Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 January 2024
337. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of private rented accommodation inspections that were carried out by all local authorities in 2023; the number of inspections in which further enforcement action was taken in all local authorities, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2434/24]
View answerThe 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 have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with the standards set down in the Regulations. Responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations in the private rental sector rests with the relevant local authority.
If a property has been found to be non-compliant with the Regulations, it is a matter for the local authority to determine what action is necessary and appropriate. Under sections 18A and 18B of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992, a housing authority may serve an Improvement Notice or Prohibition Notice, respectively, where a property is found to be non-compliant.
The Government is committed to ensuring that a stock of high quality accommodation is available for those who live in the private rented sector. Housing for All sets a target of 25% for the inspection of all private residential tenancies from 2021. 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.
Local authorities conducted over 49,000 inspections of private rented dwellings in 2022, up from circa 25,000 in 2020 and 20,000 in 2021, when pandemic restrictions had impacted on inspections. Figures from Q1 to the end of Q3 2023 show that the number of inspections continued to increase significantly last year with over 48,000 conducted.
Annual data in respect of the level of inspections carried out by each local authority is available on my Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/publication/da3fe-private-housing-market-statistics/. Full-year data in respect of 2023 is currently being collated and will be uploaded in due course.
The preliminary details available in respect of Q1 to Q3 2023, including the number of enforcement actions taken, are set out in the table below:
|
Local Authorities |
Total Inspections Q1 -Q3 2023 |
Total Improvement Letters Issued Q1-Q3 2023 |
Total Improvement Notices Served Q1-Q3 2023 |
Total Prohibition Notices Served Q1-Q3 2023 |
Legal Action Initiated Q1-Q3 2023 |
|
Carlow County Council |
197 |
84 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cavan County Council |
185 |
118 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Clare County Council |
986 |
653 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cork City Council |
10552 |
8303 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cork County Council |
1477 |
1273 |
18 |
6 |
0 |
|
Donegal County Council |
1407 |
1288 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
|
Dublin City Council |
5449 |
2365 |
746 |
106 |
2 |
|
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council |
2971 |
1922 |
10 |
5 |
0 |
|
Fingal County Council |
5834 |
3086 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
|
Galway City Council |
206 |
159 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Galway County Council |
1474 |
1290 |
55 |
3 |
0 |
|
Kerry County Council |
979 |
785 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Kildare County Council |
546 |
440 |
21 |
5 |
0 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
168 |
120 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Laois County Council |
855 |
733 |
12 |
1 |
0 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
368 |
0 |
198 |
0 |
0 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
1239 |
754 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Longford County Council |
418 |
330 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
|
Louth County Council |
287 |
178 |
44 |
7 |
0 |
|
Mayo County Council |
198 |
134 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
|
Meath County Council |
3565 |
2943 |
57 |
0 |
0 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
378 |
288 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Offaly County Council |
387 |
386 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
593 |
396 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Sligo County Council |
785 |
0 |
303 |
0 |
0 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
2198 |
1445 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
1015 |
905 |
58 |
0 |
0 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
1260 |
1145 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
905 |
474 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Wexford County Council |
818 |
693 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
607 |
643 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
TOTALS |
48,307 |
33,333 |
1567 |
136 |
2 |
