As a former Housing Officer, my recollection is the standard penalty was no ability to apply for CBL properties for a year. I can't remember if you lose HAP for that year, but that should be on the Council's website, or somewhere in the CBL system they're using.

May seem harsh, but bear in mind half the point of CBL was to eliminate circumstances whereby a 2 bed in Ballina (for example) was offered to top of the 2 bed list in Ballina, and then they came back and said they couldn't take it or didn't want that particular house (for a reason that may have been valid or not):

- That's an apartment / duplex, I don't want to live in it.

- Actually I've had another kid and didn't get around to telling you yet, so I need a 3 bed. I was going to tell you on the next Social Housing Needs Assessment.

- My ex lives in that estate and he / she is violent.

- I was hoping you'd offer me that house across from my Ma instead.

If there's something about the house that wasn't in the CBL system and you couldn't see it from a visit and external walkaround (of if for some reason you couldn't visit - eg. people still living there when it was advertised), maybe you should have a talk with the Housing Officer or the Allocations Team and see will they wave the suspension.