Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response. There is a major problem in this area and some form of code of conduct is required to address it. While I accept that other issues arise in respect of the banks, a code of conduct is needed for the receivers who work on behalf of the banks. My party and Threshold are encountering cases where tenants have not had their leases renewed and maintenance and other issues connected with private rented dwellings are not being addressed. This is unfortunate. The receiver and banks should have a role to play in this regard. For example, the receiver could issue a letter to tenants guaranteeing their rents and providing a commitment that the lease will be continued. It is vital to have a code of conduct in place because people are being left at the mercy of landlords and financial institutions. While some of the financial institutions pull out all the stops and do everything possible to help, others are frustrating tenants, for example, by failing to inform them that a lease has expired, with the result that they are in danger of being put out on the streets. Tenants are being left in limbo. A code of practice must be introduced that encompasses all the financial institutions, the borrowers and the receivers who work on their behalf.

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