Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2023
342. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has considered the introduction of central credit register reporting of social housing rent arrears and missed payments to help reduce increasing arrears across all social housing rental schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4303/23]
View answerThe setting and collecting of rents, and the management of rents arrears, are matters for individual local authorities in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. My Department has no role in this regard.
That said, the Housing for All Action Plan Update (November 2022) commits to developing proposals for a standardised national differential rents scheme in 2023 and this will include consideration of appropriate measures for the effective collection of rent arrears.
The Central Credit Register is a database that stores personal and credit information on loans of €500 or more. It is operated by the Central Bank of Ireland under the Credit Reporting Act 2013 and this legislation is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Finance. Arrears such as rent arrears in relation to social housing or private rented accommodation and arrears on utility bills are not considered loans under the terms of this Act.
