Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Strategy for the Rental Sector, published last December, recognises that the quality of rental accommodation is critical to the success and sustainability of the residential rental sector and its attractiveness as a long-term accommodation option for households. A key commitment in the strategy was to review the regulations governing minimum standards in rented accommodation to bring them into line with modern requirements. That review has been completed and, on 27 January, I signed the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2017. These new regulations will come into operation generally on 1 July 2017, replacing the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008 and the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) (Amendment) Regulations 2009.

All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure their rented properties comply with the regulations. Responsibility for enforcement of the regulations rests with the relevant local authority. The findings and recommendations of the National Oversight and Audit Commission’s report, Rented Houses Inspections - A Review of Local Authority Performance of Private Rented Houses Regulations Functions, were carefully considered in the development of the strategy and have informed the actions put forward. The inspection capacity of local authorities will be strengthened to increase the number and frequency of inspections.  In addition to the updated regulations, procedures for a more efficient, standardised and transparent inspections and enforcement approach across all local authority areas will be introduced. Specific ring-fenced funding for inspections will be provided from 2018 onwards, with the aim of achieving a 25% annual inspection coverage of rental properties by 2021.

There is an acceptance that there is a problem that needs to be resolved. Different local authorities have very different levels of performance in terms of enforcing standards and inspections. We are putting funding in place to try to correct that.

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