asked the Minister for Local Government if his attention has been drawn to reports indicating that, because Dublin Corporation did not send out at 13 week intervals notices requesting an earnings review from Dublin Corporation tenants, hundreds of Dublin tenants are now being asked to produce certificates of earnings dating back to July, 1966 and to pay arrears where applicable from that date; if the proposal had his approval; if he can take any steps to ensure that this retrospective correction is not pursued at the expense of the tenants as it will undoubtedly cause hardship and worry to hundreds of them in Dublin; and, if so, what steps.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Earnings of Dublin Corporation Tenants.
12.
I have seen the report referred to by the Deputy.
Under the form of agreement which a tenant signs on taking up occupation, he agrees to furnish to the corporation full and detailed particulars of his income and of the income of each member of his family, and to notify the corporation immediately of any change in income. This requirement is also explained orally to tenants at the time of letting and in a leaflet sent to every prospective tenant. This leaflet states that failure to give notice that family income has increased will be of no advantage since, when the corporation learns of the increase, as a result of visits by their officers or otherwise, the tenant will be required to pay not only the increased rent but the arrears as well. There is no obligation on the corporation to carry out quarterly reviews of income but if a tenant wishes that they should do so he will be facilitated. Rents are reviewed at any time when income falls as a result of change of employment, illness, etc.
My approval is not necessary to the detailed administration by local authorities of approved differential rent schemes. I would, however, see no reason why the arrangements for review of rents to which I have referred should be changed. These arrangements have operated since differential rents were introduced in Dublin in 1950 and should cause no hardship to any tenant who abides by the terms of his tenancy agreement.
Will the Minister not agree it is imposing a hardship on those tenants to have this thing done in retrospect, bearing in mind all the procedures——
Not if they adhere to their tenancy agreements and report changes in their incomes.
I am sure the Minister agrees on the purpose of the differential rents scheme—that there is no misunderstanding about it—and surely then he will also agree that to ask people suddenly to produce sums of money due to inadvertent action by an official——
It is not due to any inadvertent action on the part of the officials concerned. It is a reasonable requirement to require the tenants to notify changes in their income.