The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 regulates the tenant-landlord relationship in the private rented residential sector. The Act sets out the obligations of tenants and landlords in the sector and the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) is the independent statutory body charged with the administration of the Act and the enforcement of those obligations, as necessary.
The PRTB offers a dispute resolution service in relation to the majority of landlord and tenant disputes in the sector and parties to a dispute can apply for dispute resolution via either adjudication or mediation. Section 78(1)(j) of the Act provides that a landlord of a dwelling, who has registered the tenancy under Part 7 of the Act, may refer a complaint for resolution to the PRTB where there is an alleged failure by the tenant to offer up vacant possession of the dwelling on foot of receipt by him or her of a notice of termination validly served by the landlord.
Further information on the PRTB's dispute resolution services, including a downloadable dispute resolution application form, is available on its website at www.prtb.ie. The fee for dispute resolution is €25.00.