Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 October 2017
284. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to appoint a regulator for student housing due to the considerable increase in student housing built or planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45244/17]
View answerMy Department has implemented several measures to assist the increase in delivery of student accommodation projects under the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016, including fast-tracking planning applications to An Bord Pleanála for student accommodation projects of 200+ bed spaces, and facilitating low-cost funding availability from the Housing Finance Agency to the Higher Education Institutes specifically for student accommodation projects.
The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 regulates the tenant-landlord relationship in the private rented residential sector. The application of the act to student accommodation depends on the nature of the tenancy agreement in place. The Act applies to every dwelling that is the subject of a tenancy, subject to a limited number of exceptions which are set out in section 3(2) of the Act. Student accommodation is not specifically exempt under the Act.
Therefore, the Act applies to student accommodation that is the subject of a tenancy and the protections under the Act do apply to such tenancies. However, section 25(4) of the Act provides for an exemption of certain purpose-built student accommodation from Part 4 of the Act, which relates to security of tenure provisions. These tenancies are still protected under the remaining provisions of the Act. Additionally, the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants.
Furthermore, the National Student Accommodation Strategy was launched in July by the Department of Education and Skills, in consultation with my Department, with key targets and actions to support the student accommodation sector.
I therefore have no plans to appoint a regulator for student housing as I consider that there are sufficient measures for protection and regulation in place, as set out above.
