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‘Great deal’ but no takers yet
21.09.11
by Caoimhinn Barr, Inishowen Independent
DONEGAL County Council has revealed that ‘very few’
people here have taken advantage of a Tenant
Purchase Scheme, which allows council house
residents to buy-out their homes at a discounted
rate.
Under the scheme, which ends on December 31, tenants
living in council properties for ten years or more
have the right to buy their properties outright at
45 per cent less than the market value.
It is understood that not a single council house
occupier in the Buncrana area was tempted by the
offer.
Speaking at the last Inishowen Electoral Area
meeting, Councillor Rena Donaghey said the scheme
remained a great deal for people.
She queried the reasons as to why so few people had
availed of it. |
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Many local authority tenants think
the buy-out scheme is not worth it. |
Cllr John Ryan claimed
that, in many cases, valuations are too high,
rendering houses unaffordable to those renting.
“Many of these valuations are coming in at previous
year’s levels such as €200,000; you could buy a
brand new house in a private development for less.
It’s not worth taking the offer up if it’s 2007
valuations that are coming in,” he said.
“I think we need to look at the valuations. We need
to maximise a return for the council but if none of
these houses are selling then it is clearly
something we need to investigate. I think any
valuations should correlate with the price of
private houses,” Cllr Ryan added. |
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