Colm Burke (Fine Gael)

I, too, welcome the Minister of State and wish him well in office. The issue I raise is in respect of the failure of a large number of landlords to register properties with the Private Residential Tenancies Board. This information has emerged as a result of a survey of a large number of properties carried out by Cork University Residents Forum. The survey found that up to 60% of private rented accommodation in the area around University College Cork and Cork Institute of Technology were not registered with the Private Residential Tenancies Board. Of the private rented accommodation occupied by tenants in the area, only 57% was found to be occupied. I understand that on 4 October 2011 representatives of the Private Residential Tenancies Board, appearing before the Joint Committee on the Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht, confirmed that 37% of landlords in receipt of rent supplement are not registered with the board. This means that, based on figures issued by the Department of Social Protection on 16 January 2012, the Department is paying out approximately €185 million per annum to landlords who are not legally registered.

The survey by the Cork University Residents Forum found that of 610 houses in the Mardyke area of the city, 233 were occupied by permanent residents, that is, homeowners, 152 were private properties registered with the Private Residential Tenancies Board and 235 were rented properties which were not registered with the board. This means 60% of private rented properties in the area were not registered. Another area, Wilton Court near Cork University Hospital, has 105 houses with 26 permanent residents. Some 45 are registered and 31 are not registered.

It surveyed a total of 1,336 houses. Some 395 were owner-occupied, 531 were registered and 413 were not registered. Of 944 houses in the rental market surveyed, 413 were not registered. This is a very high figure.

What action do we propose to take to deal with this? Should rents be paid, especially if they are being paid by a Department or a local authority, if the landlord is not registered? Should the law be clearly implemented if the landlord is not registered? Should there be an audit of houses identified as not being registered? Should the Revenue Commissioners carry out an audit to see if proper returns are being made to them?

Another issue which arose in its examination of documentation with the PRTB was incorrect addresses being registered with the board. The properties registered were not easily identifiable. A further problem it found was that a number of properties were registered more than once. For instance, it found that one property - St. Joseph's, Bendemeer Park, Magazine Road - was registered on five occasions. There is much incorrect information with the PRTB.

Action needs to be taken. If there is a need for amending legislation to be brought in, now is the time to look at it. The PRTB admitted that 37% of landlords in receipt of rent supplement were not registered. We should deal with this matter as soon as possible.