a form called a Standard Financial Statement (pdf). This is basically a record of all income to the household (social welfare, employment, etc) and outgoings (food, mortgage, loans, insurance, etc). You will need to complete this form fully and send it in accompanied by relevant documentation; such as 3 most recent payslips, 3 most recent social welfare slips or a recent social welfare statement, 6 months most recent bank statements for each bank account, 6 months statements in relation to each credit card held and statements in respect any other loans you may have, etc.  The Central Bank has issued a guide to completing the Standard Financial Statement which is available below.  

Once your Standard Financial Statement is completed in full and submitted along with supporting documentation, you should send it to: Housing Loans Collections, Finance Department, Floor 5 Extension, County Hall, Cork. Following an assessment of what you have submitted, you will be contacted by a member of the Mortgage Arrears Team from our Housing Loans Collection Section to discuss your situation and Housing Loan in more detail.  If you require other information regarding your monthly mortgage repayment, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Tel: 021 4285262 or 021 4285059.

While we cannot write off loans, part of a loan or arrears, we will work with you to try to come to an alternative repayment arrangement appropriate to your individual circumstances.

It should be stressed that you, the named borrower(s) on your housing loan, remains responsible for paying the loan at all times.

There are various methods of paying your Housing Loan with Cork County Council including standing order (pdf), payment by card over the phone (Tel: 021 4285262 or 021 4285059), by cheque, or by cash at the cash office in the County Hall, Carrigrohane Road, Cork. Our preferred method of payment is by standing order (pdf).  Note you must reference your Housing Loan Account Number on all payments to Cork County Council.  

Cork County Council as your lender is actively working with you to help support you in managing your mortgage arrears.



Useful Links

Borrowers Information Booklet (pdf)

Standard Financial Statement (pdf)

Central Bank, Guide to Completing a Standard Financial Statement (pdf)

Standing Order Form (pdf)

Money Advice & Budgeting Service

Insolvency Service of Ireland

Keeping Your Home

Contact Us: Housing Loans Collections, Finance Department, Floor 5 Extension, County Hall, Cork. Tel: 021 4285262 or 021 4285059.

Tenants of the Council, including tenants of dwellings provided under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative, RAS, HAP, or by AHB’s may apply for consideration for a transfer to other dwellings, under the following circumstances:

• Overcrowding
• Where older persons and other households wish to move to smaller accommodation (downsizing)
• Medical or compassionate reasons
• On grounds of being a victim of Anti-Social Behaviour if proved where the Council’s Estate Management Unit and An Garda Siochana support the transfer application
• Other exceptional circumstances
• To facilitate the incremental purchase, where the Council has consented to such a purchase

Will Cork County Council always agree to a transfer request?

The Council will facilitate a transfer request if deemed valid and necessary. All transfer requests are dependent on your existing property being in a suitable condition for immediate re-letting and free from any arrears with a satisfactory record of regular payments.

Notwithstanding the above, tenants seeking a transfer must fulfil the following requirements to the satisfaction of the housing authority.

• Hold tenancy in their present dwelling, for a period of at least two years
• Clear rent account – any transfer will take account of rent arrears but allowances may be made where an agreement is in place, and being adhered to by the tenant to address any such arrears over an agreed period of time
• Have kept their dwelling in satisfactory condition, subject to inspection
• Have complied with the conditions of their Tenancy Agreement and no have no record of Anti-Social Behaviour

Priority may be given to a household in receipt of social housing support where the property occupied is no longer available to them through no fault/act of their own, either because the house is not owned by the Council or because the house is no longer available for occupation as a social housing support i.e. rental accommodation availability arrangements, long-term leasing initiatives etc.

Mutual transfer applicants, including transfers between tenants of different housing authorities, voluntary housing developments, leased units etc. shall be considered on their merits.

Applicants who were transferred to RAS prior to the introduction of the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, on the 01 April 2011, will be considered for Social Housing as “transfer applicants”. Such transfer applicants will be given credit for their time on the housing waiting list from the date of their approved housing application. Allocations shall be made to such tenants in accordance with the Order of Priorities as set out in Cork County Council’s Allocation Scheme.  

