PROGRESS is being made by the Government on the contentious issue of deposit retention by landlords in the private rental sector. Minister for Housing and Planning Jan O’Sullivan, speaking at the launch of Threshold 2011 Annual Report, confirmed the publication of a key report on rent deposit protection and her preference to use the legislation currently before the Dáil to follow through on this policy goal.
The Housing Minister said that one of the most significant aspects of the Bill is the inclusion of dwellings let by approved housing bodies (AHBs) within the remit of the Residential Tenancies Act. This will extend to the large majority of not-for-profit AHB sector the same range of tenant and landlord rights and obligations as pertain in the private rented sector.
However the Irish Property Owners Association (IPOA) has long criticised calls to introduce such a protection scheme, pointing to the most recent relevant figures (2010) available from the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB).
“Out of 230,000 tenancies registered, there were just 958 cases involving deposit retention, less than half a per cent,” said chairperson Stephen Faughnan.
He stated that of these 958 cases, 58 per cent of landlords were allowed to retain all or part of the deposit: ” In other words, in 99.6 per cent of tenancies, there is no dispute over deposits”.
You can read the rent deposit protection report compiled by Indecon economic consultants compiled on the department website.
