As part of MLRC’s work, we provide training in housing law to organisations working in the field of homelessness. On 22nd January, MLRC held a full day training session in housing law & related social welfare law for the staff of the Dublin Simon Community.
The Dublin Simon Community works to prevent and address homelessness in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow. They provide services at all stages of homelessness and enable people to move to a place they can call home. By listening to people they do everything to support homeless people to move to independent living, striving to empower people to access, secure and retain a home of their own by reducing the reliance on short-term emergency accommodation and providing permanent supported housing.
Our training session for the Dublin Simon Community gave practical advice and information to help staff deal effectively with client’s varied housing issues. In particular staff noted the following items as being particularly useful to explore and understand:
• Fair procedures
• Clarity around the new Housing Assistance Payment
• Tenancy warning system and eviction procedures, though not yet in force, under the new Housing Act
• Appeals procedures and how to request information from State bodies
• Better knowledge of what Mercy Law Resource Centre can assist with
• The avenues a tenant can proceed with regarding housing issues and the Council
• Proportionality & fair procedures
• Need for assistance letter from the Council for a separated partner
• Understanding of tenant’s rights regarding issues of anti-social behaviour
Attendees gave constructive and positive feedback, noting that the training session was very interesting, enjoyable and engaging. Attendees found the case studies especially to be very informative and interactive; and that the excellent facilitator was very knowledgeable with some really helpful referrals to other useful resources and organisations.
If you are interested in arranging a MLRC training session on Housing Law & Related Social Welfare Law for your organisation, please contact Shauna on 01 4537459 or at shauna@mercylaw.ie. We would be very happy to hear from you and discuss the training that would be most useful for you.
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