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Rental Accommodation Standards

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2019

Tuesday, 5 March 2019

Ceisteanna (580, 581)

John Curran

Ceist:

580. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of rental property inspections carried out in each local authority in 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10432/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

John Curran

Ceist:

581. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the funding allocation for 2019 to be provided to local authorities to carry out rental property inspections; the number of rental inspections that will be carried out nationally in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10433/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 580 and 581 together.

The Strategy for the Rental Sector, published in December 2016, set out a series of measures to be introduced to ensure the quality of private rental accommodation by strengthening the applicable standards and improving the inspection and enforcement systems. On 1 July 2017, updated regulatory standards, the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2017, came into effect. These Regulations focus on tenant safety and include new measures covering heating appliances, carbon monoxide and window safety.  In August 2017, my Department published guidance to assist and support local authorities in implementing the new Regulations.

All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations and responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations rests with the relevant local authority.

Between 2005 and 2017, over €36 million has been paid to local authorities to assist them in the performance of their functions under the Housing Acts, including the inspection of rented accommodation. Over 224,000 inspections were carried out during this period.

The Rental Strategy recognises the need for additional resources to be provided to local authorities to aid increased inspections of properties and ensure greater compliance with the Regulations. Provision has been made for €4.5 million of Exchequer funding to be made available to local authorities in 2019 for this purpose, with the intention of providing further increases each year in the period to 2021 to facilitate a targeted inspection coverage of 25% of rental properties annually at that stage. 

Figures in relation to the number of inspections carried out by local authorities in 2018 are currently being collated by my Department and this information will be available on the Department's website by the end of quarter 1 2019.

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