Thomas Gould
Ceist:230. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of cost rental homes to be delivered in Cork in 2024. [45736/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraHousing Provision
Ceisteanna (230)
Freagraí scríofa
Housing for All sets out the range of actions necessary to increase the supply of housing out to 2030, including 54,000 affordable homes for purchase and rent. These homes will be delivered by Local Authorities, Approved Housing Bodies, the Land Development Agency, through the First Home Scheme, and by bringing vacant homes back into use. Significant public funding is being made available to support all of these delivery streams.
Local Authorities have published 5-year Housing Delivery Action Plans setting out affordable housing delivery targets up to 2026. Both Cork City and Cork County Council have set out plans to deliver 378 and 189 affordable homes respectively over this period. This Local Authority delivery does not include additional affordable homes that will be delivered by the LDA, AHBs, and the First Home Scheme, and via the higher Part V requirements introduced in the Affordable Housing Act 2021. The Delivery Action Plans for both Cork City and Cork County can be found on the respective Council websites.
AHBs have so far delivered 105 homes in Cork City with funding from my Department’s Cost Rental Equity Loan scheme, and I have approved CREL funding for another 51 AHB Cost Rental homes for delivery next year in Cork City. Further details, along with the advertisement for applications, will be announced closer to delivery.
I have also approved 5 Local Authority affordable housing projects in Cork County to assist with the delivery of 111 Cost Rental homes with support from the Affordable Housing Fund. This includes the 10 Cost Rental homes advertised recently in Bantry.
Additionally, the Land Development Agency, via Project Tosaigh, is advancing the delivery of over 300 homes in Cork City that are scheduled for completion in 2025. I understand that consideration is being given by the LDA to the appropriate mix of cost rental and affordable purchase homes.
My Department and I continue to work closely with Local Authorities, AHBs, and the LDA to develop pipelines for delivery of affordable homes across the country, including Cork City and County.
Local Authorities
Ceisteanna (231)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:231. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding provided to Cork City Council for CPO, in each of the years 2020 to date. [45737/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In April 2023, I launched the CPO Activation Programme requiring a proactive and systematic approach by local authorities to identify vacant and derelict properties and engage with owners to bring those properties back into use. This includes the use of compulsory purchase powers by local authorities to actively use their legislative powers to acquire vacant and derelict properties, where engagement with owners has been unsuccessful. While Local authorities are empowered under a number of statutes to acquire land, by agreement or compulsorily, for the purposes of performing any of its functions, the number of derelict sites acquired within their functional area under the provisions of the Derelict Sites Act 1990 (the Act) are submitted to my Department as part of the annual return on the operation of the Act.
The number of sites specifically acquired under the Act by Cork City Council, both by way of Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) or by agreement, since 2020 is provided in the Table below.
|
Year |
No. of Derelict Sites acquired by agreement |
No. of Derelict Sites acquired compulsorily |
|
2023 |
0 |
6 |
|
2022 |
0 |
5 |
|
2021 |
0 |
0 |
|
2020 |
1 |
0 |
|
Total |
1 |
11 |
In January 2023, a third round of funding support under the Urban Regeneration Development Fund was announced. Supporting key objectives of Housing for All and Town Centre First, this round of URDF support specifically addresses long term vacancy and dereliction across URDF eligible cities and town.
This is being achieved through the provision of a €150m revolving fund for local authorities to acquire long term vacant or derelict properties. The fund will be replenished from the proceeds of sale allowing local authorities to establish a rolling programme to tackle long-term vacancy and dereliction without a requirement for borrowing and the associated financial risk.
There were three key criteria for the first round of property approvals, onto Local Authority’s Approved Programmes:
• Existing building (sites were not approved)
• Town centre zoned
• Expected to yield residential end-use
• Cork City Council were allocated €6 million under Call 3 of the URDF to address derelict and vacant properties in the city, with €1,200,000 (20%) in pre-funding issued to the Council to encourage early activity under the programme. The Council have 59 properties on their approved programme, 3 of which have been acquired by compulsory purchase and the process to purchase by CPO has commenced on a further 2 properties.
Local Authorities
Ceisteanna (232)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:232. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of funding provided to Cork City Council for housing maintenance, in each of the years 2019 to date. [45738/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carry out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulation, 2019.
Notwithstanding the legal obligation on local authorities to manage and maintain their own stock, my Department does provide annual funding support to local authorities for management and maintenance under a number of funding programmes.
