The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) is a statutory, self -financing body responsible for : maintaining a national register for all private.

The Private Residential Tenancies Board

(PRTB) is a statutory, self -financing body

responsible for :

maintaining a national register for all

private residential tenancies;

providing a dispute resolution service; and

the provision of information; carrying out

of research & the provision of policy

advice to the Minister regarding the

private rented sector

o The sector has doubled in size between Census

2006 and 2011, with one in five households

now living there (eg Local Authorities housed

9% of Irish Households) o Over 100,000 socially supported Tenants live

in the PRS o Social Housing Strategy: 35,000 units by LAs

and 75,000 leveraged from the Private Rented

Sector.

RED C Survey in 2014o66% of Tenants had been renting for 4+ years o32% Rent pending Mortgage Approval (pre

Central Bank changes in Deposits)o30% because it suited their requirements

oOnly 64% awareness of the PRTB / their rights,

thus advertising and awareness campaign

launched

o 303,574 Tenancies Registered o 86% of Landlords own one or two propertieso Over 33,000 Buy to Let properties in

serious mortgage arrears (C.B. report)o 29% of Landlord intend to sell as soon as

possible, as prices increaseo 36% of Landlords are “accidential”, (19%

both a Tenant / Landlord)

o 3,374 formal Disputes in 2014, relating to

6,071 separate breaches of the Act, includingo Rent Arrears (including overholding) - 1,134 cases

o Invalid Notices of Termination - 830

o Deposit Retention - 801

o Standard and maintenance of dwelling – 433

o Unlawful Termination – 263

o Anti-Social Behaviour - 215

o Rent More than Market Rate – 185

o 447 Appeals to Tribunal in 2014

o Rent Arrears – a growing problemo Rent increases in Dublin and now also

strong in the surrounding counties o Security of Tenure o Receivership o Deposits

% of Applications closed / processed

Timelines

33% 1-2 months17% 4 months30% 5-6 months10% 7 months10% 8-10

months

o 29,256 unregistered Landlords detected and notified

o 17 Criminal Prosecutions takeno 535 Request for DO Enforcement o 96,001 calls, 42,355 E Mails and 4,707

letters ( call centre is now outsourced) o Quarterly Rent Index with ESRIo Two major pieces of research last year

o Report stressed need to increase supply of Rental

Accommodation to meet strong growth in demand

o Did not recommend rent control – supply impacts

o “Rent Certainty” leases, longer tenure, linked to CPI but with

tax incentives for landlords

o Three month notice of rent increases, three comparable

properties to justify, refer to PRTB Rent Index

o Review Rent Supplement, extend Tenancy

Sustainment Protocol.

o Tax Incentives for HAP participation

o Extend security of Tenure for Further Part 4

o Increase Notice periods pro-rata for longer Tenancies

o PRTB timeline to be improved, resources & Determination

Orders enforcement

o Extend the Home Renovation Scheme

o Minimum Standards “NCT” for all rented properties

o Code of Conduct for Buy to Let properties in receivership

o Living City initiative – better use of empty buildings

o Professionalise the sector eg CPD for Agents

o Importance of the Approved Housing Bodies

o Deposit Protection Schemeo Free Mediation Serviceo New sliding scales for Registration feeso Free Further Part 4 registrations o Board Policy and operational functions splito Approved Housing Bodies under the remit of

the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) o Rumours in media of other possible

changes, but Bill not yet published.