Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 8:

In page 5, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following: “(f) by the insertion of the following after subsection (5B):

“(5C) A dispute between a landlord who seeks to rely on subsection (5) and a tenant as to the appropriate increase in rent following upon a substantial change in the nature of the accommodation provided under the tenancy may be referred to the Board for resolution under section 76.”,”.

I am conscious that we have not dispatched many amendments so I expect and intend to be brief. This amendment is, in our view, a reasonable one. I hope the Minister of State will accept it. Essentially, it is drawn from what is known as the renters' rights Bill, which was moved on Second Stage and debated here a number of weeks ago in the name of Deputy Bacik. It provides that if a landlord justifies rent increases due to what he or she terms substantial renovations and so on and there is a dispute about that, the dispute can be referred to the RTB. The RTB should have the function to be able to adjudicate on disputes of that nature. Inevitably, disputes will arise regarding the value and quality of renovation and whether or not consequent rent increases proposed by a landlord are justified. There is a requirement for transparency around this, for a rationale to be provided by a landlord and for the function of adjudication to applied to the RTB on matters of this nature.

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