Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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633. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of the 17,916 HAP tenancies signed in 2017 that are still in existence and the number broken by landlords, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2969/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) supported tenancies are agreed between the landlord and the tenant; the local authority is not a party to the tenancy and has no role in its agreement. There is no limitation placed by the scheme on the length of tenancy that can be supported by HAP. However, as with other private rental tenancies, the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as amended) governs the relationship between landlord and tenant and the length of the tenancy is a matter that must be agreed between the landlord and tenant in that context. My Department does not hold information in relation to the length of individual tenancies.

An analysis of data to end 2017 is not yet available.  However, data available at the end of Q3 2017 indicates that during the period Q1-Q3 2017 2,250 HAP tenancies had ceased. This includes tenant led exits; compliance exits; transfers to other forms of social housing and also landlord exits.

 In cases where a HAP supported tenancy comes to an end, the tenant can find alternative accommodation and retain their eligibility for HAP support or the local authority may decide to offer another form of social housing support to the tenant in accordance with their scheme of letting priorities.

On 19 September 2017, I announced a number of improvements to the rental market as part of the rolling review of Rebuilding Ireland. One such change is that the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) will be given additional powers and resources to take on a regulatory responsibility in the rental sector over the next two years. Changes needed in legislation and in the Board’s financing arrangements will be addressed and a two-year change management plan will be implemented, on foot of which the RTB will become the sector’s regulator. It will be an offence to implement rent increases that contravene the law and the RTB will be given the powers to investigate and prosecute landlords who implement such increases. The onus will no longer be exclusively on the tenant.