Under the Voids Programme, my Department has supported local authorities in refurbishing vacant social homes and returning them to productive use. Since 2014 Cork City Council has received funding of €27,193,569 million to support the return to productive use of 1,624 properties under this programme.
Under the Energy Efficiency Programme, my Department funds the carrying out of retrofitting works to local authority dwellings. Over the period 2013 to 2023 over 7,491 units of social housing stock have been retrofitted by Cork City Council with a total exchequer spend of €26,675,322 million under the scheme.
Under the Disabled Person Grant Scheme, my Department funds local authorities in carrying out necessary adaptation works to local authority properties to cater for the needs of elderly and disabled tenants and families living in overcrowded conditions in local authority properties. Since 2011 my Department has provided funding of €16,868,630 million to Cork City under this programme.
Under the Regeneration Scheme, my Department funds programmes of estate regeneration in a number of targeted areas around the country. This programme focuses on the remediation and upgrade of existing local authority homes within defined areas of disadvantage and can also provide for some new homes as part of the overall regeneration plan for the area. Cork City Council has a regeneration programme ‘Cork Northwest Quarter Regeneration Programme’ concentrated within the Knocknaheeny area of the city. Since 2019 to the end of 2023 my Department has provided funding of €28 million to Cork City Council under this programme. Further projects within this regeneration area are in the pipeline.
My Department has provided funding of almost €100 million to Cork City Council under the above stock improvement schemes. However, work is ongoing with the local authority sector, through the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) to drive a planned maintenance approach to the maintenance of local authority housing stock. This will see circa 150,000 local authority social housing properties surveyed to determine their condition so as to inform future work programmes and ensure the available funding is spent in a strategic and focussed way.
My Department will continue to fund local authorities for stock improvement works but it is also important that local authorities increasingly seek to move to a position whereby all rents being received are spent on the proper management and maintenance of the local authority housing stock.
Housing Schemes
Ceisteanna (233, 235, 237, 240)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:233. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of applicants for rebuilding Ireland home loans, local authority home loans from Cork; the total number that have been successful; the total number that have been refused; the average time from application to decision, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45745/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Sorca Clarke
Ceist:235. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of applicants for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan, local authority home loans from Longford and Westmeath; the total number that have been successful; the total number that have been refused, the average time from application to decision, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45778/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Pa Daly
Ceist:237. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of applicants for the Rebuilding Ireland home loans, local authority home loans from Kerry; the total number that have been successful; the total number that have been refused; the average time from application to decision, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45835/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraPa Daly
Ceist:240. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of applicants for Rebuilding Ireland home loans, local authority home loans from Kerry; the total number that have been successful; the total number that have been refused; the average time from application to decision, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45839/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 233, 235, 237 and 240 together.
The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage for creditworthy for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It replaced the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build.
Applications for a Local Authority Home Loan [and its predecessor the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan] are made through the individual Local Authorities and the final decision on loan approval is a matter for the relevant local authority and its Credit Committee on a case-by-case basis. Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the Regulations establishing the scheme and the Credit Policy that underpins the scheme, in order to ensure prudence and consistency in approaches in the best interests of both borrowers and the lenders, the local authorities.
The Housing Agency provides a central underwriting service that assesses valid applications for the Local Authority Home Loan on behalf of local authorities and makes recommendations to local authorities to approve or refuse applications.
The most recent figures provided by the Agency on the number of valid applications that it has assessed for both the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan from 2018 to 2022 and the Local Authority Home Loan from 2022 to end September 2024 are set out in the below table:
|
Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan |
Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan |
Local Authority Home Loan |
Local Authority Home Loan |
|
|
Local Authority |
Applications Assessed |
Recommended to Approve |
Applications Assessed |
Recommended to Approve |
|
Cork City Council |
478 |
208 |
210 |
78 |
|
Cork County Council |
864 |
413 |
477 |
181 |
|
Kerry County Council |
372 |
138 |
124 |
38 |
|
Longford County Council |
137 |
66 |
92 |
51 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
122 |
72 |
81 |
37 |
My Department publishes information on the number and value of (i) local authority loan approvals and (ii) local authority loan drawdowns. Local authority approval means that an official letter of offer has been sent to a borrower (and therefore relates to a specific property and loan amount). Information on drawdowns, approvals, average drawdowns, and average approvals for Local Authority Home Loans [and its predecessor] are available on my Department’s website at the following link, which is updated as soon as figures are available:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/42d2f-local-authority-loan-activity/#local-authority-loans-approvedpaid
Information on average processing time in each Local Authority is not collected by my Department.
