Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise. I have been at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. When it comes to landlords, I have experience of supporting a friend through the dispute resolution process to which Ms McCormick referred. The tenant involved was wrecking the house. The tenant had 44 fridges in the back garden, had broken the furniture and had done many other things. It took months to deal with. Even when we got to the RTB, because I supported my friend, and we produced photographs, it still ruled against the landlord. I accept that, in a situation where there are errant and difficult tenants, it is not fit for purpose and does not meet the needs. There is not compensation appropriate to compensate one-off landlords in particular. I agree in that instance. However, the vast majority of tenants are good tenants.

I have a concern about the current build-to-rent model. I know there is significant need for it. I completely support it, but on the other hand, I come from a constituency called Dublin South-Central, where pretty much every multi-unit development being built is build-to-rent, which has an effect on the property market, the sales and the lettings. I welcome views, particularly from IPAV, about the experience with that and its effects on the market.