Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2022 regulate the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented sector and set out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, was established as an independent statutory body under the Acts to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants.

Section 16 of the Act obliges a tenant to pay any charges or taxes in accordance with the lease or tenancy agreement unless they are unlawful or contravene any other enactment. In general, the question of whether or not a tenant has to pay charges to a landlord depends on the terms of the lease or tenancy agreement. The amount of such charges, if applicable, is a matter to be agreed between landlord and tenant. Contract law governs such arrangements. The specific terms associated with an individual tenant's rights and obligations are likely to be set out in a written contract signed by both the tenant and the landlord.

Comprehensive information on rent reviews and on general tenancy matters is available on the RTB's website, www.rtb.ie. Where there is a disagreement regarding charges payable under a lease or tenancy, the tenant or landlord may refer a dispute to the RTB for resolution. The fundamental point is that if a lease was in place between a tenant and a landlord and the lease is changed, the landlord cannot bring in additional charges on the basis of the previous lease.

See this speech in context