Ciarán Cuffe
Question:189 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has plans to inspect the conditions of dwellings for which rent supplement is granted. [24785/04]
View answerWednesday, 13 October 2004
Questions (188, 189)
Ciarán Cuffe
Question:190 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has plans to ensure the inspection of the conditions of dwellings for which rent supplement is granted. [24794/04]
View answerWritten answers
Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. N. Ahern)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 189 and 190 together.
Enforcement of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993 is a function of local authorities, who have powers under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992 to enter and inspect at all reasonable times a house to which the regulations apply. These powers and regulations apply to all private rented houses, regardless of the category of tenant.
There is a responsibility on each local authority to carry out its functions under the standards regulations as effectively and proactively as possible. To this end, the transfer to local authorities of fee income, available from the registration of tenancies with the Private Residential Tenancies Board, will, in future years, have regard to the level of activity of each authority in enforcing the standards and rent books regulations.