Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Stanton for raising this issue, which I have come across in the course of my work as a Deputy and a Minister of State. The Deputy is correct: there are issues which affect those on both sides. It is important that we send out the message at all times that the PRTB is there to achieve the right result and that it is not there to favour tenants or landlords.

I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Coffey, who cannot be present. The PRTB was established under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to operate a tenancy registration system and resolve disputes between landlords and tenants. The PRTB replaces the courts for the vast majority of landlord and tenant disputes. For a fee of €25, parties to a dispute can apply to it for mediation or adjudication services. If either of the parties to a dispute is unhappy with the decision of an adjudicator, they can appeal it to the tenancy tribunal within 21 days of the date of receiving the decision. An adjudication decision that is not appealed to the tribunal within 21 days will become a binding determination order of the PRTB. In instances of non-compliance, parties can request enforcement of such orders through the courts.

Demand for the PRTB's services has increased significantly in recent years, reflecting the sizable growth in the private rented sector. The sector doubled in size in the 2006 to 2011 inter-census period, from 9.5% to 19.5% of the overall residential market. Census 2011 recorded 308,750 households in the private rented sector. This has driven a sustained increase in demand for the PRTB's services. In that context, dispute services have increased by 73% since 2008, when 1,650 requests for dispute resolution were received. In 2013 some 2,861 such requests were received. This is a sizeable increase. Enforcement requests have increased by 305% since 2008. There were some 100 requests in that year compared to 405 in 2013. Tenancy registration has increased from 206,054 in 2008 to 282,918 in 2013, a rise of 37%. The Deputy requested some other figures which I do not have in my possession. However, I will obtain the relevant information, if possible, and forward it to him shortly.

The board has responded to the challenges presented by the increased demand to which I refer by pursuing a programme of outsourcing, shared services and improved ICT systems. An online registration system was launched in November 2010 and online dispute management services were introduced in 2012. The outsourcing of the registration function at the end of 2012 has allowed the PRTB to focus on its quasi-judicial processes - adjudication, mediation and tribunals - and on the enforcement of registration and determination orders. I will also obtain the figures relating to determination orders for the Deputy.

In addition to these efficiency measures, legislative changes are in train in support of the work of the PRTB. Among the main issues addressed by the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, currently before the Seanad, are the separation of the governance and quasi-judicial functions of the PRTB and the delivery of the programme for Government commitment to establish a deposit protection scheme. The Minister is confident that these legislative changes will allow the board to continue to discharge its statutory obligations in an independent, fair and efficient manner.

The Deputy also raised the issue of the timelines. The PRTB reduced the average adjudication time from some 18 months in 2008 to seven months in 2013, and we understand that the time has been reduced further in 2014. I accept that the timeline is not short enough in some cases but it is certainly improving a lot.

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