Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 March 2022
384. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of rental inspections undertaken in the past 12 months; the number of these that were virtual inspections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11760/22]
View answer385. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the analysis that has been carried out on the effectiveness of virtual rental inspections; the way that virtual inspections are verified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11761/22]
View answer386. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of virtual rental inspections that took place in 2020 and 2021; the target for 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11762/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 384 to 386, inclusive, together.
The 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, fire safety and the 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.
The number of inspections undertaken in 2020 and in 2021 to the end of Q3 are set out in the table below:
|
Year |
Physical Inspections carried out |
Virtual Inspections carried out |
Total Inspections carried out |
|
2020 |
24,315 |
1,388 |
25,703 |
|
2021 to Q3 |
7,174 |
4,643 |
11,817 |
Local authority data in respect of Q4 2021 is currently being collated and verified by my Department but indications are that virtual inspections only accounted for circa 5% of all inspections undertaken in that period.
Under this Government’s housing plan - Housing for All - targets for the inspection of rental properties will be set at 25% of all private residential tenancies, as soon as Covid-19 public health restrictions permit. No target is set specifically for virtual inspections and local authorities have the discretion to use whichever inspection type they deem most appropriate to a situation.
Pandemic restrictions greatly impacted on inspection activity since March 2020. The County and City Management Association’s (CCMA) Local Authority Services Frameworks for Future Covid-19 Pandemic Response did not permit on-site rental inspections for long periods in 2020 and 2021. This was in order to protect tenants, landlords and inspectors. Even when restrictions were relaxed there was still a reluctance on the part of some tenants to allow authorised inspectors access their homes. Inspections have been and continue to be frustrated by some tenants needing to self-isolate due to having Covid-19 or being a close contact.
In response some local authorities piloted virtual inspections which my Department supported with Exchequer funding. Dublin City Council led this initiative and commenced virtual inspections in May 2020. My Department incorporated and standardised the approach taken countrywide into a pilot programme, requesting business cases from participating local authorities to ensure that processes are suitably robust and comprehensive.
The Department deems a virtual inspection to have been carried out when a decision is made on whether or not a dwelling is compliant with the Regulations, based on a review of the:
- landlord’s completed self-assessment checklist
- photographic/video evidence provided
- local authority’s engagement with the tenant in respect of any non-compliance issues they may be aware of and whether or not they can confirm if the landlord’s checklist answers are correct.
It is a key component of the virtual inspection model that local authorities reserve the right to conduct a physical on-site inspection when it is safe to do so and landlords were advised accordingly. Many rented dwellings have been subsequently re-inspected physically, since pandemic restrictions have eased.
As set down in Housing for All I believe that the potential offered by a virtual inspection approach needs to be fully explored. This is being done through an ongoing process of evaluation.
