City Hall to mull rent cards for social housing tenants

RENT cards for social housing tenants without bank accounts will be considered by City Hall.

Concerns were raised back in May following the city boundary extension, after around 300 housing tenants transferring into Cork city were told they will no longer be able to pay their rent through An Post’s BillPay system.

The tenants had been using a cash system to pay rent to Cork County Council but City Hall does not use the system and informed tenants they have to either have their rent deducted from their social welfare payments, set up standing orders, pay via debit or credit card online or through the City Hall cash office.

Many of the tenants are elderly and do not hold bank accounts or have access to internet banking.

Glanmire-based councillor Ger Keohane said this has caused great anxiety among some people who do not have access to the internet or do not have bank accounts. 

He added that facilitating a card system would also be a way of supporting post offices in rural areas now deemed to be part of the city.

He has asked the council to consider introducing a new card system to accommodate these social housing tenants.

“A lot of elderly people have their ways of paying bills which they’ve had for years and do all their transactions at the post office," he said. “They should be accommodated.

“I am asking City Hall to consider introducing an easy pay policy to former county council housing tenants that are now city housing tenants, these tenants have used a pay card on a weekly basis to pay their rent at their local post office for many years due to the fact they do not have bank accounts, plus it will support our post offices. 

The matter will be discussed at today's full council meeting.