Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 October 2022
284. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to reports student tenants are not speaking out against mistreatment by landlords due to fear of being reprimanded; and if any measures are being taken to support this vulnerable cohort. [48220/22]
View answerThe Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 (RTA) regulate the landlord-tenant relationship in the rented residential sector and set out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 extended the remit of the RTB to cover student licences and tenancies in student-specific accommodation.
The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the RTA, to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants.
Section 12(1)(a) of the RTA obliges a landlord to “allow the tenant of the dwelling to enjoy peaceful and exclusive occupation of the dwelling”. A landlord is only allowed to enter the property with the tenant’s permission or in an emergency. Where a landlord fails to carry out any of their obligations under the Acts, a dispute may be referred to the RTB for resolution.
Section 14 of the Act provides that a landlord of a dwelling shall not penalise a tenant for referring any dispute between the tenant and the landlord to the RTB for resolution or for giving evidence in any proceedings under Part 6 of the Act (Dispute Resolution).
I would encourage students who feel they have been mistreated by their landlords to contact the RTB. The RTB’s dispute resolution service includes a free and highly successful mediation service. Disputes can also be determined by an independent adjudicator for a small fee.
