The Residential Tenancies Board's (RTB) remit extends to the private rental, approved housing bodies (AHB), cost rental and student-specific accommodation sectors. The RTB’s remit does not extend to holiday lettings and properties that are short-term lets.
New legislative provisions enforced by planning authorities were introduced in 2019 under the Planning and Development Act and supplementary regulations. The primary objective of the reforms was to influence the bringing back of houses and apartments in designated “rent pressure zones” which were being used for short term letting purposes to the traditional long-term rental market, thereby helping to ease the accommodation shortage pressures currently being experienced in this area.
The proposed Short Term Letting and Tourism (STLT) Bill being developed by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media will provide the statutory basis for the establishment of a register for Short Term Lets in Ireland and for the implementation of the new EU Short Term Rental (STR) Regulation which was adopted by the EU on 11 April 2024.
The Government's housing plan, “Housing for All”, has specifically committed, in the context of making more efficient use of existing housing stock, to developing regulatory controls with a view to ensuring that homes are used to best effect in areas of housing need. The STL register will provide a framework within which planning authorities can identify those STL properties that are operating without the appropriate planning permission.
The Department of Tourism has advised that it is intended to bring the STLT General Scheme to Government in the Autumn for approval and publication and to then proceed with drafting of the Bill.
As is the case with all local authorities, my Department currently offers supports to assist with dedicated STL implementation and enforcement. Earlier this year, local authorities received an allocation of funding for dedicated STL Implementation and Enforcement resources up to June 2024. Further supports have been allocated since then.
My Department will continue to work with all local authorities to provide assistance in terms of resources as part of a wider engagement with the local government sector on increasing resources within planning services.