Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
619. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will address matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); if he will provide an Oireachtas contact email for the Residential Tenancies Board to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39743/22]
View answerThe Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Acts to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants.
While this is an operational matter for the RTB, I am aware that some landlord and agent customers are encountering issues with the new RTB tenancy management system and unfortunately, it has taken longer than expected to overcome these issues. The RTB has assured me that it is committed to working collaboratively and constructively with the sector to move through this period.
The RTB has been experiencing significantly high volumes of calls, webchat, and emails. In response to increased customer demand, the RTB’s contracted service partner increased their staffing on the RTB account from 49 to 81 as of the end of June. This represents a 75% increase on staff to ensure the RTB can continue to engage with stakeholders to resolve any issues.
Complaints directly relating to the quality of the service provided by the RTB should be made in writing (email, fax or letter) to the Quality Customer Service Officer (QCSO). The QCSO can be contacted by email at customer.service@rtb.ie or by letter addressed to the Quality Customer Service Officer, Residential Tenancies Board, PO Box 47, Clonakilty, County Cork.
Full details of the RTB’s complaints procedure is outlined in their Customer Charter and is available to download from their website at:
www.rtb.ie/rtb-freedom-of-information-publication-scheme/customer-charter
The RTB may be contacted directly at OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie for any further information on its operational matters.
