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Social housing retrofitting target unlikely to be met, says oversight group for councils
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Official targets to retrofit more than 36,000 social housing units as part of the Government’s climate action plan are unlikely to be met, a new oversight report on local authorities has forecast.
The report suggests that to date local authorities have tended to concentrate on “low hanging fruit”– properties on which it was easier to carry out work.
The annual report of the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) for last year also maintains that some local authorities have “unacceptably low rates” of collection of commercial rates, rent and annuities and housing loans.
The report also reveals that at the end of 2024 a total of 4,251 local authority housing units were vacant. However, the average social housing vacancy rate in 2024 decreased from 2.81 per cent in 2023 to 2.75 per cent.
At the same time NOAC found the average time for reletting for social housing was 35.36 weeks – the highest recorded since 2014.
The NOAC is a statutory body established under local government legislation to oversee the local authority sector.
In its report for 2024, NOAC says the Government’s National Climate Action Plan sets a target of retrofitting 36,500 units to at least a B2 Ber standard by 2030.
“Data available to date indicates a gradual ramping up of retrofit numbers, but not an increase sufficient to reach the target.”
“Achievement of the national 2030 target will require at least a doubling of current annual retrofit completions and it is not certain that it can be accomplished.”
“In the course of the validation and scrutiny processes, local authorities advised that the houses completed to date were the “low hanging fruit” in that they were the easier and less expensive units to retrofit. As they progress with their programmes, they will be dealing with the older, more technically difficult, and more costly to retrofit units. Other issues identified include insufficient financial and human resources, and the fact that the retrofit scheme is operated as an annual rather than a multiannual work programme.
“Furthermore, the big urban authorities are faced with additional financial and technical challenges, in that they are required to retrofit old multistorey flat complexes, and there is a question as to whether the existing retrofit scheme is appropriate for such units.”
The report says 2,634 units were retrofitted under the social housing retrofit programme in 2024.
The report says that commercial rates were at their highest collection level at 92 per cent, as were the figures for housing loans at 88 per cent. It says in the case of rents and annuities the figures “remain steady at 88 per cent down from 91 per cent in 2021”.
“NOAC says income from such sources make an important contribution to funding local services and for providing match funding for grant applications in many cases.”
“However it is clear that not all local authorities are addressing collection levels in the three areas, commercial rates, rent and annuities and housing loans with some having unacceptably low rates, a more targeted approach is needed in these authorities.”
The lowest collection levels for rent and annuities were recorded in Limerick City and County (72 per cent), Dublin city (73 per cent), and Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown (75 per cent). In contrast, the highest levels were achieved in Leitrim (99 per cent), Cork County (98 per cent), Westmeath (97 per cent), and Laois (97 per cent).
NOAC chairman Michael McCarthy said that while it carries out independent oversight, it does not set policy, provide funding or impose sanctions.
“While the average reletting time of 35 weeks remains too long, it is encouraging to see increased investment in housing maintenance and the determination of many local authorities to reduce vacancy rates further.”
