Joan Burton called on Housing Minister, Batt O’Keeffe to give residents associations the power to make complaints against landlords who keep poorly-maintained rented houses. This is a huge problem in Dublin West where investors are buying up properties, turning over tenants frequently and not maintaining the properties properly.

Deputy Burton was responding to media reports this week which suggest that the Standards of Rented Houses Regulations will be amended to impose an obligation on landlords to properly maintain the exteriors of the houses they are renting out.

Deputy Burton said “It is good news that landlords will have to properly maintain the outside of their rented houses. This will include repainting the house or properly tending to the garden.”

The Labour TD called on the Minister for Housing to make an amendment to the Residential Tenancies Act to enable residents associations make complaints to the Private Residential Tenancies Board against landlords who fail to properly care for the outside of their rented houses.

“Giving residents associations the power to make complaints is the only way the new standards will be policed. The Minister is proposing a minimal amendment which only permits Environmental Housing Officers to tackle this problem. This will not be enough” said Joan Burton.

“The amendments I wish to see to the Residential Tenancies Act will enable third parties – for example, residents associations – to make complaints to the Private Residential Tenancies Board on grounds other than anti-social behaviour. They would be able to make complaints where a landlord fails to maintain the exterior of a rented house.” concluded Deputy Burton.