Only 12 Rental Properties Found Within HAP Limits in New Simon Report

Just 12 Rental Properties Met HAP Limits Across 16 Areas in September

The quarterly Locked Out of the Market findings highlight a decline in affordable options for households relying on state support, even as the broader rental market recorded a rise in total advertised properties.

The latest figures mark a drop from June 2026, when 20 properties fell within the scheme’s limits. The report examined rental availability over three dates in September, identifying 1,361 total properties advertised at any price across the 16 study areas. That overall total represented an increase of 58 properties, or 4%, since June, and a 63% increase compared to September 2025. Yet, despite the wider pool of available housing, fewer homes aligned with the financial thresholds set by the social housing support scheme.

Geographic Disparities and Regional Lockouts

The restriction of HAP-compliant housing left 11 of the 16 study areas entirely devoid of properties within the payment limits during September. Among these locations were Portlaoise, Sligo town, Co Leitrim, Galway city centre, Galway city suburbs, Cork city suburbs, Cork city centre, Athlone, Limerick city centre, Limerick city suburbs, and Waterford city centre. There were no properties available anywhere in the country within standard HAP limits without local authorities utilizing discretionary powers to increase the payment threshold.

Ireland’s HAP farce: Nowhere to rent outside Dublin and Kildare In a grim snapshot of Ireland’s broken housing system, a Simon Communities report found that in June 2026, zero properties were available to rent within Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) limits anywhere outside… pic.twitter.com/5p3h80JSjd

— https://x.com/RealIrishNews/status/2085379199716524363

Only 12 Rental Properties Found Within HAP Limits in New Simon Report — Photo: Midwest Radio

Where properties were found, supply was heavily concentrated in the capital. Seven of the 12 HAP-compliant properties were located across the three Dublin study areas. Outside of Dublin, only two of the 13 regional study areas offered any options within the scheme limits: Dundalk, with three properties, and Kildare, with two.

Local authorities are permitted a discretionary spend to go up to 35% above the standard HAP limit, or up to 50% in Dublin. Accounting for those discretionary increases, the total number of qualifying properties reached 12 nationwide. Among the regional changes recorded since June, Dublin city north saw a drop of 40 properties, Dublin city south saw a decrease of 47 properties, Galway city centre dropped by 28 properties, Limerick city centre fell by three properties, and Waterford city centre decreased by five properties.

Impact on Families and the Call for Budget Adjustments

The report detailed limitations for households with children. No homes were available to couples or lone parents with children at standard HAP rates, and only sparse options emerged under discretionary thresholds. Ber Grogan, executive director of the Simon Communities of Ireland, expressed disappointment that Budget 2027 yielded no increase to HAP limits.

“Over the last ten years, rents have risen dramatically, becoming unaffordable for many households, while there’s been little change to HAP,” Grogan said.

Ber Grogan also noted that rental properties are available, but they are simply beyond the reach of people relying on HAP. Sheehan stated:

“People qualify for housing support, start searching for a home and discover that the support bears no relation to the rents landlords charge.”

Data from the Residential Tenancies Board rent index report for the opening three months of the year showed that the typical national rent for fresh tenancies sat at €1,839. A review into the HAP system was commissioned by the Department of Housing in November 2025, though no findings have been released.

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