Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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645. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if an exemption will be considered for a sheltered housing service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9537/19]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2016 regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants.

The Residential Tenancies Acts apply to dwellings let by approved housing bodies (AHBs) to social housing tenants since 7 April 2016, making the RTB dispute resolution service available to the sector and providing tenancy protections.

The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2018, which was published on 19 December 2018, contains amendments to enhance the rental data to be provided to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), including provision for the annual registration of tenancies. The aim is to gather more accurate and detailed tenancy and rental data on an annual basis to improve the information available to assist with policy formulation in the residential rental sector. Sections 15 and 16 of the Bill amend sections 137 and 137A of the Residential Tenancies Act, respectively, and provide for the RTB to charge fees, without exemptions, for annual registrations of tenancies - including a €40 fee per tenancy registration by private providers and €20 per tenancy registration by an AHB. Under the new annual registration requirements, a fee can only be charged in respect of the same dwelling once per year and a discounted single registration fee (€170 for a private landlord, €85 for an AHB landlord) can be applied where the same landlord registers not more than 10 tenancies of dwellings comprised in the same property.

The key change from the existing registration fees is that AHBs will be charged fees that are half those applicable to private providers – currently, all landlords pay the same registration fee. The reduction in AHB fees is proposed in recognition of the public service that they provide in meeting the housing needs of those in receipt of social housing supports, and of AHBs' charitable (or similar) status.