Residents' association seek RTB unit to identify unregistered, privately rented properties

A RESIDENTS’ association in Cork City has called on the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to establish a dedicated investigation unit to identify unregistered, privately rented properties.

Last month, the Magazine Road and Surrounding Areas Residents’ Association claimed that a sample check conducted by residents living near University College Cork at the start of the year showed over one-in-three privately rented properties in the area appeared not to be registered by landlords with the RTB.

Following a meeting this week with representatives of the RTB, the association said the board has committed to following up on the most recent file of unregistered properties sent to it by residents in September, and to respond within four to five weeks.

“While they also committed to a new statement of strategy, which will include a new and revised compliance and enforcement policy, they stated that at present, they do not have a system in place to proactively investigate and identify unregistered privately-rented properties,” stated the association.

“They depend on landlords to volunteer to register and/or act on third-party complaints.”

It called on the RTB to put in place a “dedicated proactive investigative unit” to identify unregistered, privately rented properties. The association said it believes that relying on landlords to self-register their property is “clearly not working” and that non-compliance by some has “serious consequences for tenants’ security of tenure, neighbours, and the local community”.

A spokesperson for the RTB told the board would “consider the points raised” by the association and revert in due course.

“During the meeting, the RTB discussed a range of issues with the RA [residents association] and explained our current processes for responding to information about potential non-registered tenancies. 

"The RTB is committed to being a regulator that works in the public interest. The RTB briefed the RA, as to the main points of the RTB strategy which is in the final stages of development.

“Part of this strategy is the RTB’s commitment to a process of ongoing organisation development to support improvement and consistent delivery of quality services.

“The RTB also highlighted the plan regarding our regulatory risk framework, which, when implemented, will provide clarity and escalation pathways where landlords are non-compliant with their obligations.”