The South County Co-operative Housing Society is a not-for-profit, self-help co-operative and member/user organisation formed to

~ relieve the housing needs of persons willing to accept the responsibilities of co-operative membership,
~ provide housing accommodation suited to the needs and financial circumstances of members,
~ manage and maintain co-operative housing estates and apartment buildings.

The Society is involved in the provision, management, and upkeep of co-operative housing estates and apartment buildings in the South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire areas, including Lucan, Clondalkin, Tallaght, Ballyogan and Loughlinstown.

Membership

The members of the co-operative housing society are the tenants/residents in the housing estates and apartments managed by the Society. Each member/tenant is a shareholder in the society. There are currently over 300 members using the society’s housing accommodation services.

Co-operative rental housing provides good quality accommodation with security of tenure and affordable rents related to the household income circumstances of each member/tenant.

The co-operative rental housing stock managed by the South County Co-operative Housing Society contributes towards a socially balanced range of housing tenure options for people in need of housing in the local communities served by the society. Co-operative rental dwellings are not available for tenant purchase or sale.

Management

The Society’s management committee (board of directors) consists mainly of representatives of the member/residents in the local co-operative housing developments. They share responsibility for the conduct of the business affairs and monitor the performance of the housing management and maintenance services.

A small staff team, led by the Society’s manager/secretary, deals with housing administration, tenancies, rents, caretaking, repairs and maintenance.

Pre-school child care services are also provided by the Society in the Lucan-Esker (St. Finian’s) and Tallaght (Brookview) estates with professional child-care staff.

Recruitment of New Members and Vacancies

The recruitment of new members is related to the availability of dwellings in new co-operative housing developments or as the result of vacancies in the existing housing stock.

Arrangements are made for the nomination of interested applicants by the relevant local authority (county council) from its social housing waiting list, for whom the co-operative dwellings available may provide a suitable housing solution, having regard to the type, size and location.

The local authority housing waiting lists, therefore, act as a “gateway” for access to co-operative social rented housing.

Applicants are expected to participate in an information and familiarisation programme about co-operative organisation and membership responsibilities. This is conducted prior to the allocation of membership and a tenancy. The programme includes an explanation of the details of the tenancy agreement, rents and estate management arrangements. These programmes are conducted at the advanced construction stage of new developments or for applicants when vacancies occur.

The right is reserved to refuse membership to applicants where there is a previous poor tenancy record, or a record of anti-social behaviour by the applicant or members of his/her household, such as may affect the management, upkeep and care of a co-operative housing estate/apartment block.

The co-operative dwellings let to members comprise family size and single person units, as available in the Society’s estates and apartment buildings. These have provided long term housing solutions for members over many years.

Rents

The rents payable by member/tenants are related to housing management and maintenance costs and their household income circumstances, as assessed each year in the month of April, rather than market level rents. Members undertake in the tenancy agreement to pay the rent due in full and on time each month (weekly payments are accepted) and to care for the dwellings let to them. The notification of a significant ongoing change in the income circumstances may result in a re-assessment and adjustment of the rent payable.

The rents are applied to meet the ongoing housing management, caretaking, repairs, caretaking and maintenance costs, with financial provision towards a reserve fund for cyclical or future costs incurred in the upkeep of the co-operative dwelling stock, estates and apartment buildings.

Contact Details:

South County Co-operative Housing Society Ltd.
Unit 2, 1st Floor,
Hays House,
13 High Street,
Tallaght,
Dublin 24.

Telephone:  + 00 353 (0)1 4662006
Fax: +00 353 (0)1 4662008
E-mail:   info@southcountycooperativehousing.ie

View:     Office Location Map for South County Co-operative Housing Society Ltd.

View:     Structure - South County Co-operative Housing Society Ltd.

South County Co-operative Housing Society Limited is a registered not-for-profit Industrial and Provident Society. The Society has the status of an approved housing body under Housing legislation and is recognised as being formed for charitable community benefit purposes by the Revenue Commissioners.
South County Co-operative Housing Society Ltd. is also affiliated to the National Association of Building Co-operatives.