The Refusal Policy, as per Cork County Council’s Allocation Scheme, will also apply to applicants for a Transfer. 

In the case of emergency or exceptional medical/compassionate grounds, the Council may forgo any or all of the above conditions in granting a transfer of tenancy.

Where a tenant is granted a transfer, the tenants involved must accept their new dwellings in its existing condition.  The existing property must be returned to Cork County Council in an acceptable condition and no rubbish or waste materials must be left behind.

Divisional Operations South Cork, Housing Dept, Cork County Council, Floor 4, County Hall, Cork

Tel: 021 4285501, 021 4285215, 021 4285332, 021 4285327, 021 4285265 or use our Online Enquiry Form

Divisional Operations North Cork, Housing Dept, Council Offices, Annabella, Mallow, Co. Cork.

Tel: 022 21123 or use our Online Enquiry Form

Divisional Operations West Cork, Housing Dept, Cork County Council, Kent Street, Clonakilty, Co. Cork 

Tel: 023 8833328 or use our Online Enquiry Form

Cork County Council has introduced a new way of letting dwellings to applicants called the Choice Based Letting Scheme (CBL).  It has been live in North Cork since November 2016 and in South and West Cork since March 2017.

This scheme works on the basis that available dwellings are advertised on our dedicated website, www.cbl.corkcoco.ie on a weekly basis where available and applicants are asked to submit an expression of interest on a dwelling in which they are interested.  

Countywide, to date, there have been over 262,512 views of and 34,022 expressions of interest on the system.

It has resulted in refusal rates dropping to 6% with 245 properties accepted of the 246 properties advertised since the system went live.

Choice Based Letting is a way that you can express your interest in renting a suitable council property in your preferred area. Dwellings will be advertised on a weekly basis from 00.00 Wednesday to 23.59 on the following Tuesday. Housing applicants should try and log in every week to check the dwellings that are available that week and those wishing to place an expression of interest, must to do so by 23.59 on Tuesday. A ‘suitable’ property is one that you have chosen to express interest in and that matches your housing needs. 

Please note that only those applicant households that have expressed an interest in a bid dwelling under Choice Based Letting whose household composition suits the property type will be considered initially e.g. if you are approved for a three bedroom unit and bid on a four bedroom unit then you may not be considered. Also, note that you will need to log in every week to check whether you wish to express an interest in the properties advertised in that week. 

You will also receive a weekly text alert to your mobile phone if a property in which you can express an interest is advertised on the Choice Based Letting System. You can also use the tablets provided in your local council offices or the internet facilities in your local library branch.

Please view our Choice Based Letting Choice Based Lettings FAQ's (pdf) for further information or use our online enquiry form below for the area you are in:

Contact Details: Choice Based Letting (CBL),  Housing Dept, Cork County Council, Floor 4, County Hall, Cork

Tel: 4386635 or use our Online Enquiry Form - North Cork; Online Enquiry Form - South Cork; Online Enquiry Form - West Cork

Choice Based Lettings FAQ's (pdf)

The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme (pdf) was introduced in January 2017 and replaced all previous Tenant Purchase Schemes.

You must be the tenant of a Local Authority property available for sale and be in receipt of social housing support for a minimum period of 1 year with a minimum reckonable income (income from all sources) of €15,000.

Under the Scheme, a tenant of Cork County Council pays the authority a discounted price related to his or her income in order to purchase the house. On completion of the sale, the authority places an Incremental Purchase Charge on the house of the proportion of its value equal to the discount.

The Incremental Purchase Charge will reduce to zero over the charged period in annual incremental releases of 2% provided that the purchaser complies with the terms and conditions of the transfer order.

Contact us: Housing Dept, Cork County Council, Floor 4, County Hall, Cork.

Tel: 021 4285351, TPS2016@corkcoco.ie or use our Online  Enquiry Form

Local Authorities and Housing Associations in Ireland have specific powers to evict anyone who is engaging in Anti-Social Behaviours, such as drug dealing or any behaviour that might cause danger, injury, damage, or fear to people living in the area. This may include violence, threats, intimidation, or harassment. 

