Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and commend her on her work. The introduction of minimum standards and obligations for the private-rented sector is to be expected. I welcome the ongoing drive to secure standards as the four-year phasing-in period that has been allowed for existing rented accommodation under the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008 expires. On 1 February, we said "Goodbye" to the original bedsit which is a good development. Rented accommodation will also be required to have fixed heating appliances controlled by the tenants in every room, another basic standard. The new regulations reflect the requirements of a modern and much more complicated renting market. Senator Power alluded to this and I know many of my peers own properties which they are renting out.

I commend Dublin City Council for its positive record in enforcing the regulations. It initiated 40 prosecutions in 2012 under them. There is a major imbalance in liability for property tax, however. As Senator Wilson pointed out, landlords have paid the NPPR in March 2012, will have to pay the property tax in July 2013 and a subsequent water tax in 2014. While it is to be welcomed that the local property tax is a tax deductible expense, it is not proposed to provide legislative backing for this immediately but introduce it on a phased basis, according to the Minister for Finance. We need to address the balancing of rights between landlord and tenant in this regard in a more holistic way. Landlords are perceived to be wealthy but most people now realise - or should realise - that they are in a worse financial position than the tenant with many just trying to keep their heads above water. As Senator Ó Domhnaill said, many of them are in loss-making positions and suggested they hand back the keys. The banks do not want the properties as they will have to find a way to make the property work. Ultimately, everyone loses.

While I commend the Minister of State for her work and welcome the regulations, we need a much holistic approach to the current private-rented sector.