Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2017
1347. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of persons who are registered as both a tenant and a landlord of a residential property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46788/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1348. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number and percentage of tenancies ended in the most recent period for which figures are available on the basis of the property being required for refurbishment; the way in which these figures compare with previous years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46789/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1349. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number and percentage of tenancies ended in the most recent period for which figures are available on the basis of the tenancy being required for family use; the way in which these figures compare with previous years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46790/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1347 to 1349, inclusive, together.
My Department does not hold or collate the data referred to by the Deputy in relation to the number of landlords who are registered as both a landlord and tenant of a residential property.
The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), through its tenancy registration system, collects information on tenancies and landlords. However, they do not collate data in respect of numbers of landlords who are also registered as tenants and advise that, given the inevitable imprecision and duplication of name-based data analysis, they would not be in a position to generate the same with accuracy.
Details on the number and percentage of tenancies terminated on the basis of the tenancy being required for family use or for refurbishment, are not held by my Department or the RTB. However, information on the numbers of disputes lodged with the RTB in relation to notices of termination can be obtained from the RTB.
The Clerk of the Dáil has requested that arrangements be put in place to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies to members of the Oireachtas. Following the issue of Circular LG (P) 05/16 on 20 September 2016 from my Department, the RTB has set up a dedicated email address for this purpose, at OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie.
The RTB are continuously reviewing measures to improve their data collection on the rental market. At the Housing and Homelessness Summit, I announced a number of targeted measures aimed at sustaining tenancies, so that people facing difficulties in their tenancies do not end up in homelessness. One such measure is the requirement that landlords notify the RTB when they issue a notice of termination. This will facilitate a risk-based targeting of tenancy sustainment efforts and early responses to prevent homelessness, and provide for the development of more proactive LA actions thanks to direct sharing of data.
This measure will also mean that the RTB has complete information on tenancy terminations initiated by the landlord - a change from the current arrangements where the RTB becomes aware of terminations only where a dispute is referred to them. Work on this measure has commenced and changes will be implemented as a matter of priority.
