Working mum rejected from housing loan scheme for working overtime

After the bitter disappointment of being declined for a mortgage by the banks despite having over €30,000 saved up for a deposit, Rebecca Cowman was delighted to hear about the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan Scheme. She thought that finally this was her chance to provide a secure home for her and her young daughter.

From Castleknock, Rebecca was priced out of the market in Dublin and started looking in Ashbourne and Ratoath.
"I am a single parent. I have never claimed any rental supplement. I have no problem paying my own way. I have been saving for five years to gather a deposit to be in a position to even apply for a mortgage but I wasn't earning enough and was declined by the banks.
"When I heard about the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan Scheme, it was basically tailor-made . I thought this is for me. Finally I can buy my own home."
Rebecca was renting in Dublin but the landlord gave notice earlier this year that the house was to be sold and this put added pressure on the young mum to buy her own home. She is now renting in Ashbourne on a temporary basis only and said while it is cramped she is grateful to have a roof over their heads.
Rebecca planned to buy her home with a friend and between them, their earnings were €70,000, which met the criteria. She is in a permanent and pensionable job.
She went to Meath County Council and presented all her documentation. "Before you can apply it is subject to county Council approval first to make sure you meet the criteria and that all the documents are above board. I met the Council representative and was told all was perfect and they sent it up."
However, four weeks later, Rebecca was devastated to get a generic letter to say she was declined and queried why.
As part of her application Rebecca submitted P60s which showed their income was €70,000 with overtime of €7,000 bringing it to €77,000. However, this was not guaranteed income and Rebecca cannot understand why it is being counted as it had been categorised as irregular income.
In fact what makes the refusal all the more difficult to swallow is that Rebecca had only done overtime in 2017 to try to save money for a deposit for a mortgage.
She made an appeal including documentation from her director of finance in work and sent more documentation.
Three weeks later she got a generic response that it had been declined as income was above the threshold.
Rebecca is angry that the criteria released to the public is not being followed and said it is accepted there are irregularities but nothing is being done by the ministers to correct the anomalies. She said numerous other young people and couples have come forward who were declined despite proving eligible with the published criteria.
"There is a complete lack of transparency. No one is taking accountability. " 
Rebecca has been told she would be eligible for social housing but doesn't want social housing. "I want to pay my own way. I have never wanted a social house. I want to work," she said.
"I don't earn enough for the banks, I earn too much for the Rebuilding Ireland loan scheme and if I was to go for social housing the likelihood is that I would turned down because I have €32,000 in savings.
"I am entitled to go the ombudsman. I am not going to give up. I am absolutely not going to accept this."
A Council spokesperson said they do not comment on individual cases.
"Fully completed Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan applications received by Meath County Council are independently assessed by our underwriters, the Housing Agency. The applications are assessed in accordance with relevant criteria as set out by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. Thereafter, a recommendation is given to Meath County Council to either accept or decline the application. 
"All confirmed sources of income including self-employment, salary, wages and regular/rostered overtime, are included when assessing whether an applicant falls within the relevant income limit.
An applicant who is currently ineligible on income grounds is free to reapply for a Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan if their circumstances change with regard to the qualifying criteria," the spokesperson said.