Audited accounts requirement for social housing criticised

Meath County Council's policy of requiring self employed social housing applicants produce audited accounts came under fire at the council's monthly meeting yesterday (Monday).

Councillors said the requirement was excessive and a huge financial burden on applicants.

Someone who can afford to have audited accounts would not need social housing, said Cllr Maria White who raised the issue.

She called on the council to abolish the requirement for audited accounts in the assessment of self‑employed applicants for social housing support, and to replace it with a fairer, more discretionary approach to income verification.

“The cost of obtaining audited accounts is prohibitive. For many self‑employed workers—taxi drivers, tradespeople, hairdressers—the bill for audited accounts can run into thousands of euro. That is money they simply do not have. And I ask you: would anyone who can afford to pay for audited accounts be seeking social housing in the first place? The very requirement itself creates a barrier that excludes those most in need.”

Cllr White highlighted the case of a taxi driver who had fallen on hard times and found himself homeless.

“He was sleeping in his car at night, still trying to work during the day. But when he sought social housing support, he was repeatedly told he needed audited accounts. Even his accountant attempted to plead his case to MCC and he too was told the same, nothing other than audited accounts could be or would be accepted. Faced with this impossible demand, he gave up working altogether, because only then could he hope to meet the criteria for the housing list. Imagine that: a man forced to abandon his livelihood, not because he wanted to, but because our system, the inability of Meath County Council to use its discretion made it impossible for him to prove his need while still working.

“This is not just bureaucracy - it is cruelty. It punishes people for being self‑employed, for trying to stand on their own two feet. It forces them into destitution before they can qualify for help. That is not the spirit of social housing. Social housing is meant to be a safety net, not a poverty trap.”

She said a more equitable approach was needed.

“Income verification can be done through tax returns, bank statements, or other reasonable documentation, these are accepted by Revenue.

“As councillors we need to ensure that our housing system is one that supports people in need, not one that drives them deeper into hardship,”

Cllr Sean Drew said there seemed to have been a change of policy over the past year or 15 months regarding the documents required by self employed people.

“Certified accounts prepared by an accountant or tax consultant is accepted by the Revenue Commissioners, it is also accepted by SUSI for higher education grants. It is accepted by banks and financial institutions. Audits are required by companies whose turnover exceeds €15million a year, or whose balance sheet exceeds €7.5 million or where there are more than 50 employees.

“I feel certified accounts and notice of assessment by revenue is more than adequate,” said Cllr Drew.

A proposal by Cllr Maria Murphy to forward the motion to the Strategic Policy committee on housing next week was agreed.

In its response to Cllr White's motion the council confirmed the requirement for submission of a minimum of two years’ accounts with an Auditor’s Report.

“The council position is that there is nothing preventing them from being audited. It is accepted that there is a cost for the sole trader involved in this however providing access to Social Housing Support confers a significant level of state support, as such audited accounts are required to verify income information from sole traders. In exceptional circumstances where such documents cannot be produced the council may use its discretion on a case by case basis.”