Rental Accommodation Scheme Administration

Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Questions (387)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

387. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the serious problems in the rental accommodation scheme in the Dublin City Council area, with 50 tenants facing eviction due to landlords selling or looking for vacant possession of the houses-apartments let to Dublin City Council under the rental accommodation scheme and the fact that the council cannot source replacement properties for those tenants and that the tenants in some cases are in houses-apartments beyond the vacate date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19747/13]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Jan O'Sullivan)

My Department understands that Dublin City Council currently has a number of landlords who have advised them that they will not be renewing their RAS contracts. Various reasons have been cited by landlords including their selling the property, financial difficulties they have encountered, that they themselves are seeking to move back to the property, or they need to accommodate other family members. The reasons given, while understandable, are presenting significant difficulties for both the sitting tenant and the housing authority.

Dublin City Council has assured my Department of its continued work with both the landlords and the tenants in these cases in an effort to source alternative accommodation as quickly as possible. The Council in seeking replacement accommodation attempts to source a suitable alternative within or close to the area in which the tenant is residing. However the Council reports that progress is slow due to the scarcity of suitable properties available to let in the areas affected, but daily contact is made with local auctioneers in the relevant areas and with the various letting sites – DAFT, My Home and Rent.ie.