Question No. 234 answered with Question No. 229.
Question No. 235 answered with Question No. 233.
Housing Provision
Ceisteanna (236)
Matt Carthy
Ceist:236. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the Government targets and outturn for delivering social and affordable houses in County Monaghan in each of the years 2020 to date; the target for 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45808/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under Housing for All, each local authority was required to prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan. This Plan sets out details of both social and affordable housing delivery as appropriate over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set under Housing for All. Monaghan County Council's Plan has been published on its own website at this link: monaghan.ie/housing/housing-for-all/pdf-monaghan-housing-delivery-action-plan-templates-16052022/.
Support from the Affordable Housing Fund is available to all local authorities to deliver affordable purchase and cost rental homes where an affordable housing need is evidenced. Approvals for funding are now in place to support delivery of over 4,300 affordable homes by 21 local authorities. Monaghan have not applied for AHF assistance to date, however Department officials met with the Monaghan County Council housing delivery team to outline how the Affordable Housing Fund is available to address such needs where identified.
My Department, in conjunction with the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office of the Local Government Management Association and the Housing Agency, is available to advise and support local authorities in responding effectively to localised affordability needs.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis on social and affordable housing delivery activity in each local authority. This data is available to the end of Q2 2024 and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website at the following link: gov.ie - Overall social and affordable housing provision (www.gov.ie)
Finally, Government has recently approved new national housing targets up to the year 2030. 303,000 homes will be delivered in the period from 2025 to 2030, equating to an annual average of 50,500 homes, building up to 60,000 in 2030. The revised targets were informed by research and modelling by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) on population projections and long-run housing demand, which was published during the summer.
The revised national housing targets will inform the revision to existing social and affordable housing targets at a local authority level. Work is ongoing in this regard.
Question No. 237 answered with Question No. 233.
Vacant Properties
Ceisteanna (238, 241)
Pa Daly
Ceist:238. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has invited Kerry Council to make an application for the vacant properties (voids) programme; if such an application has been submitted; the total amount of funding his Department proposes to allocate to the authority; the expected timeframe for release of the funding; the number of units this funding will cover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45836/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraPa Daly
Ceist:241. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has invited Kerry Council to make an application for the vacant properties (voids) programme; if such an application has been submitted; the total amount of funding his Department proposes to allocate to the authority; the expected timeframe for release of the funding; the number of units this funding will cover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45840/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 238 and 241 together.
The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966.
Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 2019. Local authority officials and elected members have a very important role to play in this regard by making adequate budgetary provision for housing repairs and cyclical maintenance utilising the significant housing rental income available to them as part of the annual budgetary process.
Notwithstanding the legal obligation on local authorities, I have approved €31 million in funding under the Planned Maintenance/Voids Programme this year. Of this, Kerry County Council has been allocated €759,000 for the remediation of 69 dwellings. Also, a further €153,341 has been provided to the local authority for Planned Maintenance works.
My Department has received a submission from Kerry County Council under this Programme, with the selection of these properties a matter for the individual local authority.
Work in relation to the 2024 programme is ongoing and full details in relation to delivery under the 2024 Planned Maintenance/Voids Programme will be available early in 2025.
Rental Sector
Ceisteanna (239, 242)
Pa Daly
Ceist:239. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of mortgage to rent applications to date in 2024 through approved housing bodies, local authorities and Home for Life, respectively. [45837/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraPa Daly
Ceist:242. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of mortgage to rent applications to date in 2024 through approved housing bodies, local authorities and Home for Life, respectively. [45841/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 242 together.
The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme was introduced in 2012. It offers households with acute, unsustainable mortgage arrears who have little or no prospect of a significant change in circumstances, the chance to surrender a property to a lender and in turn become a social housing tenant whilst staying in their own home and community.
The table below sets out the number of mortgage to rent applications completed from Home for Life, other private providers, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) and local authorities from the start of 2024 to the end of September 2024.
|
MTR applications completed by Home for Life |
76 |
|
MTR applications completed by other Private Providers |
2 |
|
MTR applications completed by AHBs |
37 |
|
Local Authority MTR applications completed |
7 |
The Housing Agency publishes, on a quarterly basis, detailed statistical information on the operation of the MTR scheme, which can be accessed on The Housing Agency's website at the following link: www.housingagency.ie/housing-information/mortgage-rent-statistics
Question No. 240 answered with Question No. 233.
