Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022
568. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a progress report on the target for 25% of private rental tenancies to be inspected annually under the commitment outlined in Housing for All will be provided; the percentage of private rental properties that were inspected in 2021; and the expectation for 2022. [1992/22]
View answerThe Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light and safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations. Responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations rests with the relevant local authority.
Housing for All sets a target for the inspection of rental properties, which is 25% of all private residential tenancies. A total of €10 million in Exchequer funding is being made available to local authorities this year to help them meet their targets.
Full-year rental inspection data is routinely published on an annual basis on my Department's website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/da3fe-private-housing-market-statistics/
Data in respect of 2021 has been requested by my Department from the local authorities. It will be processed and made available online shortly. It is of course likely that the number of inspections carried out in 2021 will reflect the fact that, in accordance with public health guidelines, and in order to protect tenants, landlords and inspectors, inspections were not permitted for a prolonged period in 2021.
Since Housing for All was launched in September 2021, officials in my Department have met separately at a senior level with all 31 local authorities to discuss their local authority’s inspection performance to date and the effort required to reach their Housing for All target in 2022.
My officials are now in the process of writing to all 31 local authority Chief Executives advising of the precise 2022 rental inspections target for their local authority areas, based on Residential Tenancy Board tenancy data, and asking them to submit detailed implementation plans, outlining how they intend to achieve their targets. My Department will work closely throughout the year with the sector to support the achievement of these targets.
