LIMERICK city council has been accused of failing to protect tenants in privately rented accommodation.
Labour Party councillor Joe Leddin expressed his disappointment that the council hasn’t issued improvement notices to the owners of privately rented houses or apartments to ensure the safety of their tenants.
He said he was particularly concerned after submitting a motion last month requesting information on the number of house inspections undertaken by the council.
“As a result of that motion, I now suspect that little or no regulation of privately rented residential accommodation is taking place in the City,” he said.
“Tenants are paying excessive weekly and monthly rent for apartments, bedsits and houses that are not fit for purpose. Many people are living in accommodation with poor structural, electrical and decorative condition.
“The reality is that those misfortunate individuals who are living in sub-standard accommodation depend on their local council to protect them against unscrupulous landlords who are charging high rents while refusing to carry out necessary repairs to their properties,” said Leddin.
And he believes that owners of properties kept in poor condition should not be allowed to receive state rental subsidies.
“Privately rented houses in estates are also causing problems for their neighbours who have to suffer when gardens are overgrown and the physical appearance of rented houses continues to deteriorate,” he said.
A spokesperson for the local authority said that Limerick City and County Councils carried out 123 inspections and served 16 improvement notices in 2014. They also served notices of works to landlords in 374 properties last year following 629 inspections of properties.”
