Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 March 2022
355. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of properties approved for HAP tenancies in breach of the minimum standards and fire safety set by the Residential Tenancies Board, since 2015. [11302/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these Regulations. Responsibility for enforcement of the Regulations rests with the relevant local authority.
The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is underpinned by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. Under section 41 of the 2014 Act, local authorities are required to commence the inspection process within 8 months of HAP support being provided in relation to a particular dwelling, if the dwelling was not already inspected within the previous 12 months. Local authorities carry out HAP inspections as part of their overall private rented inspections programme.
The information requested in respect of the number of HAP properties inspected found to be non-compliant and the number followed-up subsequently is not specifically reported by local authorities to my Department.
Annual data in respect of all private rental 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/.
