Robert Troy
Question:377. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will urgently intervene to ensure major issues are resolved at a housing agency development (details supplied). [21775/23]
View answerTuesday, 9 May 2023
Questions (377)
Written answers
The minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 and 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. These Regulations apply to all properties let or available for let. All landlords, including local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with the standards set down in the Regulations.
In accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act, 1966 local authorities are legally responsible for the management and maintenance of their housing stock. Social housing tenants should report relevant maintenance issues to their local authority. Should it fail to resolve the issues, the tenant can make use of the local authority’s complaints handling system. If this does not resolve the matter, the tenant can submit a complaint to the Ombudsman.
Responsibility for the enforcement of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 in the private rental sector rests with the relevant local authority. Last year local authorities conducted circa 49,000 inspections of private rented dwellings, including AHB properties. Housing for All sets a target for the inspection of 25% of all private residential tenancies. A total of €9 million in Exchequer funding is being made available by my Department to local authorities this year to help them meet their private rental inspection targets.
As provided for in the Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Act 2019, the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) was formally established on 1 February 2021. It is an independent body tasked with the regulation of AHBs for the purposes of protecting housing assets provided or managed by such bodies.
All AHBs are required to adopt the standards for AHBs that are provided for in the 2019 Act and were developed in conjunction with the sector. These standards are available on the AHBRA’s website (www.ahbregulator.ie). The standards cover matters relating to corporate governance; financial management and reporting; property and asset management; and tenancy management.
AHBs are important partners for local authorities in the delivery of social housing. AHBs can lease properties from private property owners using a long term lease arrangement for a period from 10 to 25 years. This long term lease arrangement is negotiated between the AHB and the property owner. It is the AHB’s responsibility to ensure that the lease complies with the general leasing terms.
Under AHB Leasing arrangements; internal maintenance and repairs of social housing leased properties are the responsibility of the AHB entering into the lease, while structural maintenance of the property remains the responsibility of the property owner over the life of the lease agreement.