USI calls for national accommodation monitoring
National monitoring of rented accommodation is necessary to protect students from unscrupulous landlords and poor living conditions, it was claimed today.
The call by the Union of Students in Ireland was made as housing charity Threshold published its annual report, which showed only 7,232 of an estimated 150,000 rented properties were inspected by local authorities last year.
Although 30% were found to be below minimum standards, legal action was only taken in four cases, the charity said.
USI Deputy President Ruth Ni Eidhin said the Government must provide frequent inspections of properties and national monitoring of standards in rented accommodation.
She welcomed the establishment of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), which operates a national system for registering tenancies and offers a dispute resolution service.
But she said: “Threshold’s annual report highlights the continuing problems with the quality of rented accommodation, which is monitored by local authorities.
“We are calling for immediate national monitoring of standards and the rigorous enforcement of the 1993 Housing Regulations, which set out in detail the rights of tenants to safe and comfortable accommodation.
“We also ask the minister for the Environment and Local Government to provide for frequent and random inspections of private rented accommodation, as students are often unwilling to make a complaint, even though their accommodation may be substantially below par.”
:: USI has launched a leaflet for students, containing advice, contact numbers and a checklist of things to look out for when choosing accommodation.
It includes getting a receipt for a deposit, making a list of contents, checking for damp, repairs that need doing and safety provisions, as well as knowing your rights and finding out if the landlord is registered.
