Results 2,921-2,940 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: 453. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the ongoing closure of a service (details supplied); if plans are in place to support clients during this closure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53512/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: I am going to take the next slot. I have a simple question for the three groups. Do they think this legislation will lead to a lot of tenants purchasing their properties?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: This is probably a question for the IPAV or the IPOA. Do they find generally that if a landlord has decided to get out of the job, for whatever reason he or she may have, they prefer to sell the house when it is vacant rather than with the tenant in place?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: I understand the whole chain that goes on when people move.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: In the witnesses' experience of that process, they have to serve what is sometimes quite a lengthy notice to quit-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: -----and then that might not end quite at that timeline. Then they have to decorate the house and get the estate agent and maybe there are three or four months of sales and bids and dropouts. There is a period of time there where there is no rent coming in and there are expenses, estate agent fees, etc. Would certain landlords view this as being quite a straightforward transaction in that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: Of course they could. There is nothing to prevent-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: Yes. We had various groups in that deal with homelessness, and I think Threshold was present then as well. I remember the tenant in situproposals we had whereby the local authority can purchase if it is a HAP or RAS tenancy or there is cost rental opportunity with the Housing Agency for someone who is slightly over that threshhold. Then there is this one, where somebody privately renting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: How then is it detrimental to a landlord on the other side of it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: Mr. Kennedy says the situation does not add any benefit to a tenant, what is the other side of it? How is it detrimental to a landlord?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: The tenant is going to make them an offer based on valuations.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: If that is the way it is, then what is the concern with this?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: One might not necessarily need an agent in this situation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: Let us say this is a one-to-one arrangement between the tenant and the landlord. A marketing agent may not be needed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: I must move on, but I have a very brief question for Threshold. Does it come across many situations where a landlord served a notice to quit because they are selling and then maybe six or eight months later that property has not been sold and is now rented again? What kind of follow-up is done on that, if any, and how does the law sit on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: How many cases of compensation being awarded would Ms O'Reilly say there have been in the last while?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: She is aware of compensation being paid in those situations.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: Of course.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Murtagh. Deputy O'Callaghan is next.