Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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289. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on a matter (details supplied) in relation to the standards in rented accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61640/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical installations. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations. Responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations rests with the relevant local authority.

The purpose of Regulation 8 is to ensure that all houses are adequately ventilated and that all means of ventilation are maintained in good repair and working order.

There are three different types of ventilation strategies to provide adequate ventilation in a dwelling: natural ventilation with intermittent extract ventilation (the most common type), continuous mechanical extract ventilation (cMEV), and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR).

The Guidelines for Housing Authorities - Minimum Standards in Rented Accommodation issued by my Department in November 2021, outline the requirements under each of these strategies.

In respect of rented dwellings with natural ventilation with intermittent extract ventilation the Guidelines provide guidance on minimum requirements in kitchens, bathrooms and habitable rooms, as follows:

Kitchens:

The room containing a kitchen (of more than 6.5m²in floor area) has a wall or window ventilation opening.

The ventilation opening must have a minimum sectional area of 6500mm² and opening directly to the external air.

The room containing a kitchen (of more than 6.5m² in floor area) must have an openable window section or door directly to external air. In a kitchen of less than 6.5 m²in area, which does not contain an openable window to the external air, the mechanical extract ventilation should include an automatic 15 minutes over-run and provision should be made for air supply via a 10mm gap under the door or equivalent.

Bathrooms:

In each bathroom / water closet cubicle, where there is no openable window there must be a mechanical extraction vent unobstructed or passive stack vent with humidity control, in working order. The mechanical extraction vent must have 15 minutes overrun and include provision for air supply by means of a 10 mm gap under the door or equivalent.

Habitable Rooms:

In each habitable room there must be an openable external window / door.

The openable section of the window/door must be a minimum of 1/20th of the floor area.

In each habitable room there should be a wall or window ventilation opening.

In each habitable room the wall / window ventilation opening must be unobstructed.

The ventilation opening must provide a minimum sectional area of 6500mm²and opening to the external air.

Regulation 9 ensures that all habitable rooms have natural lighting and that all rooms have an adequate means of artificial lighting. It is not necessary under the Regulations that halls, stairs and landings have natural lighting but they should have adequate artificial lighting. For safety reasons, all multi-unit buildings must be provided with emergency lighting in all common areas.

Further information can be found in the Guidelines on my Department's website at:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/2c979-guidelines-for-housing-authorities-minimum-standards-in-rented-accommodation/