INSPECTIONS of private rental properties in the first nine months of 2022 have increased by almost 540% on 2021’s total figure since Cork City Council engaged a private firm late last year to carry them out.

In the first three quarters of 2022, a total of 5,346 inspections were carried out by or on behalf of the city council, with 4,416 dwellings visited, whereas 2021 saw a total of 837 inspections, with 819 dwellings visited.

The figure of 5,346 inspections in the first nine months of 2022 represents a 538% increase on the whole of 2021’s figures.

Failure rates, where dwellings were found to be non-compliant with regulations on the first inspection, are 70% for the first nine months of 2022, down on last year’s rate of 92%.

Commenting on the figures, Cork City Councillor Mick Nugent welcomed the marked increase in inspection numbers.

CONCERN

“A significant number of dwellings are still failing on the first inspection, and that is concerning, and that says to me there are still a lot of issues with the quality of private rental properties,” the Sinn Féin councillor said.

“One of the unintended consequences of the huge increase in inspections is the increased number we are seeing notices to quit, where landlords just can’t do what is needed to pass inspections, and that is a huge concern, but that upscaling of inspections really was needed.” Mr Nugent said it would be helpful if the amount being paid to the external provider could be published by City Hall and if the council could clarify the percentage of that amount which is being subsidised by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

“Certainly the last year or so has seen a huge and welcome spike in inspections, which are required, each Hap (housing assistance payment) property is supposed to have an inspection withing eight months, that wasn’t happening before, so at least now there is a scheme of regular inspections, which was needed,” he said.

At the end of 2021, citing recruitment challenges in filling vacancies to its private rental inspection (PRI) team, Cork City Council engaged an external service provider to carry out inspections.

In 2020, the PRI team carried out 479 inspections, visiting 415 dwellings.

Rates of inspections carried out in 2020 and 2021 were affected by the lockdowns caused by Covid-19, but prior to that, the PRI carried out 739 inspections at 617 dwellings in 2018, and 1,042 inspections at 862 dwellings in 2019.

The figures for the first three quarters of 2022 mark an increase of 623% on the whole of 2018’s figures, and an increase of 413% on 2019 figures.

In 2022, some 3,086 dwellings, out of 4,416 inspected, failed on first inspection, representing a 70% failure rate, in comparison to 2021’s figures, where 755 dwellings out of 819 failed, or 92%.

For 2021’s failure rate, Cork City Council said at the time that the most common reasons for failure were inadequate ventilation, and a lack of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, evacuation plans, and window restrictors.

The full 2022 figures for inspection of private rental properties are due in January.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has set Cork City Council a 2023 target to inspect 25% of all rental properties, meaning it would have to inspect 5,354 properties.