South Dublin housing offers turned down by 160 applicants

A total of 160 refusals of social housing offers were recorded across south Dublin in the first six months of 2025.

As of June 30 this year, 160 formal refusals of offers of accommodation were recorded by South Dublin County Council from eligible households on the general housing waiting list, transfer list, medical approval list and from households in emergency accommodation.

SDCC director of housing Elaine Leech revealed the numbers in response to a question from Cllr Adam Smyth (FF) at the most recent council meeting on July 14.

Twenty-one refusals came from housing list applicants that deemed the accommodation “unsuitable for their needs”.

Another 29 applicants refused accommodation as they were no longer interested in the area, while 46 refused offers based on the location of the property offered within estates.

The reason for the remaining 64 refusals was recorded as “other”.

According to the council’s social housing policies, any applicant who refuses two offers of housing within a twelve-month period will have their application suspended for twelve months.

“Your application will be re-activated after this period however this suspension will not count as time on the housing list,” the SDCC website reads.

“You will not be on the Council’s Housing List for the suspension period and will not have access to Choice Based Letting or eligible for any social housing support.

“Your entitlement to Supplementary Rent Allowance may also be affected.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.