A Dublin mum facing eviction with her two children from their home has said that may have to "overhold" or stay in the property after the eviction notice expires because they can't find new accommodation.
The woman, who previously spoke to Dublin Live on the condition of anonymity, said that her family has lived in a rented home in north Dublin for five years and that they have been told to vacate their home on Monday, 1 May.
The woman was contacted by her landlord's son on 10 August last year after her former landlady passed away and described her shock after she was told that her family now has to move out. In recent weeks, the single mum has been trying to get Dublin City Council to buy the property she is living in because she is a HAP tenant.
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However, she has now received news that the council is "not interested in buying the property because of the value of the property."
The single mum has two young children aged 10 and 11, her son has autism and her daughter has additional needs, and she is worried for their future. She told Dublin Live in an update that she was informed by her letting agent that Dublin City Council won't be purchasing the house she is living in with her family under the tenant-in-situ scheme.
"They [Dublin City Council] haven't even tried to go into negotiations with the owner.
"I have been talking to a lot of people about it today and it seems to be coming back that the council is not buying the properties. The scheme is available and they're just finding every single reason not to buy properties.
"This is the option they came back with to solve the homeless crisis and it's not working." The tenant-in-situ scheme was restored by Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien last April, and it means that councils are empowered to buy homes offered by landlords who are selling up and where their tenant is in receipt of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), or the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS).
The Dublin mum explained that her family is still in the property at the moment, and that they are trying to sort accommodation and if they can't find accommodation they will have to stay in the property after the eviction notice expires.
"We're going to have to overhold, we have no option I think. It's an absolute mess, our deadline to vacate the house is Monday, 1 May. "
She described her situation as "very frustrating" but that she can't just sit around and wait for Government ministers to help her family, and that she has contacted TDs in her local area but it has not come to any resolution.
The brave Dublin mum recently come up with a plan for her family to live inside a customised van so that they can still attend their schools in the area until until they can find more permanent accommodation. But now, she has been advised that this may not be suitable for her kids and they are overholding.
Dublin Live has contacted Dublin City Council for comment.
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