The Council can also refuse to let a dwelling, or sell one under the tenant purchase scheme on the grounds of Anti-Social Behaviour. The HSE may refuse or withdraw rent supplement for a privately rented dwelling where the person in question was evicted, excluded or removed from Local Authority housing on the grounds of Anti-Social Behaviour.

More details can be found in Cork County Council's Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy (pdf).

Divisional Operations South Cork, Housing Dept, Cork County Council, Floor 4, County Hall, Cork

Tel: 021 4285501, 021 4285215, 021 4285332, 021 4285327, 021 4285265 or use our Online Enquiry Form

Divisional Operations North Cork, Housing Dept, Council Offices, Annabella, Mallow, Co. Cork.

Tel: 022 21123 or use our Online Enquiry Form

Divisional Operations West Cork, Housing Dept, Cork County Council, Kent Street, Clonakilty, Co. Cork 

Tel: 023 8833328 or use our Online Enquiry Form

Principal Private Residence Declaration (pdf)

Certificate of Discharge (pdf)

Uninhabitable Exemption (pdf)

Cover letter to Owner re Self Declaration and Self Retention - Cork Co Co (pdf)

Divorced or Separated (pdf)

Exemption overview (pdf)

Granny Flat Exemption (pdf)

Heritage Buildings (pdf)

How to retain proof of principal private residence (pdf)

Incapacitated due to illness (pdf)

Mobile Homes (pdf)

New, Unsold and Trading Stock Exemption (pdf)

Payment Plan Application Form (pdf)

Personal Reps of Deceased Owners (pdf)

Probate (pdf)

Self Declaration and Self Retention (pdf)

Housing grants are provided to people who own their own home, or are tenants of Cork County Council, to help older people and those with a disability  to continue to live independently.

There are a number of grants available:

A Disabled Persons Grant (pdf) may be applied for works to Cork County Council properties for people with a disability to be carried out to make it more suitable to meet the housing needs of an occupant of the property who has a disability.  Works may include: Ground floor bedroom and or bathroom facilities; Stair lift; Adapt existing bathroom to suit the needs of a disabled person.

Apply for a Grant for a privately owned home.

Please return application form to the relevant divisional office: 

Divisional Operations South Cork, Housing Dept, Cork County Council, Floor 4, County Hall, Cork

Tel: 021 4285501, 021 4285215, 021 4285332, 021 4285327, 021 4285265 or use our Online Enquiry Form

Divisional Operations North Cork, Housing Dept, Council Offices, Annabella, Mallow, Co. Cork.

Tel: 022 21123 or use our Online Enquiry Form

Divisional Operations West Cork, Housing Dept, Cork County Council, Kent Street, Clonakilty, Co. Cork 

Tel: 023 8833328 or use our Online Enquiry Form

Do not make any alterations without getting written permission from Cork County Council. 

If approval is granted, you must ensure that any project/works/construction/maintenance/ repairs which are carried out by the Tenant personally, or by a Third Party/Contractor, are carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013 (pdf). 

Further information available in the Tenant's Handbook (pdf)

Contact Us:

South Cork, Housing Dept, Cork County Council, Floor 4, County Hall, Cork  Tel 021 4285302

North Cork, Housing Dept, Council Offices, Annabella, Mallow, Co. Cork Tel  022 30469

West Cork, Housing Dept, Cork County Council, Kent Street, Clonakilty, Co. Cork  Tel 023 8863728 

Approved Housing Allocation Scheme (pdf)

Differential Rent Scheme

Capital Assistance Scheme (pdf)

Homeless Person Unit (pdf)

Housing Assistance Payment (pdf)

Local Authority Home Loan

Social Housing Brochure (pdf)

Traveller Accommodation Programme (pdf)

Strategic Plan for Housing with Disability (pdf)

Tenant Handbook (pdf)

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009

Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013 (pdf)

Choice Based Letting FAQ (pdf)

Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme FAQ (pdf)

Calculation of Rent (pdf)