Question No. 241 answered with Question No. 238.
Question No. 242 answered with Question No. 239.
Vacant Sites
Ceisteanna (243)
Pa Daly
Ceist:243. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total amount collected by Kerry County Council, in the vacant sites levy since the levy was established, by year, in tabular form. [45842/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Local authorities are required to submit an annual return to my Department providing information on the implementation of the vacant site levy under the provisions of the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 in their functional areas. The most recent information provided by Kerry County Council in this regard is provided in the attached tables.
Under the provisions of the Act, local authorities are required to maintain a vacant site register in respect of properties deemed to be vacant sites in their respective functional areas. Under the Act, the register shall be kept at the offices of the planning authority and be available for inspection at the offices of the planning authority during office hours and on the planning authority’s website.
Further information to follow.
Vacant Properties
Ceisteanna (244)
Pa Daly
Ceist:244. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of WTE vacant homes officers employed, by local authority, in tabular form. [45843/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing housing stock is a key priority for Government, as set out in Pathway 4 of Housing for All.
The Vacant Homes Action Plan, which I launched in January 2023, outlines the significant progress that has been made in addressing vacancy, along with the actions that are being pursued to return vacant properties back into use as homes. Earlier this year, I launched the Vacant Homes Action Plan, Progress Report April 2024 which sets out what has been achieved in 2023 and the further steps that will be taken in 2024.
All 31 local authorities now have a full time, dedicated VHO in place.
VHOs across local authorities are supported in their work by the Vacant Homes Unit in my Department, which provides information and support and facilitates dissemination of information and best practice, including through the VHO Network.
In addition my Department has provided funding of €180,000 to support each local authority in their administration of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant Scheme.
While my Department has a role in strategic workforce planning within the local government sector, Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible.
Fire Service
Ceisteanna (245)
Rose Conway-Walsh
Ceist:245. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding allocated to Mayo County Council for fire services in each of the years 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form. [45979/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects.
In December 2020, I announced the Fire Services Capital Programme for the period 2021-2025, with a funding allocation of €61m. Following extensive engagement with fire authorities, a number of proposals for station works etc. were received. The proposals were evaluated and prioritised on the basis of the:
• Area Risk Categorisation of the fire station (population, fire risks, etc.);
• established Health and Safety needs;
• state of development of the project (suitable site acquired, etc.);
• value for money offered by the proposal; and
• the totality of requests from all authorities.
The 2021 - 2025 Programme was projected to see six new fire stations built, continued support for the construction of a further 12 new fire stations, nine fire station refurbishments as well as the allocation of 35 new fire appliances.
Continued investment in the fire appliance fleet has been identified as a key national priority that is why, in October 2023, I announced the allocation of an additional 40 new fire appliances at a cost of €20.8m. From this new framework Mayo County Council has been allocated a further two new Class B fire appliances.
For the 2021 – 2025 Fire Services Capital Programme Mayo County Council had prioritised a new fire station project for Crossmolina. I had the pleasure to open the new Crossmolina fire station in November 2023. My Department has also supported Mayo County Council with the recent refurbishment of the Western Regional Control Centre in Castlebar. The annual tabulated figures requested are below; it should be noted that Mayo County Council are projected to submit a further €630,000 in approved cost recoupment claims before year end.
My Department will continue to work closely with Mayo County Council to progress the funding of priority projects as identified by them, from the Fire Services Capital Programme.
|
Year |
Payments to Mayo Fire Authority |
|
2024 (to date) |
€447,054 |
|
2023 |
€1,582,003 |
|
2022 |
€1,617,284 |
Housing Provision
Ceisteanna (246)
Rose Conway-Walsh
Ceist:246. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the proposed social and affordable housing construction which is planned for County Mayo over the next five years; and the locations of this social and affordable housing. [45981/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
My Department publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR), which provides details of social housing developments and their location that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes.
