Under section 76 of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2016, a tenancy-related dispute may be referred to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB).
The RTB are currently in the procurement process for a new Tenancy Management System that will significantly improve the customer experience and on-line interaction. It is estimated that the new system will be operational by the third quarter of 2018.
In the meantime, the RTB have recently launched their new One Stop Shop, as part of the RTB’s on-going commitment to improve customer interaction. This project involves a range of new resources which make it easier for landlords and tenants to access information, and to understand their rights and responsibilities. The One Stop Shop includes a new user-friendly website with forms, tools and templates; a web chat facility; and the extension of the RTB’s call centre opening hours from 8.30am to 6.30pm.
The new free on-line web chat facility, which was introduced in November 2017, allows members of the public to communicate on-line with RTB agents and aims to guide customers through the registration or dispute process. At the end of 2017, the RTB extended the hours of operation of its telephone service from 8:30am to 6:30pm Monday to Friday. The RTB offers callers the choice of calling a lo-call helpline number from landlines and a local number which may be cheaper or free to call as part of some mobile providers' packages.
Further information is available at www.rtb.ie/tenants and the RTB helpline - Lo-call on 0818 30 30 37 (mobile operators might charge a premium rate to the Lo-call number) or 01 702 8100 - available from Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6.30pm.
Threshold, the national housing charity, operates the Tenancy Protection Service (TPS) which is a national service providing advice and support to households living in private rented accommodation who are experiencing tenancy problems, including where a tenancy is at risk of termination. The TPS seeks to protect existing tenancies, keeping tenants in their homes and preventing them from having to access homeless services. For example, the TPS can apply for an enhanced rent supplement payment above existing rent caps, if a tenant is in receipt of rent supplement and is at risk of homelessness due to a rent increase.
The TPS helpline on free-phone 1800 454 454 is available from Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm. Further information is also available at www.threshold.ie.
