Concern for rights of renters of modular homes

Vivienne Clarke

Ann-Marie O'Reilly, National Advocacy Manager with housing charity Threshold, has expressed concern at government plans to exempt modular homes in back gardens from planning permission.

Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, O’Reilly pointed out that tenants of modular homes would be licensees and would not be afforded the same rights and protections as renters are under the Residential Tenancies Act.

“The people who live in these homes will be licensees, who essentially have no rights, no recourse to justice if something goes wrong.

"They're not protected from rent increases, they can be given a moment's notice to leave the property, and that really needs to be addressed before we create even more of these situations.”

A licensee has permission to reside in the property, but they don't have any rights to be in the property, she explained. “So usually when we think about a licensee, we think about people who are renting a room in the owner's own home.

"So it makes sense in that situation, it is the landlord's own home, and you're very much sharing the space together.

“It makes sense that it may be a temporary situation. But if you're renting a standalone unit that's separate, you've got a lot more autonomy, and in fact we've had clients come to us who are living in current homes, who've had to go to the RTB, and the RTB has recognised their rights as tenants.

“But we're now being told, well no, they won't be tenants, they'll just have the permission to be there until the landlord changes their mind.”

O’Reilly also questioned how the authorities will ensure that the modular homes meet the new building regulations.

“We certainly hope to see some requirement for the property owner to make the local authority aware at least that a unit is being put up in the back garden.”