Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 February 2014
142. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the legal obligations local authorities have to tenants receiving social housing support under the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, in circumstances where the RAS contract has concluded and either the landlord does not wish to renew it or the property does not meet the required standard for properties under this scheme. [8495/14]
View answerThe grounds upon which a tenancy in the private rented residential sector may be legally terminated are clearly set out in the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. The Act provides the main regulatory framework for the private rented residential sector and for the operation of the Private Residential Tenancies Board. It provides for security of tenure and specifies minimum obligations for landlords and tenants under a tenancy. In addition, the Act sets out the procedures and notice periods that must be complied with when terminating a tenancy.
As the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is now deemed to be a social housing support, local authorities retain the responsibility to source further accommodation for a RAS household should the dwelling that the household is living in become unavailable through no fault of their own. There is no prohibition on households from sourcing alternative accommodation themselves if they so desire, as long as the local authority is satisfied that the accommodation meets the needs of the household and conforms to standards for rental accommodation which are set out in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008.