The most recent publication was for Quarter 2 2024. All Construction Status Reports are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/
A version of the CSR file can also be downloaded for analysis by local authority, location etc. at this link: data.gov.ie/dataset/social-housing-construction-status-report-q2-2024
Under Housing for All, each local authority was required to prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan. This Plan sets out details of both social and affordable housing delivery as appropriate over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set under Housing for All. Mayo County Council's Plan has been published on their own website at the following link: www.mayo.ie/en-ie/your-council/services/housing-services/social-housing/housing-delivery-action-plan
Support from the Affordable Housing Fund is available to all local authorities to deliver affordable purchase and cost rental homes where an affordable housing need is evidenced. Approvals for funding are now in place to support delivery of over 4,300 affordable homes by 21 local authorities. Mayo County Council has Affordable Housing Fund approval to support the delivery of 13 affordable purchase homes at Springcourt, Westport.
My Department, in conjunction with the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office of the Local Government Management Association and the Housing Agency, is available to advise and support local authorities in responding effectively to localised affordability needs.
Rental Sector
Ceisteanna (247)
Bernard Durkan
Ceist:247. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the options available to a landlord in a situation where a tenant who refuses to pay or in any way cooperate with the landlord, who has afforded him/her every opportunity to improve his housing situation, given that a particular landlord may suffer as a result of the refusal of the tenant to cooperate; whether homeless accommodation might be made available to such a tenant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46033/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as a quasi-judicial, independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2024 (the RTA) to facilitate the resolution of residential tenancy disputes and operate a national tenancy registration system. A dispute may be referred to the RTB under Part 6 of the RTA - please see www.rtb.ie for information on the RTB's dispute resolution service.
Section 67 of the RTA provides the required procedures and notice periods for a landlord to terminate, for any reason, a non Part 4 tenancy (i.e. a tenancy that not existed for six continuous months, without a valid notice of termination having been served) and for where the landlord wishes to terminate any tenancy by reason of the failure of the tenant to comply with any of the obligations of the tenancy; for example, by not paying the rent or engaging in anti-social behaviour.
Section 34 of the RTA provides that a landlord must state a reason for the termination in any notice of termination (NoT) served in respect of a ‘Part 4 tenancy’ and section 66 of the RTA provides for the minimum termination notice periods to terminate a Part 4 tenancy where there is no breach of tenancy obligations. An NoT in respect of a Part 4 tenancy will not be valid unless it is served on one or more of the following stated reasons/grounds:
• the tenant has failed to comply with the obligations (other than the obligation to pay rent) of the tenancy;
• the tenant has failed to comply with the obligation to pay rent under the tenancy;
• the dwelling is no longer suited to the needs of the occupying household;
• the landlord intends to sell the dwelling within the next 9 months;
• the landlord requires the dwelling for own or family member occupation;
• vacant possession is required for substantial refurbishment of the dwelling;
• the landlord intends to change the use of the dwelling.
To lawfully terminate a tenancy on grounds of rent arrears, the RTA requires that a landlord must first serve the tenant with a written warning notice, and copy it to the RTB, seeking payment of the amount of rent arrears within 28 days of receipt of the notice. Where the rent arrears are not so paid, the landlord may serve a 28 day NoT on the tenant on the grounds of rent arrears and copy it to the RTB; if not so copied, the NoT is invalid.
Upon receipt of a rent arrears warning notice, the RTA requires the RTB to provide information to enable the tenant to get advice from the Money and Budgeting Advice Service (MABS), and to help the tenant to get such advice, if the tenant so wishes. The RTB is also required to provide tenancy information to both the tenant and the landlord upon receipt of a notice of termination grounded on rent arrears. The objective is to ensure that early action is taken to address rent arrears, to the benefit of both the tenant and the landlord.
Tenants are required to observe the normal terms and conditions of their lease/tenancy agreement including paying rent to their landlord and, in the event of tenants having difficulty doing so, they are encouraged to engage with their landlords at the earliest opportunity. They should also engage with the MABS and the Department of Social Protection as income supports, such as Rent Supplement, may be available to assist them.
When landlords, tenants and third parties bring disputes to the RTB through mediation, adjudication or tribunal, they receive a legally binding Determination Order, which, if not complied with, can be enforced through the District Court. The RTB prioritises cases involving rent arrears. The operation of the RTA and the residential rental market is kept under constant review by my Department to ensure that the legislation is fit for purpose.
My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of emergency accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual local authorities.
Under the Housing Act 1988, it is a matter for each local authority to determine whether a person is regarded as homeless; section 2 of the Act sets out the requirements in this regard. When a household has been assessed as homeless, section 10 of the Housing Act 1988 provides that a local authority may provide accommodation and related services to that household.