Housing Standards & Compliance Service

Housing Standards for Rented Housing Regulations 2019

In Ireland, landlords have a statutory obligation to ensure their rented property provides tenants with a safe and healthy environment to live in and is compliant with the minimum standards set out within the  Housing Standards (For Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. Owners of rented properties are obliged to carry out periodic inspections of their properties to ensure compliance with the regulations. Local Authorities throughout Ireland are responsible for overseeing the monitoring, recording and enforcement of the regulations within their respective jurisdictions and conducting random inspections of rented properties. If a rental property does not comply with these  Minimum Standards, a landlord is subject to a range of penalties and/or prosecution.

The majority of Landlords/Property owners (registered or unregistered) are not fully aware or informed of their statutory obligations with regard to the minimum Housing standards requirements.

Reasons for Inspections:

• Statutory obligation on landlords to ensure their rented property is compliant with the Housing  (Standards For Rented Houses) Regulations 2019
• Check and establish that a rented property is safe for habitation prior to commencement of and during a letting/tenancy.
• Check property is being maintained in appropriate condition by the tenant(s)
• Measure timely response to any issue raised (by the tenant)
• Record notes & photographic details of any contraventions/issues/defects requiring attention
• Maintain regular records of general condition and any potential issues observed that may require future intervention.
• Prevent /Minimize potential for disputes, misunderstandings and conflict with tenants
• Provide periodic condition records regarding final reconciliation of the Security Deposit

Benefits of Inspections:

• Streamline efficiencies in maintaining Good Estate Management (Be a GEM landlord)
• Systemize property inspection records and maintenance procedures for landlords
• Maintain Compliance and awareness of regulations
• Improve quality and efficiencies in performing statutory obligations to tenant
• Monitoring and recording compliance contravention issues
• Provision of a detailed Inspection report with images and rich tenancy data
• Economic and ecological solution (paperless option & low carbon footprint) for convenient and easy submission and storage of communications and reports.
• Periodic update on tenant profile records to ensure awareness of who is occupying the property…Read more *…

*It is a common occurrence in the rental sector, where a property is rented to a group of individuals sharing that tenants/occupants rotate without tenants first informing or obtaining consent from their landlord. Tenants can often be unaware of their direct responsibilities to the incoming  Licencee/Sub-tenant. ie. That they (Tenant) are in fact the Landlord of their Licensee/Sub-tenant and not the property owner. Often a tenancy can evolve to a situation where none of the original tenants remain in occupation and an entirely different group of individuals are in possession of the property but with no tenancy rights and this can lead to significant complications, difficulties and stress for both landlord and residual occupants.

Don’t wait for a Local Authority Inspection…Ensure Your Property is Compliant Now!