Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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440. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the policy recommended in a report by a company (details supplied) that all rented accommodations should be certified. [8217/16]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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441. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to amend legislation to compel private landlords to be responsible for the certification of compliance for each of their rental properties. [8218/16]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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442. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the introduction of a policy where landlords would provide a certificate confirming their compliance with rental accommodation standards, before registering with the Private Residencial Tenancies Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8219/16]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 440 to 442, inclusive, together.

The 2014 report from DKM Economic Consultants, The Future of the Private Rented Sector(commissioned by the PRTB), put forward a number of options in relation to improving the quality of the rental stock. These include:

- improving the enforcement of standards by local authorities by prioritising those properties more likely to be in breach of the required standards, and

- in time, moving to a model where there would be a responsibility on the landlord to produce a certificate of compliance every three years.

The report also included a recommendation in relation to certification of properties and I believe there is merit in the proposal over the medium term. In the immediate term it is my intention to promote best practice in implementing the existing regulatory framework across all local authority areas.

The regulations underpinning the enforcement of standards will be reviewed this year. Options for driving improvement in standards and configuring the enforcement system most effectively, including the potential role of certification and a shared services approach, will be considered as part of the review. It is envisaged that this process will complement a review of the implementation by local authorities of the existing Regulations that is presently being carried out by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC), with the findings of both reviews informing future policy in terms of best practice/shared services application.